We use photofragment ion imaging and ab initio calculations to determine the bond strength and photodissociation dynamics of the nickel oxide (NiO+) and nickel sulfide (NiS+) cations. NiO+ photodissociates broadly from 20350 to 32000 cm–1, forming ground state products Ni+(2D) + O­(3P) below ∼29000 cm–1. Above this energy, Ni+(4F) + O­(3P) products become accessible and dominate over the ground state channel. In certain images, product spin–orbit levels are resolved, and spin–orbit propensities are determined. Image anisotropy and the results of MRCI calculations suggest NiO+ photodissociates via a 3 4Σ– ← X 4Σ– transition above the Ni+(4F) threshold and via 3 4Σ–, 2 4Σ–, and/or 2 4Π and 3 4Π excited states below the 4F threshold. The photodissociation spectrum of NiS+ from 19900 to 23200 cm–1 is highly structured, with ∼12 distinct vibronic peaks, each containing underlying substructure. Above 21600 cm–1, the Ni+(2D5/2) + S­(3P) and Ni+(2D3/2) + S­(3P) product spin–orbit channels compete, with a branching ratio of ∼2:1. At lower energy, Ni+(2D5/2) is formed exclusively, and S­(3P2) and S­(3P1) spin–orbit channels are resolved. MRCI calculations predict the ground state of NiS+ to be one of two nearly degenerate states, the 1 4Σ– and 1 4Δ. Based on images and spectra, the ground state of NiS+ is assigned as 4Δ7/2, with the 1 4Σ3/2 – and 1 4Σ1/2 – states 81 ± 30 and 166 ± 50 cm–1 higher in energy, respectively. The majority of the photodissociation spectrum is assigned to transitions from the 1 4Δ state to two overlapping, predissociative excited 4Δ states. Our D 0 measurements for NiO+ (D 0 = 244.6 ± 2.4 kJ/mol) and NiS+ (D 0 = 240.3 ± 1.4 kJ/mol) are more precise and closer to each other than previously reported values. Finally, using a recent measurement of D 0(NiS), we derive a more precise value for IE (NiS): 8.80 ± 0.02 eV (849 ± 1.7 kJ/mol).