Nikon Z6

NIKON Z6: full review

Cheaper and less advanced than Nikon Z7, Nikon Z6 is a mirrorless camera that, when it was launched in 2018, was a very big deal. Spoilers, previews, rumours. And the reason for such trepidation was the debut of Nikon in the Mirrorless field.

To be honest, Nikon Z6 was the second debut in this field, but certainly it was the most important and significant one. With Nikon 1, actually, the Japanese company couldn’t win through in the market. With Z6 e Z7 it started over again, and big time: two high-level full frames, an adapter for traditional lenses and four new dedicated lenses.

At the base of this small revolution lays the Z-mount system, both on Nikon Z6 and on its sister. With a 55 mm diameter, 11 more than the usual, closer to the sensors, Nikon has launched a system with more aperture and, consequently, amazing brightness in the scenes to frame.

Camera body of Nikon Z6

The big problem of reflex cameras has always been the weight of their camera body. With Nikon Z6 you can hold a camera that weighs less than 7 hg, 675 grams to be precise. This is a definitely light weight if compared with Nikon D750, not very recent reflex and very similar to Nikon Z6 in terms of performance. So, a big step forward for Nikon, on the way of success also in the mirrorless field.

Personally, I think the weight of Nikon Z6 is right, neither too heavy nor too light. Too light cameras give you the feeling of holding a cheap toy and it’s not good. On the contrary, a too heavy weight can get you tired. It might be only a psychological aspect, but the weight of Nikon Z6 is the right one for my expectations.

Buttons and rings are smartly placed, they’re all easily reachable. Maybe just the grip is the least exciting element of Nikon Z6, but I realize that my habits with reflex cameras might influence my personal feelings about it.

The design is very simple and it resembles Sony A7, with a very clean and minimal look, the grip doesn’t give any trouble. The structure is solid and well-produced, made in magnesium alloy. Nikon Z6 is also tropicalized, so it is weather-proof.

At the top, Nikon Z6 has a small display, the video button, and two rings – ISO and exposure – next to the shutter button.

The touchscreen display – 3.2 inches LCD, 1024 x 680 pixels – is a triumph of functions, with all the available info, and is placed vertically. The viewfinder is more than decent, it works perfectly with its 3.69 million dots.

Main technical features

With 24.3 megapixels resolution, 50 – 204800 ISO range and 12 fps burst mode (excellent buffering), the mirrorless Full Frame Nikon Z6 is among the most attractive cameras in technical terms of the medium-high segment of the market.

The aspect of this excellent mirrorless that impressed me more is the AF, rightfully defined “predictive”. It means that the Autofocus system on Nikon Z6 works with artificial intelligence, somehow managing to foresee the movement of the framed subject. Hence a very fluid performance, for what has always been one of the least successful elements of every first-generation mirrorless. With Nikon Z6 that bug has been greatly outdone.

Also 5-axis stabilization is a flagship of this long-awaited Mirrorless by Nikon.

Then there’s the video, which has never been a badge of honor for Nikon cameras. Well, the ultra HD of Nikon Z6 is really high-quality, to the point that many people consider it as one of the best videos in the area of mirrorless cameras.

Sadly, in terms of connectivity, even with integrated WiFi, Nikon doesn’t have GPS nor a second slot for memory card.

Nikon Z6 vs Z7

The first big difference between these two mirrorless sisters lays in their price: Z7 has a list price of 4,400 euros (Kit with NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S), while the same kit with Nikon Z6 costs around 2,900 euros. Quite a difference, then. But let’s see if these 1,400 euros are justifiable in terms of performance.

On the main technical features, actually, there’s a big imbalance against Nikon Z6 – which is better in frames per second, though – starting from resolution: the big sister has 45 megapixels! Then the Autofocus points, 493 vs 273 in favor of Nikon Z7: they’re both amazing but there is an objective difference between the two cameras.

Regarding ISO, Nikon Z7 has a native sensitivity between 63 and 25k, while Nikon Z6 range is 100-51.200.

In view of this, what’s the best choice, given the big price difference? If you’re a fan of action photography, sporting events and wildlife, Nikon Z6 is better, also thanks to its burst mode. Nikon Z7 has extraordinary resolution, incredibly performing AF, but I think its price is too high and it is not worth the 1,400€ difference between the two models.

The rival of Nikon Z6, in other words, is not its sister but Sony A7 III, with very similar price and technical features.

My opinion on Z6

A high-level all-round, that’s what Nikon Z6 is, which performs well in all kind of photos, excelling in sports photography. Good Autofocus, fast burst mode and capacious buffering. 4k videos, usually disappointing in Nikon, must not be ignored. If the lack of GPS and of a second slot for memory card are the first flaws that come to my mind, you’ll see that Nikon Z6 is free of real big flaws.

After Nikon 1 fiasco, it won’t be easy for Nikon to go back on top, talking about mirrorless. The big rivals started earlier and now they’re a couple of step ahead. That said, I think that Nikon Z6 and Z7 have the right features to restart the adventure on the right foot. Z6 really won me over!