The best Nikon cameras

Nikon is one of the top brands for digital cameras. The company was already a major player in the analog photographic equipment industry and has continued to innovate since digital technology became dominant. Nikon provides a broad range of models, including digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, and compact cameras that come with a built-in lens. It also uses a variety of imaging sensors in its models, ranging from full-frame, over APS-C and One-inch, to small 1/2.3-inch sensors.

The choice of a particular type of camera depends very much on the intended use. A professional wedding photographer has different requirements than a casual family holiday shooter, and a sports reporter has different needs than a landscape artist. The importance of individual preferences and selection criteria means that the question which camera is best is not easy to answer. That said, general camera rankings can give a useful overview of the overall capabilities of various camera models and thereby provide the basis for more use-specific model comparisons and assessments.

The highest rated Nikon cameras

The Camera Elo represents a comprehensive rating that takes the body, sensor and feature characteristics of digital cameras into account. It is based on the outcomes of thousands of pair-wise comparisons undertaken via the CAM-parator app.

The Nikon Z6 III is currently the top-ranked Nikon camera with a Camera Elo of 3208, followed in second place by the Nikon Z8 with a rating of 3191. The table below lists the 20 highest ranked Nikon cameras in descending order of their Elo. It also reports the cameras' DXO Mark sensor quality score, which can be taken as indicators of pure image quality. For both the Camera Elo and the DXO score, higher values represent better performance.

The Cameras with the Highest Elo

		Camera Model	Lens Type	Camera Elo	DXO Score	Camera Type	Resolution (MP)	Video Format	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z6 III	Nikon Z	3208	97	Mirrorless	24.3	6K/60p	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z8	Nikon Z	3191	98	Mirrorless	45.4	8K/30p	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
3.		Nikon Z9	Nikon Z	3191	98	Mirrorless	45.4	8K/30p	Oct 2021	US$ 5 499	amazon.com
4.		Nikon Zf	Nikon Z	3127	96	Mirrorless	24.3	4K/60p	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Nikon Z6 II	Nikon Z	3017	94	Mirrorless	24.3	4K/60p	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
6.		Nikon Z7 II	Nikon Z	3008	100	Mirrorless	45.4	4K/60p	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z5	Nikon Z	2891	95	Mirrorless	24.2	4K/30p	Jul 2020	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D780	Nikon FX	2829	95	DSLR	24.3	4K/30p	Jan 2020	US$ 2 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D6	Nikon FX	2805	95	DSLR	20.7	4K/30p	Feb 2020	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z30	Nikon Z	2731	86	Mirrorless	20.7	4K/30p	Jun 2022	US$ 709	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z7	Nikon Z	2723	99	Mirrorless	45.4	4K/30p	Aug 2018	US$ 3 399	ebay.com
12.		Nikon Z6	Nikon Z	2719	95	Mirrorless	24.3	4K/30p	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z fc	Nikon Z	2678	85	Mirrorless	20.7	4K/30p	Jun 2021	US$ 959	amazon.com
14.		Nikon Z50	Nikon Z	2675	84	Mirrorless	20.7	4K/30p	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
15.		Nikon D850	Nikon FX	2627	100	DSLR	45.4	4K/30p	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
16.		Nikon D500	Nikon DX	2430	83	DSLR	20.7	4K/30p	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7500	Nikon DX	2418	86	DSLR	20.7	4K/30p	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
18.		Nikon D5	Nikon FX	2378	88	DSLR	20.7	4K/30p	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
19.		Nikon D5600	Nikon DX	2354	84	DSLR	24.0	1080/60p	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
20.		Nikon D810	Nikon FX	2251	97	DSLR	36.2	1080/60p	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

You can access more detail on the listed cameras by clicking on the camera's name. Alternatively, you can compare two Nikon cameras using the search boxes below. Just enter two model names into the input fields and you will promptly be taken to a respective comparison.

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