Canon R6 Mark II vs Nikon Z8

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in November 2022 and May 2023. Both the R6 Mark II and the Z8 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 45.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R6 Mark II		Nikon Z8
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/60p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.2" LCD – 2089k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
450 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
138 x 98 x 88 mm, 670 g		144 x 119 x 83 mm, 910 g

Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check Z8 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z8 is notably larger (27 percent) than the Canon R6 Mark II. Moreover, the Z8 is substantially heavier (36 percent) than the R6 Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R6 Mark II gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E6NH battery, while the Z8 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15c power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5 C	142 mm	101 mm	111 mm	770 g	320	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 3 399	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R6 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 38 percent) than the Z8, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Z8 offers a higher resolution of 45.4 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the R6 Mark II. This megapixels advantage translates into a 38 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Z8 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 5.98μm for the R6 Mark II). However, it should be noted that the Z8 is a somewhat more recent model (by 6 months) than the R6 Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z8 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z8 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z8 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.3 x 27.5 inches or 104.9 x 69.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33 x 22 inches or 83.9 x 55.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.5 x 18.3 inches or 69.9 x 46.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R6 Mark II are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z8 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the R6 Mark II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Z8 uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
2.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
7.		Canon R5 C	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.5	3082	96
8.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
10.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
11.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
12.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
13.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
14.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
15.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
16.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Z8 provides a better video resolution than the R6 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The R6 Mark II and the Z8 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 3690k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R6 Mark II and Nikon Z8 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R5 C	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Z8, but is missing on the R6 Mark II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The R6 Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Z8 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and Nikon Z8 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R5 C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon Z8 (unlike the R6 Mark II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Z8 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the R6 Mark II and the Z8 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The R6 Mark II replaced the earlier Canon R6, while the Z8 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R6 Mark II and Z8 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R6 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Z8 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R6 Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (138x98mm vs 144x119mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 240g or 26 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (38 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2022).

Advantages of the Nikon Z8:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 38%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4k/60p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.76x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2089k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/32000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (6 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z8 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R6 Mark II and the Nikon Z8 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R6 Mark II or the Z8 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5 C	..	+ +	..	..	..	..	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 3 399	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check R6 Mark II price at
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Check Z8 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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