Nikon Z6 II vs Z7

The Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2020 and August 2018. Both the Z6 II and the Z7 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Z6 II has a resolution of 24.3 megapixels, whereas the Z7 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

Nikon Z6 II		Nikon Z7
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
24.3 MP, Full Frame Sensor		45.4 MP, Full Frame Sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2 LCD, 2100k dots		3.2 LCD, 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
410 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 70 mm, 705 g		134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

In this particular case, the Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the Z7 is slightly lighter (4 percent) than the Z6 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 Z6 II gets 410 shots out of its EN-EL15c battery, while the Z7 can take 330 images on a single charge of its EN-EL15b power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	1,999
2.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	3,399
3.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499
4.		Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	1,699
5.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	2,299
6.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	1,399
7.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	2,999
8.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	1,999
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	134 mm	91 mm	69 mm	580 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,799
10.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	1,999
11.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699
12.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499
13.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	3,499
14.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999
15.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The Z6 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 41 percent) than the Z7, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras 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.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Z7 offers a higher resolution of 45.4 megapixels, compared with 24.3 MP of the Z6 II. This megapixels advantage translates into a 37 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Z7 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 5.94μm for the Z6 II). Moreover, it should be noted, that the Z6 II is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the Z7, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z7 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z7 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 Nikon Z6 II are 30.2 x 20.1 inches or 76.8 x 51.1 cm for good quality, 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 40.9 cm for very good quality, and 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Z6 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z7 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
2.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
3.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
4.		Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
5.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
6.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
7.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
8.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
10.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
11.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
12.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
13.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
14.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
15.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Z6 II provides a higher frame rate than the Z7. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the Z7 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Z6 II and the Z7 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z6 II, the Nikon Z7, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Size (inch)	LCD Resolution (000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2	2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0	n	Y
2.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2	2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
3.		Canon R6	5760	n	3.0	1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0	n	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0	1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0	n	Y
5.		Nikon D780	optical	Y	3.2	2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0	n	n
6.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2	1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2	2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2	2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0	n	Y
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	2360	n	3.0	1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0	1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	7.0	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2	2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0	n	Y
12.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0	1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
13.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0	1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0	922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0	1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0	n	Y

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 Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 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 Z6 II writes its imaging data to CFexpress or SDXC cards, while the Z7 uses XQD cards. The Z6 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Z7 only has one slot.

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 Nikon Z6 II and Nikon Z7 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 Microphone	Internal Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R6	Y	mono	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo	mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D780	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo	mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

The Z6 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the Z7 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the Z7 was succeeded by the Nikon Z7 II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon Z6 II better than the Nikon Z7 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z6 II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (410 versus 330) on a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (41 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the Z7 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2018).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z6 II is the clear winner of the match-up (8 : 3 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 Nikon Z6 II and the Nikon Z7 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Z6 II or the Z7 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], 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	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	1,999
2.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	3,399
3.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499
4.		Fujifilm X-T4	5/5	+ +	..	5/5	5/5	Feb 2020	1,699
5.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	2,299
6.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	1,399
7.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	2,999
8.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	1,999
9.		Olympus E-M1 III	5/5	..	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2020	1,799
10.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	1,999
11.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699
12.		Sony A9 II	..	..	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499
13.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	3,499
14.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999
15.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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Specifications: Nikon Z6 II vs Nikon Z7

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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