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Nikon Z6 Comparison Review

The Nikon Z6 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in August 2018 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 24.3 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon Z6 a good camera? The Z6 has a Camera Elo of 2704. This rating puts the Z6 among the top 40 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the Z6 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Nikon Z6
Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses
24.3 MP, Full Frame Sensor
4K/30p Video
ISO 100 - 51 200 (50 - 204 800)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2 LCD, 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
310 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Nikon Z6 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Nikon Z6 vs credit card front
Z6 versus credit card top view
Z6 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon Z6 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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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 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon Zf 144 mm 103 mm 49 mm 710 g 380 Y Sep 2023 1,999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z6 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 410 Y Oct 2020 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Nikon Z7 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 330 Y Aug 2018 3,399ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 Y Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 II 134 mm 91 mm 67 mm 574 g 440 Y Sep 2016 1,999ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic GH5 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 725 g 410 Y Jan 2017 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
9.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon Z6 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,999. 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.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Nikon Z6 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon Z6 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Nikon Z6 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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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 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
2.
 
Nikon Zf Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.414.7324396
3.
 
Nikon Z6 II Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.014.4330394
4.
 
Nikon Z7 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/30p26.314.6266899
5.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.712.8131280
7.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
8.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
9.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
10.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
11.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The Z6 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the Z6 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Z6 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 3690k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.80x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z6 and comparable cameras.

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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.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
2.
 
Nikon Zf3690 n3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon Z6 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
4.
 
Nikon Z73690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
5.
 
Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
7.
 
Panasonic GH53680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
8.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
9.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Nikon Z6 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the Z6

One useful feature of the Z6 is a presence of 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.

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Connection 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 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
2.
 
Nikon ZfYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Nikon Z6 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
4.
 
Nikon Z7Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y--
7.
 
Panasonic GH5Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
8.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
9.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
10.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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It is notable that the Z6 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the Z6 can be found in the free online Nikon Z6 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Z6. 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. This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon Zf......90/100.... Sep 2023 1,999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z6 II4.5/5..4/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Nikon Z75/5+4.8/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 3,399ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 II5/5+ +5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 1,999ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic GH54.5/5+ +..85/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2017 1,999ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 1,999 amazon.com
9.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 4,499ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Nikon Z6 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the Z6.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Nikon Z6?

The camera has a BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon Z6 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the Z6 with the EXPEED 6 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon Z6?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon Z6?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the Z6. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the Z6 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon Z6?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your Z6 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Nikon Z6?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon Z6?

No, the Nikon Z6 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Nikon Z6?

The Z6 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Nikon Z6 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon Z6 for flash photography?

The Z6's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Which battery does the Nikon Z6 use?

The camera gets its power from the EN-EL15b (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon Z6?

Yes, Nikon offers the MB-N10 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Where can I find the best deals for the Nikon Z6?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Nikon.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An 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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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon Z6
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Nikon Z mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2018
    Launch Price USD 1 999
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 858 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.1 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 24.3 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 048 x 4 024 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 2.84 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51 200 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 204 800 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 6
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 95
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 3299
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.80x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3690k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 2100k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness No front-flip
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 12 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 3.1
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type EN-EL15b power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)310 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 101 x 67 mm
    (5.3 x 4.0 x 2.6 in)
    Camera Weight 675 g (23.8 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

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