Nikon Z6 vs Z8

The Nikon Z6 and the Nikon Z8 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2018 and May 2023. Both the Z6 and the Z8 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Z6 has a resolution of 24.3 megapixels, whereas the Z8 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		Nikon Z8
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/30p Video		8K/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 – 2089k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
310 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g		144 x 119 x 83 mm, 910 g

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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon Z8 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 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 Nikon Z6. Moreover, the Z8 is substantially heavier (35 percent) than the Z6. 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 gets 310 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15b 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 want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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	1,999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	3,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
6.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	1,399	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	1,999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	1,999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
Note: 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 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 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.

Technology-wise, the Z8 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 7) than the Z6 (EXPEED 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Z8 offers a higher resolution of 45.4 megapixels, compared with 24.3 MP of the Z6. This megapixels advantage translates into a 37 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 5.94μm for the Z6). However, it should be noted that the Z8 is much more recent (by 4 years and 8 months) than the Z6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that 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 Nikon Z6 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 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 Z8 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z6 is build around a BSI-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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. 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	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
2.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
3.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
4.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
5.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
6.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
7.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
8.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
9.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
10.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
11.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
12.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
13.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
14.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
15.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Z8 provides a better video resolution than the Z6. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Z6 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Z6 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z6, the Nikon Z8, and comparable 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.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	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 R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
6.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 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 Z6 writes its imaging data to XQD cards, while the Z8 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. The Z8 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Z6 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 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.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon Z8 (unlike the Z6) 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.

The Z8 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the Z6 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the Z6 was succeeded by the Nikon Z6 II. Further information on the features and operation of the Z6 and Z8 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon Z6 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Z8 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon Z6 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 Nikon Z6:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.4 stops ISO advantage).
• More compact: Is smaller (134x101mm vs 144x119mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 235g or 26 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z8:

• 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.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 7 vs EXPEED 6).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• 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.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 8 months of technical progress since the Z6 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z8 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 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 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 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	3,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
6.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	1,399	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	1,999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	1,999	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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