Nikon Z6 III Review: A Hybrid Camera for the Masses

Nikon’s latest Z6 The camera brings the camera maker’s advanced autofocus to an affordable flagship camera. In almost every respect that matters, the new Z6 III matches or outperforms the company’s more expensive, higher-end models. Nikon Z8.

Although it’s not perfect, the Z6 III is one of those Best full frame mirrorless cameras on the market, capable of handling almost any photography situation most of us will encounter. Landscape and wildlife professionals will likely stick to their Z8 cameras for the higher-resolution sensor, but for everyone else, this is the Nikon to get.

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Nikon’s new Z6 III is a much bigger upgrade over the original. It brings most of the key features of Nikon’s more expensive Z8 and Z9 cameras to the Z6 line.

The body design has been modified, although it is not significantly different from the Z6 II. The camera weighs 1.7 pounds, which balances well even with larger lenses, and the Nikon grip is the largest I’ve used, making it comfortable and easy to hold. Unlike The Nikon Zf is a vintage inspired cameraThere are not many external controls here. There’s a dial to change shooting modes, along with various other dials, buttons and scroll wheels, all of which give you plenty of customizable options you can set up however you like, but it lacks that film-inspired feel of the Zf.

The Z6 III’s key features are the new partially stacked sensor (more on that below), the updated, very fast and accurate 3D subject tracking system, and the ProRes video codec. There are also a ton of great little updates that make everyday shooting a better, smoother experience.

The Z6 III features a new 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, which Nikon calls a “partially stacked” sensor, which means you get some of the performance advantages of a stacked CMOS sensor, like those found in the Nikon Z8 and Z9, but not the negatives, or at least fewer Of the negatives. Stacked sensors stack the processing circuitry on top of the sensor itself (technically behind the sensor), which means the RAM is connected directly to the sensor, resulting in an incredibly fast read. This allows high-end cameras to capture up to 12 RAW images per second without blocking the viewfinder.

Photo: Scott Gilbertson