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Nikon Z6

 
Nikon Z6 front
 
  • 25MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3.2" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 51200 (Boost to 204800)
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Nikon Z Mount
  • 675g - 134 x 101 x 68mm
  • Revealed August 2018
  • Later Model is Nikon Z6 II
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
62
Imaging
75
Features
88
Overall
80

Nikon Z6 overview

Nikon Z6 is Nikon's Pro Mirrorless digital camera originally announced on August of 2018. The camera houses a 25MP, BSI-CMOS Full frame size sensor with a peak resolution of 6048 x 4024.

Nikon brought out the fresher Nikon Z6 II (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to upgrade this model.

The Z6 is placed #31 out of 70 in Pro Mirrorless cameras & all around #49 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can use our Advanced camera search to find camera results based on your customized requirements.

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The following is a graph of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Nikon Z6 history

The Nikon Z6 has a history of related cameras. Here, you can identify all older and latest models along with key specifications.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Nikon-Z8 front thumbnailNikon Z8
Z6 vs Z8
46MPFull frame30.0 fps2023
Nikon-Z9 front thumbnailNikon Z9
Z6 vs Z9
46MPFull frame30.0 fps2021
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone
Nikon-Z6-Mark-II front thumbnailNikon Z6 II
Z6 vs Z6 II
25MPFull frame14.0 fps2020
Nikon-Z7-Mark-II front thumbnailNikon Z7 II
Z6 vs Z7 II
46MPFull frame10.0 fps2020
Nikon-Z5 front thumbnailNikon Z5
Z6 vs Z5
24MPFull frame4.5 fps2020
Nikon-Z7 front thumbnailNikon Z7
Z6 vs Z7
46MPFull frame9.0 fps2018
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Nikon-Z6 front thumbnailNikon Z625MPFull frame12.0 fps2018

Nikon Z6 Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of advantages and disadvantages of the Nikon Z6 based on factors that are oftentimes seen as essential in a digital camera.

amazing megapixels (25 megapixels)
comes with phase detect AF
comes with Top screen
does have HDMI port
does have headphone port
does have mic port
exports RAW formats
high video quality (3840 x 2160 pxls)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
manual focus
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
provides face detect focusing
provides touch to focus
provides tracking focus
screen has good resolution (2,100 thousand dot)
screen size is decent (3.2")
screen tilts up and down
sensor size is great (Full frame)
supports bluetooth
swap lenses (Nikon Z mount)
touchscreen capability
very good ISO range (51,200)
very good min ISO (100)
weather proof
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
not so great battery power (330 per charge)
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Nikon Z6 Sensor specs

The Nikon Z6 is powered by the Expeed 6 processor. The size of the sensor in the Nikon Z6 is 35.9mm x 23.9mm (Full frame). The 858 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 6048 x 4024 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 5:4, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis). Sensor stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter might cause cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 25 megapixels and delivers a standard ISO range of 100 - 51200. The ISO can be expanded digitally to 50 - 204800. RAW photos are saved which means that the user has more room to maneuver in post.

The picture below shows the Z6's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The Z6 sensor has a crop factor of 1 and is highlighted in green.

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To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Nikon Z6 dimensions

Nikon Z6 weighs 1.49 pounds (675 gr / 23.81 ounces) & the dimensions of the camera is 134mm x 101mm x 68mm (5.3" x 4.0" x 2.7"). The weight of general Pro Mirrorless camera is 722 gr so the Nikon Z6 is very similar as compared to other rivals.

Photography Glossary

The following is a visual of the Nikon Z6 alongside a soft drink so you're able to get a sense of its size.

Nikon Z6 dimensions scale

The top view below will show you the button layout on the Z6.

Nikon Z6 topview buttons dials

Nikon Z6 Lens details

The Z6 uses the Nikon Z mount and has 31 lenses on sale. Here is some of the lenses we have in our collection that will fit the Z6.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Nikon-Nikkor-Z-24-70mm-F4-S lensNikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm F4 S24-70mmf/4 500g
Nikon-Nikkor-Z-40mm-F2 lensNikon Nikkor Z 40mm F240mmf/2 170g
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Nikon-Nikkor-Z-35mm-F1.8-S lensNikon Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S35mmf/1.8370g
Nikon-Nikkor-Z-20mm-F1.8-S lensNikon Nikkor Z 20mm F1.8 S20mmf/1.8 505g
Nikon-Nikkor-Z-58mm-F0.95-S-Noct lensNikon Nikkor Z 58mm F0.95 S Noct58mmf/12000g
Nikon-Nikkor-Z-DX-50-250mm-F4.5-6.3-VR lensNikon Nikkor Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR50-250mmf/4.5-6.3 405g
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Nikon-Nikkor-Z-50mm-F1.2-S lensNikon Nikkor Z 50mm F1.2 S50mmf/1.21090g
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Nikon Z6 Connectivity

The Z6 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that feature NFC and Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You can send files and oftentimes change camera settings without connecting directly with the camera.

Many apps also provide a Liveview and press the shutter in case you aren't near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can easily be attached to an external monitor. Virtually all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery through the USB port.

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Nikon Z6 Video details

The highest video quality in the Nikon Z6 is 3840 x 2160 and you can record in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 2160p gives you an exceptional quality for video. You are able to downsample to Full HD in order to get better video. Be wary of the considerable file sizes and ensure you have good SD cards with good write speeds. The body does feature both headphone and mic port making it really valuable whilst capturing sound.

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Nikon Z6 Weather Sealing

Nikon Z6 has got weather sealing making it a excellent option for use during challenging conditions. This is especially valuable whenever you are uncertain about the conditions you may face during outdoor photography.

Nikon Z6 Screen and Viewfinder

The Nikon Z6 is equipped with a 3.2 inch tilting display having a resolution of 2,100 thousand dots.

Additionally the display is touch friendly which means that you are able to set focus point as well as change settings using your fingers. The Z6 also includes a Top screen so it’s possible to quickly look at the camera's settings.

Nikon Z6 screen and viewfinder Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The ViewFinder specifications for Nikon Z6 are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • ViewFinder Resolution 3,690 thousand dots
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.8x

For bright outdoor conditions that make the camera screens washed out and tricky to see, viewfinders are quite valuable.

Nikon Z6 Shutter details

Nikon Z6 has the capability to shoot continuously at 12.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/8000s.

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Nikon Z6 Flash and Hot shoe details

Nikon Z6 comes with external flash ability but comes without built in flash. The maximum flash sync speed is 1/200s.

Nikon Z6 Autofocus details

Nikon Z6 comes with both Phase Detect AF plus Contrast Based AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot faster & exact as compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera supports Face detection which is valuable for people photography.

The Sensor supports 273 focus points to pick from. Nikon Z6 has tap to focus. You can use your fingers in order to switch where you focus. It also includes Tracking AF for things that move. Nikon Z6 has the ability to use manual focusing in case it is needed during low light or you need more accurate focusing control.

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Nikon Z6 Battery life

The battery power on the Nikon Z6 is made to last for 330 images with respect to the CIPA specifications which is lower in comparison with it's competition. The typical Pro Mirrorless camera battery life is 460. Olympus E-M1X features the highest (870) battery life within this range of cameras.

Underneath is a list of Pro Mirrorless cameras that have the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-R3 front thumbnailCanon R3
Z6 vs R3
760 yesnoyes
Nikon-Z9 front thumbnailNikon Z9
Z6 vs Z9
740 yesnoyes
Leica-M11 front thumbnailLeica M11
Z6 vs M11
700 yesnono

Nikon Z6 for specific forms of photography

The following diagram shows a analysis of the Nikon Z6 for specific forms of photography. To understand more, browse to the specific section below.

Nikon Z6 Portrait photography info

The Nikon Z6 receives a rating of 85 which is exceptional, meaning that it is a great choice for portrait images. Shooting portraits favors heavily to sensor size, support for RAW files & potential to work with off-camera flash.

Photography Glossary
focusing manually
MP count high (25MP)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
includes face detect focusing
exports RAW formats

Nikon Z6 Street photography factors

Getting a exceptional points tally of 78, the Nikon Z6 is a outstanding pick to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera offers a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen tilts up and down
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
delivers RAW formats
has touch to focus
weather proofing
great ISO range (51,200)

Nikon Z6 Sports photography highlights

A outstanding sports photography points tally of 81 indicates the Nikon Z6 is a excellent choice for taking pictures of sports. A camera needs to have excellent focusing plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
high megapixels (25 megapixels)
large sensor size (Full frame)
includes tracking focus
weather proofing
has phase detect AF
not so great battery power (330 per charge)

Nikon Z6 Travel photography factors

Weight is pretty important when selecting a camera for travel. Overall, the Nikon Z6 gets a very good 66 as a travelling camera which is a respectable choice to buy for your journeys.

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environment sealing
has bluetooth
provides touch focus
fantastic megapixels (25MP)
not so great battery life (330 CIPA)
does not contain selfie friendly screen

Nikon Z6 Landscape photography advice

For anybody who is looking to pick a camera for landscape photographs, the most significant aspect is going to be image quality. The Nikon Z6 at it's tremendous grade of 81 as a landscape camera is a outstanding fit amongst its competition.

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manual focus
switch lenses (Nikon Z mount)
nice screen size (3.2 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
great MP (25 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
above average high ISO (51,200)
delivers RAW formats
weather proof
bad battery life (330 per charge)

Nikon Z6 Vlogging information

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a articulating display screen, microphone port and if possible image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Nikon Z6 is simply not very good for vlogging as it comes to a subpar score of 36.

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touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
includes face detect autofocus
video resolution high (3840 x 2160 pixels)
does have mic jack
display isn't selfie friendly

Nikon Z6 Alternatives

If you are in the market for alternatives to the Z6, here is a selection of the top scored cameras which fall under the family of Pro Mirrorless.

The line graph just below will give you a summary of the Z6 compared to it's top ranked rivals listed earlier.

Here are a handful of other cameras you might take into account as alternative options. To check out a detailed comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Nikon
Model type
Nikon Z6
Category
Pro Mirrorless
Revealed
2018-08-23
Body design
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor Chip
Expeed 6
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor dimensions
35.9 x 23.9mm
Sensor surface area
858.0mm²
Sensor resolution
25 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 5:4, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution
6048 x 4024
RAW pictures
Maximum native ISO
51200
Maximum boosted ISO
204800
Min native ISO
100
Min boosted ISO
50
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points
273
Lens
Lens support
Nikon Z
Total lenses
15
Crop factor
1
Screen
Screen type
Tilting
Screen size
3.2"
Resolution of screen
2,100 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
3,690 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.8x
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
95
DXO Color Depth rating
25.3
DXO Dynamic range rating
14.3
DXO Low light rating
3299
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30s
Highest shutter speed
1/8000s
Continuous shooting speed
12.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
no built-in flash
Flash modes
Front-curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, off
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync
1/200s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 144 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Maximum video resolution
3840x2160
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
Yes
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
675 grams (1.49 lbs)
Physical dimensions
134 x 101 x 68mm (5.3" x 4.0" x 2.7")
Other
Battery life
330 photos
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 secs)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
XQD card
Storage slots
Single
Launch pricing
$1,997