I own a Nikon Z6 II and here's the 3 things I want from the rumored Nikon Z6 III

Date:
Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:30:24 +0000

Description:
Do the rumored Z6 III specifications and my wishlist match up?

FULL STORY ======================================================================

The full-frame Nikon Z6 II convinced me to finally upgrade from my Nikon DSLR in 2021 and it has been my go-to camera for personal and professional work ever since.

Its proved to be a true all-rounder, delivering superb 24MP stills in good light and bad, and reliable eye detection autofocus for portraiture. Its powerful processor and rapid continuous shooting make light work of action sequences, while its video chops have seen me through single-person productions, especially as I opted for the Essential Movie kit which comes with an Atomos Ninja external monitor.

Needless to say Ive had a lot of hands-on time with my Z6 II and it remains one of the best mirrorless cameras today. However, its not perfect, and since its 2020 release new mirrorless cameras have brought new skills. Throughout pushing my Z6 II in various scenarios and testing the very latest tech as TechRadars Cameras editor, Ive mentally logged a wishlist should Nikon ever update this mid-range full-framer.

Naturally, the recent rumors of an upcoming third-gen model have caught my eye. Has Nikon read my mind regarding improvements in what will likely be called the Z6 III? The following three improvements would make the most difference to my daily photo and video rigors. 1. More versatile subject detection autofocus A recent zebra photo I took in Kenya using the Nikon Z6
II with the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens (Image credit: Future)

When I first used the Z6 II, I was super impressed by how effective its autofocus is, especially compared to my full-frame DSLR. For example, Auto-area AF (people) provides reliable face detection and its quick toggle between left and right eye preference is super handy. However, the superb AF performance for people is not extended to photographing different subjects such as animals and vehicles.

Cameras like the Sony A7R V , OM System OM-1 and Nikons own Z8 and Z9 have since upped the game. AI-powered animal detection autofocus in the A7R V instills even greater confidence, detecting a wider range of subjects, even including animal eye AF. After shooting with those cameras and then going
back to the Z6 II for a recent safari trip in Kenya, my own cameras autofocus felt somewhat limited. I regularly needed to intervene with manual focus refinements and at times missed the moment.

Ultimately, it can be tricky to know which animals are being tracked by the
Z6 IIs autofocus and if they are in focus or not. According to Nikon rumors , the Z6 III will have Nikons best subject detection autofocus yet, surpassing the Z8. It seems like my top wish could come true. 2. Design and handling tweaks One snag with the Z6 II's design is the thumb grip doubles up as the battery card door (Image credit: Future)

Nikon has perfected camera design over the years, and the Z6 IIs overall feel is top-notch for serious photographers. However, I do have a few snags. The
Z6 IIs well-defined grip is comfortable in the hand, but the thumb grip doubles up as the battery card door and it pops open too easily I fear snapping it off altogether.

Its tilt-touchscreen is fine and its touch function covers all bases, but personally, I would rather the versatility of a vari-angle LCD. I find the
EVF gets in the way of the tilt screen when Ive extended it for shooting at low angles. And not that Im in the numbers game, but while were on the EVF
its 3.76m-dot resolution is a tad underwhelming.

The rumored third-gen model is reportedly going to have the design cues of
the Nikon Z8 which would address those issues. However, the obvious downside going down that route is a physically larger and heavier camera, and I think the Z6 II has a decent form factor already more in line with rival models.
Im hoping Nikon can refine the design without adding much to the size and weight. 3. Improved speed An action photo of a bird in flight over a lake in Kenya using the Nikon Z6 II's max burst rate and wide area animal autofocus (Image credit: Future)

Apparently, the Z6 III will use a faster 24MP full-frame sensor than the Z6 II. Not a stacked sensor like in the Z8 (which would push the price up way above $2,000/2,000 that the Z6 II retails for), but a faster one. Thats
pretty vague but presumably refers to sensor readout speed and would be a
boon for action photography and high-resolution video, for which the Z6 III will now offer 6K 60p in N-Raw and 4K 60p in ProRes Raw, or a cropped 4K
120p.

For photos, I dont mind the Z6 IIs lower resolution compared to a TechRadar favorite the 33MP Sony A7 IV, especially as it has such good performance for continuous shooting with twin Expeed 6 processors. That performance is only going to get better with the reported use of the latest Expeed 7 processor
and up to 20fps. Id hope if the resolution remains at 24MP that the Z6 III could shoot at that quicker rate for as long as you like without slowing
down, and without fast-moving subject distortion. In short the Z6 III could become the Nikon speed machine. If there's no speed improvement, I'd hope for a bump in resolution instead. What excites me more than faster frame rates though, is improved in-body image stabilization, which is reportedly going to be the same as the Nikon Z f which has up to 8EV.

Rumors indicate a disappointing price hike, to around $2,500/2,500. Perhaps there will be decent improvements, but early signs are that the Z6 III will repeat the Z6 II by refining the model it replaces. Nothing groundbreaking, but those incremental improvements could be what Id hope for and potentially worth an upgrade. You might also like Nikon Z cameras turn 5: why Im glad I made the leap from a Nikon DSLR to the Z6 II Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II cameras
are getting upgrades that filmmakers will love The best camera for
photography 2024: top picks for every budget



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/mirrorless-cameras/i-own-a-nikon-z6-ii-and-h eres-the-3-things-i-want-from-the-rumored-nikon-z6-iii


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)