Amateur Photographer (2019-05-31)

43

Combine the Z 6 with a
lightweight travel tripod
and you have a very
portable solution for
blue-hour shots
Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S,
1 sec at f/13, ISO 100

previewed image. The EVF has a

refresh rate of 60fps and is really

clear and sharp, delivering a

performance far superior to that

of other higher-end mirrorless

models I’ve tried. You get a very

accurate preview of how the final

image will turn out exposure-wise,

and the EVF is highly legible in

bright conditions. It’s one of the

best things about the Z 6. The

rear touchscreen is the same

2.1-million-dot unit found on the

pricier Z 7, and you can set the

AF point, activate the shutter and

zoom into images by double-

tapping on the screen. Although

it tilts 90° up and 45° down for

waist-level shooting, it can’t be

pulled out to the side to help with

portraits from awkward shooting

angles. Hopefully we’ll see this on

the next generation. I also noticed

some lag when changing from

EVF to screen and back again.

Generally, though, both the EVF

and screen on the Z 6 should go

a long way to silence the last-

remaining mirrorless refuseniks.

Excellent IBIS

Before discussing more general

aspects of the Z 6’s performance,

allow me to sing the praises of the

IBIS, or in-body image stabilisation.

As with the EVF, there’s not much

to say, however – it works really

well. I did lug a travel tripod around

with me in Japan, but didn’t end up

using it much as the IBIS means

you can get perfectly usable shots

at shutter speeds of 1/5sec or

even lower, depending on your

focal length. Whether you are

using AF or focusing manually, the

Z 6 makes it as easy as it can be

to get sharp shots. I mainly used

single-point AF in AF-S mode,

and the AF toggle makes it easy

to whizz around the generous AF

area (you can move the AF

target diagonally too). Though

The camera is relatively discreet, and silent mode came in useful here, as I

didn’t want the two drunks to start on me instead!

The Z 6 isn’t as big or intimidating as a pro-spec SLR, especially with a prime

lens. With powerful IBIS too, it’s perfect for quick street portraits