Digital Photographer - UK (2020-01)

Right

An exciting and

intuitive camera

Handling is excellent,

with an ideal compromise

between keeping a simple

layout and enabling

quick and easy access to

creative shooting settings

Price: £1,914 / $1,999

Nikon Z 6

Nikon’s second and more mainstream full-frame

mirrorless camera is based on a modest megapixel count

Both of these Nikon models have an

identical size, weight and build. They each

have a 0.5-inch, 3.69 million-dot OLED

viewfinder, a secondary OLED info display

on the top panel and a 3.2-inch, 2.1 million-

dot tilting touchscreen around the back.

They also have exactly the same control

interface, which is more enthusiast-friendly

than in the Canon cameras. There’s a

joypad-like controller that falls neatly under

the thumb, a pair of customisable function

buttons on the front, and the not-so-small

matter of a direct-access button for setting

the sensitivity. The touchscreen works

well but only has a tilt facility, whereas the

Canon screens are fully articulated.

A crucial difference between the

Canon and Nikon cameras is that both

Nikon models add IBIS, or in-body image

stabilisation. This works by shifting the

image sensor to counteract vibrations in

handheld shooting, with a 5-axis, 5-stop

effectiveness. Canon maintains that in-lens

optical stabilisation works better. We’re

not so sure, especially as half of Canon’s

RF lenses so far lack optical stabilisation

anyway. In the Nikon cameras, stabilisation

is available when using any lens, and hybrid

sensor-shift/optical stabilisation is available

when using VR (vibration reduction) lenses.

The only real difference between the two

Nikons is that the Z 6 has a 24.5MP image

sensor while the Z 7 goes all out with a

45.7MP sensor. But that doesn’t make the

Z 6 a poor relation, as the lower megapixel

count enables a faster burst rate of 12fps

compared with the Z 7’s 9fps, with a higher-

capacity memory buffer. Thanks to the

reduction in megapixels, the Z 6 generates

much less image noise in high-ISO shots.

Above

ISO 25,600

Even ultra-high-ISO

images remain noise-

free, yet with more

retention of fine detail

than the Canon cameras

Top

ISO 200

Typical of Nikon cameras,

the Z 6 produces vibrant

image quality and colour

rendition that’s less warm

than the Canon models

x2 © Matthew Richards

reviewsreviews

Right

Anexcitingand

intuitivecamera

Handlingisexcellent,

withanidealcompromise

betweenkeepingasimple

layoutandenabling

quickandeasyaccessto

creativeshootingsettings

Price:£1,914/$1,999

Nikon Z 6

Nikon’ssecondandmoremainstreamfull-frame

mirrorlesscameraisbasedonamodestmegapixelcount

BothoftheseNikonmodelshavean

identicalsize,weightandbuild.Theyeach

havea0.5-inch,3.69million-dotOLED

viewfinder,asecondaryOLEDinfodisplay

onthetoppanelanda3.2-inch,2.1million-

dottiltingtouchscreenaroundtheback.

Theyalsohaveexactlythesamecontrol

interface,whichismoreenthusiast-friendly

thanintheCanoncameras.There’sa

joypad-likecontrollerthatfallsneatlyunder

thethumb,apairofcustomisablefunction

buttonsonthefront,andthenot-so-small

matterofadirect-accessbuttonforsetting

thesensitivity.Thetouchscreenworks

wellbutonlyhasatiltfacility,whereasthe

Canonscreensarefullyarticulated.

Acrucialdifferencebetweenthe

CanonandNikoncamerasisthatboth

NikonmodelsaddIBIS,orin-bodyimage

stabilisation.Thisworksbyshiftingthe

imagesensortocounteractvibrationsin

handheldshooting,witha5-axis,5-stop

effectiveness.Canonmaintainsthatin-lens

opticalstabilisationworksbetter.We’re

notsosure,especiallyashalfofCanon’s

RFlensessofarlackopticalstabilisation

anyway.IntheNikoncameras,stabilisation

isavailablewhenusinganylens,andhybrid

sensor-shift/opticalstabilisationisavailable

whenusingVR(vibrationreduction)lenses.

Theonlyrealdifferencebetweenthetwo

NikonsisthattheZ 6 hasa24.5MPimage

sensorwhiletheZ 7 goesalloutwitha

45.7MPsensor.Butthatdoesn’tmakethe

Z 6 apoorrelation,asthelowermegapixel

countenablesafasterburstrateof12fps

comparedwiththeZ7’s9fps,withahigher-

capacitymemorybuffer.Thankstothe

reductioninmegapixels,theZ 6 generates

muchlessimagenoiseinhigh-ISOshots.

Above

ISO25,600

Evenultra-high-ISO

imagesremainnoise-

free,yetwithmore

retentionoffinedetail

thantheCanoncameras

Top

ISO 200

TypicalofNikoncameras,

theZ 6 producesvibrant

imagequalityandcolour

renditionthat’slesswarm

thantheCanonmodels

x2 © Matthew Richards

reviewsreviews