For a long time, Canon’s R6 II was arguably the top 24MP full-frame camera in its price range. That is, until Nikon’s Z6 III, which at least equals the R6 II and perhaps eclipses it in some ways. Both cameras are full-frame with the same resolution. So, if you’re thinking of entering the full-frame arena with one of these great cameras, you might be wondering: which one should you get?
Canon EOS R6 II vs Nikon Z6 III Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Canon EOS R6 II | Nikon Z6 III |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | November 2022 | June 2024 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | Partially Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | DIGIC X | EXPEED 7 |
| Resolution | 24.2 MP | 24.5 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6000×4000 | 6048×4024 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 36.0 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 6.00µ | 5.94µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 102,400 | ISO 64,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-204,800 | ISO 50-204,800 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | Yes | Yes (JPEG only) |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/16000 | 1/16000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 900 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 12 FPS | 14 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 40 FPS | 20 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | 12-bit raw at 40 FPS (14-bit raw is available at 12 FPS) | None |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 75 frames (40 FPS), 110 frames (12 FPS) | Over 1000 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 1053 | 273 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -5 EV | -8.5 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/200 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | Yes | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 10 bits | 12 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 12 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | Yes, externally | Yes |
| 6K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS1 | 60 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 180 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 360 min | 125 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type B |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.2 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 1.62 million dots | 2.1 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Fully Articulating | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.76x | 0.8x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 5.76 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | LP-E6NH | EN-EL15c |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 320 frames | 360 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 580 frames | 390 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | 760 frames | 410 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 670 g (1.48 lbs.) | 760 g (1.68 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 138 x 98 x 88 mm (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.5″) | 139 x 102 x 89 mm (5.5 x 4.0 x 3.5″)2 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $2500 (Check Current Price) | $2500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Canon EOS R6 II Used Prices | Nikon Z6 III Used Prices |
| 1The Canon EOS R6 II supports 6K video, but only with an external recorder over HDMI | ||
| 2The Nikon Z6 III’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the typical standards today, 15mm were added to the Z6 III’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
Summary and Recommendations
There is no doubt that Canon’s R6 II is a great all-around camera. You’ve got the 24MP resolution that is a sweet spot for most kinds of photography, a great autofocus system with very capable video. That’s why, if I had to name a 24MP full-frame camera under $3000 that I’d shoot with, the Canon R6 II has always been a strong contender.
But now we’ve got the Z6 III, which is very similar to the R6 II in many respects. And I have to say, now the Z6 III would be my first choice. Why is that? First, the Z6 III has much better video specs than the R6 II, with higher framerates in 4K (120fps vs 60fps) and 1080P (240fps vs 120fps). Not only that, the Z6 III has got internal Raw (both Nikon N-Raw and Apple ProRes), whereas the R6 II can only shoot Raw video externally.
Even if you don’t shoot video, the viewfinder and LCD are both better on the Nikon Z6 III – bigger and higher resolution – making composition easier. The Nikon Z6 III also has the nice benefit of pixel-shift shooting if you’re a landscape photographer, although in practice, we found that it only worked well if the camera and subject were completely still.
As for action photography, I think the R6 II is very competitive with the Z6 III. The benefit of the R6 II is that it can shoot pre-release bursts in RAW, while the Nikon Z6 III can only do it in JPEG. The EOS R6 II can also reach 40 FPS with its electronic shutter (and despite the Z6 III’s partial stacked sensor, the two cameras have similar readout speeds of about 1/70th second). However, the Nikon Z6 III has a bigger buffer than the EOS R6 II – over 1000 frames rather than about 110 at the most.
As for their autofocus systems, they are going to be on a similar level overall, and you’ll likely just get better results with whichever you are more familiar with. Both are best-in-class with advanced subject recognition capabilities.
In short, the Canon EOS R6 II and Nikon Z6 III are extremely competitive cameras. You can’t go wrong either way, and it may be better to choose between them based upon lens availability rather than the camera specifications. But if I had to give an edge to either one, I would say that the Nikon Z6 III is ahead unless you need pre-release RAW capabilities, in which case the Canon EOS R6 II is ahead.
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I guess there might be a choice.
If video isn’t your thing, and you want $500 (+?) to add a lens, buy the R6II. The difference in viewfinder specs is pretty modest.
If you want state of the art, wait to see what the R6III has to offer.
Either way, I’m not convinced by the Z6iii for the price – not least because the R6II might get a discount when the R6III arrives.
The truth, I suspect, is to go with the lenses.
If you’re into zooms, I’d say the 100-500 would seal the deal.
If you’re into primes, it’s the 300 and 500 PFs – or the exotics if you can afford them.
Starting from scratch, I’d be tempted by an R6II, 15-30, 24-105 (or 240) and 100-500 (and I’d want an R7 for extra reach and back-up). As it is, I have the 300 and 500 PFs as my biggest gear investments, so I’ll stick with my D500 and Z5. The Z6iii doesn’t tempt me into an upgrade.
There is a tendency with the new Nikons that the overall image quality is slightly sacrificed over the abilities have a faster camera with AI-focus and a less rolling shutter/ better video.
Dynamic range of the Z6 III is almost a stop less compared to the Z6 II and Z6. I think that is a bit too much – I puts the Z6 III below the old entry level Nikon D3400.
( photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm )
A lot of the qualities a camera has are not easy to put into specs…
The greatness of auto focus system of canon r6ii has already been proved but how nikon z6iii in auto focus is yet to be proved. We have been fooled before with crappy auto focus of nikon z50 and z6, z6iii.
Read z6ii
Nah! we were also fooled by crappy preburst feature and a ready bad rolling shutter in canon r6 ii.