The Nikon Z6 II and Nikon Z6 III are two full-frame, 24-megapixel Z-mount mirrorless cameras from Nikon. In some ways, the Nikon Z6 II was a fairly incremental upgrade to the original Z6, which addressed the main problems of the Z6 such as the single card slot. The Z6 III, on the other hand, is a completely different beast with its new partially stacked sensor. So, is the Z6 II enough for you, or do you need the Z6 III? Read on to find out!
Nikon Z6 II vs Nikon Z6 III Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z6 II | Nikon Z6 III |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | October 2020 | June 2024 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | Partially Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | Dual EXPEED 6 | EXPEED 7 |
| Resolution | 24.5 MP | 24.5 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6048×4024 | 6048×4024 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 5.94µ | 5.94µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 51,200 | 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 | No | Yes (JPEG only) |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/16000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 900 seconds | 900 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 14 FPS | 14 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 14 FPS | 20 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | 12-bit raw and single-point autofocus at 14 FPS (no limitations at 12 FPS) | TBA |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 124 frames (14 FPS) | 1000 frames |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 273 | 273 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -6 EV | -8.5 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/200 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 12 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 10 (12 with paid upgrade) | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | No (Yes, externally, with paid upgrade) | Yes |
| 6K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 60 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | 1.5x crop at 4K 60p (4K 30p has no additional crop) | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 125 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type B |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.2 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.1 million dots | 2.1 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.8x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 5.76 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | Yes | 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 3.1 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15c | EN-EL15c |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 340 frames | 360 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 410 frames | 390 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | 450 frames | 410 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 705 g (1.55 lbs.) | 760 g (1.68 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 134 x 101 x 85 mm (5.3 x 4.0 x 3.3″)1 | 139 x 102 x 89 mm (5.5 x 4.0 x 3.5″)2 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $2000 (Check Current Price) | $2500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Nikon Z6 II Used Prices | Nikon Z6 III Used Prices |
| 1The Nikon Z6 II and Z6 III’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the typical standards today, 15mm were added to both depth measurements in this table. | ||
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Summary and Recommendations
The Z6 II is certainly a fine camera, but the Nikon Z6 III is on another level. So what does the Z6 III have to offer? Yes, the Z6 III has the same resolution as its predecessor, but otherwise it’s no exaggeration that the Z6 III improves in almost every way compared to the Z6 II. Having a partially stacked sensor, it’s faster. It’s also got the same EXPEED 7 processor from the Z8 and Z9, allowing for flagship-level autofocus performance.
Video is also immensely improved. Unlike the Z6 II, you can now shoot 6K video. The 4K has been improved from 60p to 120p, and the 1080p has been improved from 120p to 240p. For those with big hard drives, you can also now shoot Nikon N-Raw internally and Apple ProRes 12-bit Raw.
Users upgrading from the Z6 II to the Z6 III will also appreciate the brighter viewfinder with wide-gamut support, the articulating LCD, the improved in-body image stabilization system, the more rugged build quality, and many more small improvements.
So, which camera should you choose? If you don’t need best-in-class autofocus or video features, the Z6 II is still a great camera. Image quality between the two cameras is not going to be dramatically different (apart from the scenes where you can use pixel-shift on the Z6 III). But if you shoot demanding scenes with rapidly moving subjects, the Z6 III will definitely be a huge step up from the Z6 II. And although the Z6 II was great at video, the Z6 III offers significant improvement if you need more resolution, higher frame rates, or internal Raw video.