Nikon steps into full frame mirrorless with new Z6 and Z7 cameras
After teaser videos, more teaser videos, and finally a leak yesterday that revealed the new products almost in their entirety, Nikon have announced their new full frame mirrorless Z6 and Z7 cameras.
Respectively the two cameras offer 24.5MP and 45MP full frame sensors, a new Z-mount compatible with three newly announced 'S' line lenses, compact weather sealed bodies, 5-axis in-body image stabilisation, 11 and 9fps, 4K video, 2.1m touchscreens, 3.6 million dot EVFs, and hybrid PDAF.
However in news that may be disappointing to some users, both cameras only feature one XQD memory card slot.
Nikon Z6
The Nikon Z6 features a 24.5MP sensor and offers a faster 11fps drive speed compared to the 9fps Z7. However the AF system offers less focus points, 273, than the 493 in the Z7.
The Z6 shoots the same 4K video at 30fps with an N-LOG profile (4: 2: 2 10-bit HDMI output) as the Z7, but it loses out on the 8K timelapse feature included in the Z7. Other specs appear similar to the Z7, WiFi, bluetooth, the same EN-EL15b battery and a weather sealed body.
It will be available at the end of November for 270,000Y, $3,300AUD, although local pricing has not been confirmed.
Z6 Specs
- 24.5MP
- 273 AF points
- 11 fps
- EVF: 3.6M QVGA
- 2.1M touchscreen
- 5-axis stabilization
- Hybrid PDAF
- FullHD 120p, 4K UHD 30p Video, N-LOG profile (4: 2: 2 10-bit HDMI output), focus peaking, Zebra
- EN-EL15b battery
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Weather sealed body
Nikon Z7
The flagship Nikon Z7 shares much of the same features as the Z6, but gets a higher megapixel 45.7MP sensor and 493 point AF system. It's also slightly slower, offering a 9fps maximum drive speed. Other specifications, including the IBIS, touchscreen, battery, bluetooth, WiFi and weather sealed body are the same as the Z6.
Z7 Specs
- 9 fps
- EVF: 3.6M QVGA
- 2.1M touchscreen
- 5-axis stabilization
- Hybrid PDAF
- FullHD 120p, 4K UHD 30p Video, 8K time lapse, N-LOG profile (4: 2: 2 10-bit HDMI output), focus peaking, Zebra
- EN-EL15b battery
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Weather sealed body
The Nikon Z7 will be available from the end of September for 444,000Y ($5,500AUD), although local pricing has not been confirmed.
The lenses
Three 'Z-mount' lenses will be available initially: a 35mm F1.8, a 50mm F1.8 and a 24-70mm F4. Nikon has also announced it is developing a 58mm F0.95 'Noct' lens and also announced the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR today which will be able to be used with the FTZ adapter.
Nikon has also published a roadmap to show how it plans to expand the system. A battery grip will also be available at some point in the future too, but a release date hasn't yet been set.
Where do they fit?
The most obvious rivals of the new Nikon Z6 and Z7 are Sony's full frame A7 III and A7R III. You can see a table of the comparable specs below.
Specs: Nikon Z6 vs Sony a7 III
Nikon Z6 |
Sony a7 III |
|
| Camera Format | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Effective megapixels | 24.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Image Resolution | 6048 x 4024 | 6000 x 4000 |
| Sensor Size | Full-frame | Full-frame |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9mm | 35.6mm x 23.8mm |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| Lens Mount | Z-mount | E-Mount |
| Anti Aliasing Filter | Not specified | Yes |
| Rear monitor type | Articulating touchscreen | Articulating touchscreen |
| Rear monitor size | 3.2in | 3in |
| Rear monitor resolution | 2,100,000 dots | 921,600 dots |
| Top deck display | Yes | No |
| EVF size | 0.5in | 0.5in |
| EVF Resolution (dots) | 3,690,000 dots | 2,359,296 dots |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.78x |
| ISO (native) | 100-51,200 | 100-51,200 |
| ISO (extended) | 50-204,800 | 50-204,800 |
| Shutter Speed Max | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
| Shutter Speed Min | 30s | 30s |
| Image Format | RAW (14bit), JPEG | RAW (14bit), JPEG |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis | 5-axis |
| Exp Compensation | -5 to +5EV | -5 to +5EV |
AUTOFOCUS |
||
| AF Face Detection | Yes | Yes |
| AF Live View | Yes | Yes |
| Focus Points - Total | 273 AF points | 693 AF points |
| Focus point coverage | Not specified | 93% |
CONTINUOUS SHOOTING |
||
| RAW burst FPS speed | 9fps | 10fps |
| RAW buffer size | Not specified | 40 Images |
| JPEG burst FPS speed | 12fps | 10 FPS |
| JPEG buffer size | Not specified | 163 Images |
VIDEO |
||
| Max Video Resolution | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p (4K UHD) | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p (4K UHD) |
| Color Depth | 10-bit (HDMI) 8-bit (internal) | 8-bit |
| Max Bitrate (MBps) | 100Mbps | 100 MBps |
| Video Codecs | MPEG-4, H.264 | MPEG-4; H.264 |
| Video Formats | MOV, MP4 | XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4 |
| Log | N-Log | S-Log |
| Tools - Focus Peaking | Yes | Yes |
| Tools - Zebra | Yes | Yes |
| Max FPS - UHD 2160p | 30fps | 30fps |
| Max FPS - FHD 1080p | 120fps | 120fps |
BODY |
||
| Card slots | 1 | 2 |
| Weather Sealing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 5.3 x 4 x 2.7 in | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in. |
| Weight | 675 g | 650 g |
LENSES |
||
| Native lenses | 3 | 25 |
PRICE |
Australian pricing not announced | A$3099 |
Specs: Nikon Z7 vs Sony a7R III
Nikon Z7 |
Sony a7R III |
|
| Camera Format | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Effective megapixels | 45.7MP | 42.4 MP |
| Image Resolution | 8256 x 5504 | 7952 x 5304 |
| Sensor Size | Full-frame | Full-frame |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9mm | 35.9mm x 24.0mm |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| Lens Mount | Z-mount | E-Mount |
| Anti Aliasing Filter | Not specified | No |
| Rear monitor type | Articulating touchscreen | Articulating touchscreen |
| Rear monitor size | 3.2in | 3in |
| Rear monitor resolution | 2,100,000 | 1,440,000 dots |
| Top deck display | Yes | No |
| EVF size | 0.5in | 0.5in |
| EVF Resolution (dots) | 3,690,000 dots | 3,686,400 dots |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.78x |
| ISO (native) | 64-25,600 | 100-32,000 |
| ISO (extended) | 32-102,400 | 50-102,400 |
| Shutter Speed Max | 1/8000s | 1/8000s |
| Shutter Speed Min | 30s | 30s |
| Image Format | RAW (14bit), JPEG | RAW (14bit), JPEG |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis | 5-axis |
| Exp Compensation | -5 to +5EV | -5 to +5 EV |
AUTOFOCUS |
||
| AF Face Detection | Yes | Yes |
| AF Live View | Yes | Yes |
| Focus Points - Total | 493 AF points | 425 AF Points |
| Focus point coverage | 90% | 68% |
CONTINUOUS SHOOTING |
||
| RAW burst FPS speed | 9fps | 9.25fps |
| RAW buffer size | Not specified | 30 Images |
| JPEG burst FPS speed | 9fps | 10 FPS |
| JPEG buffer size | Not specified | 82 Images |
VIDEO |
||
| Max Video Resolution | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p (4K UHD) | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p (4K UHD) |
| Color Depth | 10-bit | 10-bit (HDMI) 8-bit (internal) |
| Max Bitrate (MBps) | 100Mbps | 100 MBps |
| Video Codecs | MPEG-4, H.264 | MPEG-4; H.264 |
| Video Formats | MOV, MP4 | XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4 |
| Log | N-Log | S-Log |
| Tools - Focus Peaking | Yes | Yes |
| Tools - Zebra | Yes | Yes |
| Max FPS - UHD 2160p | 30fps | 30fps |
| Max FPS - FHD 1080p | 120fps | 120fps |
BODY |
||
| Card slots | 1 | 2 |
| Weather Sealing | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 5.3 x 4 x 2.7 in | 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.9 in. |
| Weight | 675g | 657 g |
LENSES |
Nikon Z7 | Sony a7R III |
| Native lenses | 3 | 25 |
PRICE |
Australian pricing not announced | A$4,999 |