Nikon debuts D6 DSLR

Nearly five months after first confirming its development, Nikon has finally released details of its newest flagship DSLR, the D6.

The standout feature is a new 105-point all-cross-type AF system that Nikon is calling “the most powerful AF system in Nikon’s history.” At the heart of the D6 is a similar 20.8MP sensor (the same resolution as the D5), but this is now matched to a new Expeed 6 processor that offers up to 14fps burst shooting.

Interestingly, the total number of AF points has gone down from 153 to 105, but, all of these are now selectable and all are the more accurate cross-type. Fifteen of the more centrally located points are accurate to F8, and the center point can focus down to -4.5EV. All other points will focus to -4EV.

In addition, Nikon says the D6 uses a “triple-sensor arrangement” for every one of those 105 focus points to achieve coverage that’s “approximately 1.6x denser” than the D5.

Speed has also increased, from 12fps to 14fps with full AF/AE tracking, or 10.5fps with the silent electronic shutter. Nikon have also made steps to link the video capabilities to stills photography, and a simple press of the shutter during Movie Mode will now result in captures at 60fps in Full HD (Creating 2MP stills), or 30fps in 4K UHD (8MP stills). Speaking of video, it's capped at 4K/30p recording, the same as the D5, but now comes with focus peaking.

There's a heap of other interesting features, including dual CFExpress card slots, recall shooting features, built-in 2.4 and 5GHz WiFi and a USB-C port. You can also expect the same level of weather sealing as its predecessor, all with a relatively minor weight increase from 1405g to 1440g.

First impressions are that Nikon have focussed their efforts on producing a body that that delivers in autofocus speed and accuracy above all else. This appears to come at the cost of the video features and impressive drive speed that its main competitor, Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, showcases.

No local pricing has been confirmed, but the Nikon D6 should be available in March, and will retail for $6,500USD ($9,668AUD) in the states, so it is likely to cost more than $10,000 locally, body only. You can find out more at Nikon, and see official sample images below.