Review: Nikon Z6 III

By Anthony McKee | 18 October 2024

When Nikon released their first Z-series cameras, along with three Z-mount lenses back in 2018, people complained; the 24-megapixel Z6 and the 45-megapixel Z7 had just one memory card slot, and the autofocus on both cameras was good, but not brilliant.

In 2020 Nikon updated both cameras to include a second memory card slot and an improved processor, but still the autofocus lacked the reliability of Nikon’s DSLRs.

Then in 2021, Nikon released the Z9 and in 2023, the Z8 and suddenly our expectations of the Z-system’s autofocus changed. Everything just worked.

It’s of no surprise then that many photographers, myself included were keenly anticipating a Z6 III.

Having used a Z6 for the past six years, I’ve enjoyed the camera’s ability to nail the focus on eyes when shooting portraits wide open with my 105mm f1.4 lens, but the autofocus often struggled in difficult conditions which is why last year I bought a Z8. Suffice to say, I know some benchmarks.

The new Nikon Z6 III looks about the same as its two forebears, but on the inside the smarts have been improved dramatically.

The build

At first glance the Z6 III is very similar to the Z6 and Z6 II cameras, both in size and weight. The control layout is almost identical with the exception that the Playback button has now swapped places with the Release Mode button.

The top deck of the Nikon Z6 III (at top) is almost identical to the Z6 deck (below) aside from the slightly bigger LCD and an Illumination button that is used to turn on and off the back lighting on the new display.

This does make it ergonomically easier to review images. The LCD control panel on the top deck is also slightly larger to include more information. This panel is not illuminated by default but a button by the display brightens the screen as required.

The biggest change in styling though, is with the rear LCD panel. Unlike the single axis tilting display of the Z6 and Z6II, the Z6 III has an articulating display that folds outwards from a side-mounted hinge and can then be rotated into various different positions to shoot horizontals or verticals from either a low or an overhead position.

While the Nikon Z6 and Z6 II cameras have a single axis tilting LCD panel, the new Z6 III has an articulating display that you swing out before rotating it upwards, downwards or out towards the front of the camera.

You can also turn the display about so that you can see yourself if you are shooting selfies or a video presentation. For me, the articulating display is a like it or leave it feature; it is functional, particularly for videographers, but it is not as quick to use as the dual axis tilting displays of the Z8 and Z9.

While the LCD feels standard enough, it is the electronic viewfinder (EVF) that has had the biggest cosmetic makeover; it now features a 5,760,000 dot display that is brighter and has a broader dynamic range than most other EVFs on the market.

Side by side, the only difference you will see between the Z6 (left) and the Z6 III is that the Playback and Release Mode buttons have been swapped over. I used both cameras to shoot some food shots for a client and the articulating LCD panel of the Z6 III definitely made it easier to shoot high angles straight down onto the food. (I captured the food shots using the 1:1 format on both cameras, hence the square shots).

Although most people are not going to notice a significant difference in colour and brightness, it was still very comfortable to use in bright conditions.

As you might guess though, the biggest changes are under the covers.

The sensor

While the Z8 has a “fully stacked” sensor, designed to rapidly move data from the image sensor to the EXPEED 7 image processor, the Z6III to has a “partially stacked" sensor (think of it as a downrated racing engine) with the same EXPEED 7 processor.

One important difference though, is that while the Z8 processes data so fast it doesn’t need a physical shutter, the Z6 III still uses a mechanical shutter for speeds between 1/320th up to 1/8000th of a second.

This image has been heavily cropped, but it shows how well the Z6 III’s autofocus can nail focus on birds. This capture was made using the Continuous High Speed 8-fps while shooting RAWs, but in High Speed Capture mode you can capture up to 120 JPEGs per second in DX mode. Shot with the Nikon 300mm PF lens and a FTZ adaptor. Exposure was 1/1250th of a second at f4, ISO 400.

Nonetheless, the capture rates from the Z6 III are still impressive; using the mechanical shutter the Z6 III can shoot RAW images at up to 14 frames-per-second in the Continuous High Extended mode (using the mechanical shutter), and up to 20 fps using the electronic shutter.

Like the Z8, the Z6 III can also shoot JPEGs at up to 30 and 60 fps in the full frame (FX) mode, and up to 120 fps in the DX crop mode.

While bright backlighting always posed a problem for the Nikon Z6 and Z6II autofocus, the new Z6 III easily copes with these situations. The 3D autofocus can automatically detect what type of subject you are trying to photograph, or you can define the subject type in the focus option. Exposure was 1/1250th of a second at f7.1, ISO 400 with the Nikon 300mm PF lens and an FTZ adaptor.

In these C30, C60 and C120 modes it is also possible to “pre-capture” up to one second worth of imagery by half depressing the shutter release, and when you see a moment and fully depress the shutter release, that previous one seconds worth of images is saved to the memory cards.

The articulating LCD panel on the Nikon Z6 III makes it easy to capture photos from almost any angle, including low down to get these daffodil photos. Shooting in RAW mode enabled me to expose for the sky and yet easily pull out two stops a extra illumination for the flowers in post.

Autofocus

Of course, capturing the action is rather pointless if you can’t get it in focus and this is where the Z6 III has really gained a lot from the Z8 and Z9.

While the Nikon Z6 III only has 273 point AF system (compared to the Z8’s 493), it does have similar autofocus hardware and algorithms, along with the same AF-area modes including Dynamic and Wide Area AF and Automatic Subject Detection.

This last mode is sensitive to people, animals (including birds), vehicles and aircraft; the camera can automatically detect each subject or you can define your subject type in settings.

The Nikon Z6 III is easy to use in almost any situation, including just making casual portraits of my friend’s daughter, Harriet. Exposure was 1/200th at f4, ISO 400 using the Nikon Z 24-120mm lens.

The exceptionally useful 3D mode from the Z8 and Z9 is also featured on the Z6III. This lets you position the central AF point on your subject and then, after half depressing the shutter release (or the AF-ON button) you can quite literally recompose the subject to wherever you want in the frame and it will stay in focus.

It is far quicker than nudging an AF point around the frame, hoping to catch the subject.

One of the selling points for the Z6 III is its new electronic viewfinder that features 5.36-million dots, 4000-nits of brightness and a DCI-P3 equivalent colour gamut. Although most people will probably not notice much their current cameras, this EVF is enjoyable to use in bright conditions.

Also notable is that the autofocus is now far more reliable in difficult light conditions; the AF is now sensitive in low light down to -10 EV (better than the Z6II’s -4.5 EV) and it handles strong backlit situations more easily.

Using the Starlight mode, (useful for nightscapes and astro-photography) the camera can even focus on brighter magnitude stars.

While the Z6III might feel like its predecessors, the user experience has also improved. The boot time is noticeably faster, both when turning on the camera and waking it from standby mode.

Like the Nikon Z8, the Z6 III has decent 3D autofocus mode that lets will accurately follow any nominated subject wherever it wanders about the frame. This photo of a kite surfer was at 1/12000th of a second at f4, ISO 400 using a Nikon 300mm PF lens.

The user interface is also more akin to its professional siblings; the artificial horizon is more discreet, and shooting data on the screen now rotates when you rotate the vertical mode.

For those who like to shoot from the hip at night, the Z6 III also has 8-stops worth of vibration reduction (up from 5-stops on the Z6II).

The Z6 III’s shares some of the pro video features of the Z8, including the ability to capture 5.4K (5376 x 3024) at up to 60p in N-RAW (12 bit) and Apple ProRes (12-bit).

The focus on the Nikon Z6 III considerably more reliable than the Z6 and Z6II, even when subjects are in tricky focusing situations. This portrait was made using the Nikon 300mm PF lens on an FTZ adapter; exposure was 1/1000 at f7.1 and ISO 400.

The wrap-up

All up, the Z6III is a significant improvement over the original Z6 cameras, so much so that its performance is definitely a lot closer to that of the Z8.

Of course, there are differences; the Z8 has a 46-megapixel sensor (hence the reason we are unlikely to see a Z7III any time soon), and its shutterless, fully-stacked sensor design does give the Z8 a mild advantage in complex autofocus situations, or when you need to capture images at a rapid rate.

But how many amateurs (and for that matter, pros) are really going to see a difference between the Z8’s 30-fps RAW capture rates compared to the Z6III’s 20-fps? And given the already significant improvements in the new Z6III’s autofocus, is it really worth spending another $3000 for the Z8?

As much as I love my Z8, the Z6III is actually a camera I could happily use for a lot of my work. The smaller, lighter body is more comfortable to travel with all day, and compared to my old Z6, I would be far more confident this camera would nail the shots, even in challenging conditions.

The results

HANDLING ★ ★ ★ ★

Like its predecessors, the Z6III is compact and yet ergonomically friendly and easy to use all day. The articulated LCD panel is not for everyone, but it is useful when capturing images at awkward angles.

FEATURES ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Great autofocus, fast capture rates, a new EVF, improved interface, 6K video in N-RAW, 8-stop vibration reduction, pre-burst capture, pixel-shift high-res mode, star focus mode and 45 compatible Nikon Z lenses!

AUTOFOCUS ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Without doubt, the autofocus on the Z6 III is significantly better than the previous Z6/Z6II models. The 3D focus and subject detection modes should make it easy for anyone to focus on action and wildlife images.

IMAGE QUALITY ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Like the Z6 and Z6 II, the image quality and dynamic range from the Z6 III is exceptionally good. Users should notice a slight performance improvement when working at the high ISOs.

VALUE FOR MONEY ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

At $4,299 the Z6 III is not the cheapest 24-megapixel camera on the market but it does offer the autofocus and capture performance of Nikons pro cameras, and they cost twice as much! For anyone keen on sports and wildlife photography, this camera is worth the investment.

FINAL WORD ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

The Z6 III is Nikon’s best amateur/prosumer grade camera to date, and while it might not offer all the features of the shutterless Z8 and Z9, it is still more camera than most recreational and prosumer photographers will ever need to capture great images.