Nikon Z6

Published on June 1, 2019, 9:48 a.m.


Let's keep this brief, because I feel like a lot has been said about this camera already. Here are my highlights:

The Goods:
1. Very ergonomic, not too big and not too small. The grip fits just right in my hands.
2. White balance and light metering is very accurate and is almost spot on all the time.
3. Autofocus is quiet, smooth and confident. It's not fast, but it knows when to stop instead of hunting back and forth.
4. Out of camera JPEG is more than acceptable. Far better than my last Sony body (A7Rii).
5. Dynamic range and noise performance is excellent.
6. EVF and LCD are bright, sharp, and very nice. Touch screen actually works as expected, no nasty "wait, I can't do that?" like the current gen Sony stuffs (I'm talking about A7Riii, in case you are wondering).
7. Can charge via USB (need to be turned off) and can still take photos while transfering to smartphone via WIFI.

The Bads:
1. Too young and too green. There are not enough adapters for legacy lenses yet, and the ones that are available are kind of expensive.
2. Also as a side effect of #1 above, firmware needs a bit more maturation. Eye AF works but needs to be more confident. Still hunts too much.
3. EVF and LCD framerate takes a noticeable nosedive while using magnification and this can be dizzying depending on focal length. Anything beyond 100mm is just a big no to me.
4. Customization options can be a bit more extensive. Certain buttons are almost locked to only 1-2 functions, which makes customization kind of moot.
5. 10-bit video recording only available to outside recorder is kind of sad.
6. FTZ adapter doesn't seem to work well with all F-mount lenses.
7. Only having XQD slot is pretty limiting. SD is still a popular format.
8. Very limited native lens options.

Overall, considering the pros and cons above, for me personally, this is currently the best camera on the market. I also played around with some other options (Z7, A7Riii, EOS R, GFX 50S/R) before settling with Z6. It's the right balance between resolution, affordability, and ergonomics for my use case. Maybe if I were working as a professional photographer, I'd choose some different cameras that are more suitable for specific use cases. As an all-rounder, though, Z6 is the perfect hobby and travel camera for me.