Nikon Z6iii Review, Press Release, And Photos - Official Thread

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Tiny Birder said:
Thanks for the great video. Very well done and informative! Has me thinking. I have a z8 which I love and just got a second, which I got in a kit with a z24-120 for a savings. But I like the idea of a lighter backup, though the resolution is a concern. Do I return the second z8 and get the z6iii and lens separately? I did not like the z6ii at all so that is one of my hesitations. Any idea how the battery life is compared to the z8?
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Tough to say. I think it really comes down to how critical the extra size / weight is with the 2nd Z8. I personally like having two identical cameras when possible, but I also see a use for the smaller Z6iii at times. Overall though, I would guess the 2nd Z8 is the way to go.
 
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Steelhant said:
Do you think Z6lll will perform as good as the D6 ? I had one now sold... been using the Z9 and waiting for a mirror less low light camera.

Thank,
Chuck
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I use my D6 alongside the Z9. Bullet proof CSP (Closest Subject Priority) is the main reason (as well as superb IQ in low light). The eye and face detection algorithms in the D6 AF are very definitely not Human specific, as I continue to find on birds using the custom area modes of the D6.

The full house of cross-type AF sensors still positions the D6 ahead of all other cameras in particular situations. These advantages are obvious on a bird in clutter compared to mirrorless AF, where the Z9 fw5 still tends to grab the wrong 'subject' and typically sticks on the background when challenged.

Obviously, maturing Subject Detection across almost the full sensor area confers distinct advantages to AF systems of the Z9 and Z8; and what we know about the just landed Z6 III. The new partially stacked sensor is the unknown in this case, if perhaps Nikon has improved its AF sensors.... Real world testing will tell us more, obviously.

As for your primary question, it seems Lowlight performance and IQ of the Z6 III is close to the D6, and we will learn more about this soon. I found the IQ of the original 24mp sensor in the Z6 and D780 performs close to the D5 at ISO 12800. Bill Claff will soon test its sensor performance for his Photonstophotos database.
 
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Thank you Steve for another great review. Quick and to the point.

A couple questions:

1) Which sensor is it using, a modified Z6ii or a scaled down Z8 sensor?

2) Why no ISO 64?!

3) The last Z6-2 sensor, produced an entirely different image feel vs. the Z7-2 and Z9/8. Even when shot in DX. How does the Z6-3 match in?

4) The supper high native ISO, Is it something that makes a difference in the real world? Or rather because it can climb up so high, its ISO up to 25000 is better compared to the Z9/8?

5) Does the EVF refresh to 120fps?

6) Is the Wifi trasfer files any faster?

7) last but not least, How many times have you practiced the body roll?
 
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Steve said:
LOL, I have :) I've told them to give me a week with it, that's all - I could really work up a review then :)
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Let's complete review of a pre-production camera. One that no consumer would ever see. That would be very helpful, to .. well no one really. Perhaps an extra day ..
 
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JoelKlein said:
Thank you Steve for another great review. Quick and to the point.

A couple questions:

1) Which sensor is it using, a modified Z6ii or a scaled down Z8 sensor?

2) Why no ISO 64?!

3) The last Z6-2 sensor, produced an entirely different image feel vs. the Z7-2 and Z9/8. Even when shot in DX. How does the Z6-3 match in?

4) The supper high native ISO, Is it something that makes a difference in the real world? Or rather because it can climb up so high, its ISO up to 25000 is better compared to the Z9/8?

5) Does the EVF refresh to 120fps?

6) Is the Wifi trasfer files any faster?

7) last but not least, How many times have you practiced the body roll?
Click to expand...

Re #4 - like to see how that impacts IQ after noise reduction
 
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RichF said:
Let's complete review of a pre-production camera. One that no consumer would ever see. That would be very helpful, to .. well no one really. Perhaps an extra day ..
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I'd be appreciative of a bit more detail in the review by having the camera a week. You can tell just from comparing Jan's to Steve's review that Jan had more time to explore more things in more situations than Steve was able to. Jan found the leaning lines and distorted wings I suspected would be there if DPReview's 1/60s scan was accurate as it matches the R5 which had those issues. Steve didn't have enough opportunities to find those things.

Do you really think that these review cameras aren't production ones? The camera ships in a week from now. Sure they may tweak a few minor things in FW if some bug is found by the reviewers but 99% of the review camera will be identical to the one on sale on June 25th. We aren't talking a camera shipping in 2-3 months...it is shipping next Tuesday!!
 
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arbitrage said:
Jan found the leaning lines and distorted wings I suspected would be there if DPReview's 1/60s scan was accurate as it matches the R5 which had those issues. Steve didn't have enough opportunities to find those things.
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He did note for small fast birds you can switch to mechanical shutter, giving up some FPS.
I think his output was compelling.
After the two reviews, I am inclined for two purposes.

Travel camera (not a wildlife trip) - lighter kit than Z9, great ISO, my wife might actually try it, can be used for some wildlife if I can get close enough, and if I can't oh well on these trips. Main lens will be 26, 135, 24-200.
Backup for wildlife trip to Z9, especially for video and low light.
 
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arbitrage said:
Do you really think that these review cameras aren't production ones? The camera ships in a week from now. Sure they may tweak a few minor things in FW if some bug is found by the reviewers but 99% of the review camera will be identical to the one on sale on June 25th. We aren't talking a camera shipping in 2-3 months...it is shipping next Tuesday!!
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According to Nikon it is not a production model. The preproduction units could have been assembled w firmware from months ago
 
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Ever said:
D500 + 500pf owner. I assumed the Z8 was my upgrade path, but would be curious to hear how big of a jump it would be to instead go to the Z6iii (from my current setup). For birds / BIF.
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You are going to find that your current lens is much shorter than you expected when moving from 20Mpx APS-C to 24Mpx FF :).

Other than that, thanks to the 20fps and subject tracking you will get shots that you normally would have trouble getting with the D500.

And thanks to the flippy screen you will be able to easier take shots from unexpected angles.

If you can make the Z6III work with your current lens then it is a worthy upgrade.

If not and you need a new Z lens or a TC, you'll be better off with the Z8 and cropping (there is a certain magic that happens when you add true black-out free EVFs to fast framerates and subject detection and tracking).
 
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RichF said:
According to Nikon it is not a production model. The preproduction units could have been assembled w firmware from months ago
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And you think they would just leave it on months old FW before shipping the review units to the influencers a week or two ago? Why would they ever do that? If they had new FW since the production they would install it. Why give reviewers old FW?
Of course every camera company says "preproduction" when they send out units before official public release, but that doesn't mean that anything is going to be different. At least nothing major. I still think that having cameras in the hands of people like Steve for a week or more would be of value. Just like other countries allowed for.
 
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JoelKlein said:
Thank you Steve for another great review. Quick and to the point.

A couple questions:

1) Which sensor is it using, a modified Z6ii or a scaled down Z8 sensor?

2) Why no ISO 64?!

3) The last Z6-2 sensor, produced an entirely different image feel vs. the Z7-2 and Z9/8. Even when shot in DX. How does the Z6-3 match in?

4) The supper high native ISO, Is it something that makes a difference in the real world? Or rather because it can climb up so high, its ISO up to 25000 is better compared to the Z9/8?

5) Does the EVF refresh to 120fps?

6) Is the Wifi trasfer files any faster?

7) last but not least, How many times have you practiced the body roll?
Click to expand...
1. I think it's all new
2. No idea...
3. I didn't really have enough time to tell and not enough time for any side by sides.
4. Probably not, I'm planning to keep mine less than 25K - usually less than 12.8K.
5. I think it's 60FPS
6. I didn't have a chance to test it.
7. That was the one and only :)
 
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arbitrage said:
And you think they would just leave it on months old FW before shipping the review units to the influencers a week or two ago? Why would they ever do that? If they had new FW since the production they would install it. Why give reviewers old FW?
Of course every camera company says "preproduction" when they send out units before official public release, but that doesn't mean that anything is going to be different. At least nothing major. I still think that having cameras in the hands of people like Steve for a week or more would be of value. Just like other countries allowed for.
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Well…since they're not shipping the cameras to reviewers…apparently a Nikon rep handed it to Steve and took it when he was done with it…there's something to be said for giving all of the reviewers the same firmware and do we really know exactly when each of them got the pre-production body for review? After all…the Nikon guy had to fly from place to place even if there were multiple Nikon guys traveling around with them.
 
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Just watched the NPS webinar. Nikon's Mike Corrado has been using the Z6III for 4 months and on birds and other stuff.

Basically the big selling points for me are low light capabilities with Viewfinder, AF, and high ISO. The viewfinder is going to be the best that Nikon has at this time and I would bet it will find it's way into the next generation Z9 etc..

For me this did nothing but reinforce that the Z6III will fit the niche I want to use it for low light indoor events/people. Early morning late evening low light birds ... it Owls, Nighthawks etc..
 
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Steve said:
1. I think it's all new
2. No idea...
3. I didn't really have enough time to tell and not enough time for any side by sides.
4. Probably not, I'm planning to keep mine less than 25K - usually less than 12.8K.
5. I think it's 60FPS
6. I didn't have a chance to test it.
7. That was the one and only :)
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5. Evf is 120fps - not sure if there is a resolution drop with 120fps, but not mentioned in any video’s that I have watched so far. Ricci, Matt Irvin, Jan Weggener
 
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Steve, Even i thought the EVF was 60FPS based on what i saw in Nikon’s website but in Jared’s review i guess he briefly touched on the setting that allows users to turn on high refresh EVF…..Not sure if it comes with some sort of disclaimers…it would be dumb on Nikon‘s part to not explicitly mention 120FPS refresh if this is the case…
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Steve said:
1. I think it's all new
2. No idea...
3. I didn't really have enough time to tell and not enough time for any side by sides.
4. Probably not, I'm planning to keep mine less than 25K - usually less than 12.8K.
5. I think it's 60FPS
6. I didn't have a chance to test it.
7. That was the one and only :)
Click to expand...
 
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thelordofthelight said:
Steve, Even i thought the EVF was 60FPS based on what i saw in Nikon’s website but in Jared’s review i guess he briefly touched on the setting that allows users to turn on high refresh EVF…..Not sure if it comes with some sort of disclaimers…it would be dumb on Nikon‘s part to not explicitly mention 120FPS refresh if this is the case…
View attachment 91483
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From Nikon Webpage https://www.nikonusa.com/p/z6iii/1890/overview

"120 fps maximum refresh rate gives natural, lifelike motion even when shooting fast action."
 
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Ken Miracle said:
Just watched the NPS webinar. Nikon's Mike Corrado has been using the Z6III for 4 months and on birds and other stuff.

Basically the big selling points for me are low light capabilities with Viewfinder, AF, and high ISO. The viewfinder is going to be the best that Nikon has at this time and I would bet it will find it's way into the next generation Z9 etc..

For me this did nothing but reinforce that the Z6III will fit the niche I want to use it for low light indoor events/people. Early morning late evening low light birds ... it Owls, Nighthawks etc..
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Absolutely (y) (y) especially at the price. Besides Nikon's new in-house designed Partial-Stacked sensor is its lowlight AF sensitivity threshold of -8.5 EV and brighter EVF up to 4000 nits (versus 3000 nits in Z9).

The video performance is as impressive, eg 6K RAW at 60 fps and even 4K RAW at 120fps, and also 1080P at 240fps.... And recording up to 125 minutes
Ken Miracle said:
From Nikon Webpage https://www.nikonusa.com/p/z6iii/1890/overview

"120 fps maximum refresh rate gives natural, lifelike motion even when shooting fast action."
Click to expand...
Yes EVF can refresh at up 120 fps

photographylife.com

5 Things to Know About the Nikon Z6 III

Nikon just announced the Z6 III, building upon the earlier Z6 II substantially. Some of the Z6 III's features aren't found anywhere else in Nikon's lineup, like the partially stacked CMOS sensor. This article breaks down the top 5 things you need to know about the Z6 III that aren't obvious from...
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