Nikon’s Z6 III brings most of the flagship features of Nikon’s far more expensive Z8 and Z9 to the Z6 line. The Z6 III (8/10, WIRED Recommends) features Nikon’s 24-megapixel partially stacked CMOS sensor, very fast and accurate 3D subject-tracking system, and ProRes encoding for video—making it one of the best hybrid, photo/video cameras on the market.
The “partially stacked” bit means you get some of the performance benefits of a stacked CMOS sensor, like those found in the Nikon Z8 and Z9, but not the downsides, or at least fewer of the downsides. Stacked sensors, ahem, stack the processing circuits right on top of the sensor itself (technically it’s behind the sensor), which means the RAM is directly tied into the sensor, making for incredibly fast readout. This is what allows high-end cameras to shoot upwards of 12 RAW images per second without the viewfinder blacking out. The downside to stacked sensors is that you run into some rolling shutter distortion with moving objects, and there is often less dynamic range. The Z6 III’s partially stacked sensor is an attempt to lessen those downsides, and it mostly works. The 5.76-million-dot viewfinder has a blazing fast 120-Hz refresh rate and is insanely bright and wonderful (it supports full HDR color space). The back panel isn’t bad either, with a 2.1-million-dot display and full articulation, which makes it easy to shoot video from pretty much any angle.
The main downside here is the Z6 III has about a stop less of dynamic range than its competitors, but in actual real-world use, I didn’t find this to be a factor.
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Sensor size | 24 MP Partially Stacked Full Frame |
| Max Photo Frame rate | 12 fps RAW |
| Video | 6K/60p RAW |
★ Alternatives: For more resolution, there’s the Nikon Z8 for $3,397, which is very nearly identical to the Z6 except it has a higher resolution, 45 MP fully stacked sensor, and a few more on-camera buttons (the Z8 also has a sensor shield to protect it when changing lenses, which I love). The Nikon Z5, on the other hand, is one of the cheapest full-frame cameras. Often on sale for around $800, the Z5 is a stripped-down Z6. It’s a barebones camera, but for some that might be all you need.