Remade, Remodeled, Upgraded

As with the earlier and much-loved Z7 series, with the full-frame 24.5-megapixel Z6 series, Nikon focuses on the needs and wants of most camera buyers. Where the Nikon Z6II was essentially an improved version of the Z6, the Nikon Z6III differs in so many ways that, except for resolution and sensor area, it’s a new camera.

The Z6III differs from earlier Z6 models as it features a new, partially stacked backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor paired with a Nikon Expeed 7 processor. There are other significant differences: a hinge-mounted 3.2-inch, 2,100,000-dot touch-screen monitor; a brighter 0.5-inch 5,760,000-dot EVF with 56% more resolution than the Z6II; and an electronic shutter capable of 1/16,000-second exposures. As with the Z6II, the new camera pairs CFexpress Type B with SDXC media. Data flows through a USB-C connection when working with your camera tethered to a computer or using an external video recorder/monitor. This port doubles as a power connection for the battery. These are some of the most desirable features of the higher priced, higher resolution, physically larger 45-megapixel Z8 and Z9 cameras, making the Z6III one of the most versatile mainstream full-frame cameras on the market today. For those who enjoy straying off the OEM path to create a unique look, the large diameter and shallow flange-to-sensor depth of the Nikon Z mount makes it ideal for using adapters to try lenses from virtually every era of photography and every lens ever made except Canon RF-mount lenses.  

When I first picked up the Z6III, one external difference immediately stood out: instead of having the touch-sensitive monitor mounted on a simple tilting frame, it swings out to the left and rotates 180 degrees. The swinging/rotating design makes it easier to frame and compose when you aren’t holding the camera at eye level. It also enables you to direct the monitor forward for selfies or hide it flush with the body. While less physically robust than the pivoting frame used on the Z8 and Z9, it’s also more versatile.

The Z6III utilizes the partially stacked BSI CMOS sensor fabricated by Sony for Nikon. Pixel pitch—the distance between neighboring pixels—is 5.94 micrometers.

Backside-illuminated CMOS arrays are now standard in current cameras, and for good reason: this design allows more light to reach the photosensitive part of the pixel. Partial-stacking parts of the signal processing pipeline on a BSI CMOS means it takes less time to read and transfer data from pixels to the Expeed 7 processor, which is also faster and more efficient than the dual Expeed 6 processors in the Z6II. For creators, the result is faster, more accurate autofocus, cleaner shadows even at high ISOs, better color, higher maximum frame rates for still and video photography, better standard quality video, and fewer rolling shutter effects when shooting stills or video.

How big a difference does the combination of a partially stacked sensor and Expeed 7 make? Let’s first look at autofocus performance. In the Z6III, autofocus sensitivity extends from -10 to +19 EV at ISO 100 with an f/1.2 lens. For comparison, the autofocus sensitivity range is -4.5 to +19 for the Z6II, and -3.5 to +19 for the original Z6, both with an f/2.0 lens, which means the AF system in the Z6III has an additional four stops of low light sensitivity than the Z6II and five stops more than the original Z6. The Z6III also extends the choice of autofocus area modes, summarized below.

The improvements in real-world auto-focus performance allowed me to reliably make photos requiring face and eye tracking in circumstances that would have been difficult, if not impossible, with my Z6 and hit or miss with a Z6II. In Auto-AF area and face recognition mode, the camera locks on a selected eye or switches to another eye using either the sub-selector button or the touch-sensitive monitor screen. I found it unfailingly accurate in almost all lighting conditions as long as the camera had at least a 45-degree view of the eye. Along with being more precise, the autofocus is also faster. It manages to do this while only increasing the number of autofocus points from 273 in the Z6 and Z6II to 299 in the Z6III. I suspect these improvements in AF performance are primarily due to the partially stacked CMOS and the improved subject recognition programming algorithms used by the more powerful Expeed 7 processor.

The Z6III’s sensor and processor pipeline increases the Z6 series’ capabilities with continuous frame rates and an extended shutter speed range. The Z6III has higher Continuous Low and High rates in mechanical shutter mode than the Z6II, up from 5fps to 7fps in L and 5.5fps to 8.1fps in H, and when using electronic shutter up to 20fps for full-frame NEF and JPEG capture. There is also a Continuous H (extended) mode that photographs at up to 14fps.

There are three release modes that are JPEG-only: C30, C60, and C120. These release modes eliminate viewfinder blackout, and when the shutter release is half-pressed, begin capturing frames up to a second before a full press and for up to three seconds after you take your finger off the release, so you can capture action sequences. In C30 and C60 modes, images are recorded as full-frame JPEGs, while C120 reduces the imaging area to DX (APS-C) dimensions.

For full sensor width (FX) 16:9 ratio video, you have 6K video recording up to 60fps in 12-bit N-Raw or ProRes Raw HQ formats. In DX (APS-C) crop mode, the camera tops out at 240fps for Full HD 1080p MOV format video. The camera has a full-size HDMI port for an external recorder or monitor. There’s also a pair of 3.5mm stereo ports for sound recording, one for microphone/line input, and one for headphones.

As is de rigueur with almost all current full-frame mirrorless cameras, the sensor is mounted in a gyroscopically controlled 5-axis frame. Nikon claims the Z6III’s IBIS system expands the range of steady handheld stability by up to 8 stops. That’s a significant increase from the 5-stop rating of the original Z6 and the Z6II, and that’s before you pair it with a lens with a vibration reduction system.  

When set up in its most power-hungry mode, Nikon conservatively estimates a freshly charged EN-EL15C battery is good for approximately 360 shots or 100 minutes of video recording time. I regularly got 50%-60% more than that, at least for stills, but when photographing events, I was glad to have at least one spare battery with me.

The Z6III’s full-frame 24.5-megapixel imaging area provides plenty of captured data, even if you make and sell large prints, but loses the cropping flexibility (at least for larger reproductions) that you get with a higher-resolution camera. At the native Epson printer resolution of 360dpi, a print made from an uncropped 6,048-pixel-wide file will produce a 16.8-inch-wide print. Still, as printers have built-in interpolation even on the most demanding media, you can send a file at 180ppi. You should have no problems producing a 33.5-inch glossy print, with matte and canvas media sizes going considerably larger.

Unless you know you need or want more pixels, the Z6III is an excellent, full-featured, reasonably priced choice. 

Contributing Editor Ellis Vener is a commercial and portrait photographer in Atlanta, Georgia.