Photography News Issue 62

Camera test 22

Photography News | Issue 62 | photographynews.co.uk

Specs

Prices Z 6 body £2099, Z 6 with 24-70mm f/4 kit £2699, Z 6 with FTZ adapter kit £2199, Z 6 with 24-70mm f/4 and FTZ adapter kit £2799. Lenses 50mm f/1.8 S £599, 35mm f/1.8 S £849, 24-70mm f/4 £999, FTZ adapter £269 Sensor 24.5-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor Sensor format 35mm full-frame 35.9x23.9mm, JPEG in Fine*, Fine, Normal*, Normal, Basic*, Basic, TIFF. Raw capture in 12-bit or 14-bit, uncompressed, compressed and lossless compressed. Medium (4528x3016pixels) and Small Raw (3024x2016 pixels) available with 12-bit, lossless compression ISO range 100-51,200 (expandable to Lo1.0 ISO 50 and H1.0 102,400, H2.0 204,800 equivalent) Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec plus B, flash sync at 1/200sec. Top speed 1/2000sec with electronic front curtain Drivemodes Up to 12fps. Low-speed continuous: 1 to 5fps. High-speed continuous: 5.5fps. High-speed continuous (extended): 12fps (12-bit, AE locked, 9fps (14-bit Raw) Metering system Matrix, centre-weighted, spot, highlight weighted Exposuremodes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5EV in 0.3EV steps Monitor 2.1mdot tilting 3.2in touchscreen, 100% frame coverage Viewfinder 3.6mdot EVF Focus points 273 phase detect points in single AF covering 90% of the image area. Pinpoint, single-point and dynamic- area AF (pinpoint and dynamic-area AF available in photomode only); wide-area AF (S); wide-area AF (L); auto-area AF Video 4K UHD 3840x2190: 30p (progressive), 25p 24p. 1920x1080: 120p, 100p, 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p 24p Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI-C, USB-C Other key features Five-axis image sensor shift IS Battery EN-EL15b (USB) rechargeable, EN- EL15a can be used but with lower capacity and no USB recharging Storagemedia 1x XQD slot Dimensions (wxhxd) 134x100.5x67.5mm Weight 675g body with battery and card Contact nikon.co.uk 6048x4024 pixels Picture formats

Nikon Z 6 Nikon launched its mirrorless systemwith two very similar yet different cameras. Here, it’s the Z 6 that we get to grips with

shoot up to 12fps rather than 9fps. ISO ranges differ, too, with the Z 6 topping out at 51,200 as opposed to the Z 7’s 25,600, and if you bring ISO expansion into it, the Z 6 is capable of an equivalent 204,800. But perhaps most importantly there’s a significant price difference, with the Z 6 body selling for £2099, a massive £1300 cheaper than the Z 7. The Z 6 with 24-70mm S and FTZ adapter is £2799. Given that most of us can happily live with a lower resolution, slower top continuous shooting speed and rarely venture into the rarefied atmosphere of super high ISOs, that saving is attractive and significant. Put the Z 6 alongside its full- frame cousin the D850 and you can immediately appreciate the potential benefit of the more compact bodyform.

Slip off the lenses and you also get to see the relative differences in the lens mounts. The Z mount has a 55mm diameter and a lens flange to sensor plane distance of 16mm, characteristics that give the designers the opportunity for faster aperture, more compact, better performing lenses, and the chance to install an in-body, sensor-based image stabilisation system (IBIS.) There are pros and cons to in- body, sensor-based and in-lens image stabilization systems. Nikon uses the VR lens-based system in its F mount lenses so going for IBIS is a change of direction and it does make sense, especially for video shooting where smooth IS operation is critical. An IBIS system also keeps lens cost and bulk down and of course means it works with any lens.

Words and images by Will Cheung

Nikon’s assault on the full-frame mirrorless camera market takes the form of a two-pronged attack with the Z 7 and the Z 6. In terms of design and control layout the cameras are identical; so we have an excellent electronic viewfinder, compact bodyform and the Z lens mount, the biggest of any full-frame mirrorless model. So, if you read last month’s Z 7 review, feel free to go straight to checking out the testpictures:ifyoudidn’t,staywithme. Of course, the models have key differences. The Z 6 has a resolution of 24.5 megapixels from its CMOS, optical low pass filter equipped sensor compared with the Z 7, which has 45.7 megapixels from low pass filter-free sensor. The Z 6 can

An IBIS system also keeps lens cost and bulk down and means it works with any lens

Above The Z 6 has a more compact bodyform than previous full-frame Nikons like the D850.