5 Things I Love About the Nikon Z6III (And 5 I Don’t)

Summary

The Nikon Z6III is praised for its innovative features and top-tier performance, solidifying Nikon's position in the hybrid camera market. The camera impresses with its build quality, ergonomics, and a fully articulated screen. Auto focus is a standout, with 3D tracking and auto subject detection. The viewfinder is the sharpest and brightest available, and the camera supports internal RAW video recording. Despite minor drawbacks in video features like recording time limits and lack of external SSD recording, the Z6III delivers exceptional image quality and is highly recommended for both photography and videography.

Takeaways

• 📷 The Nikon Z6III is praised for its exceptional performance and innovative features, placing it at the top of the hybrid camera market.
• 🛠️ The camera's build and ergonomics have been improved, offering a more polished and solid feel with a comfortable hand grip and customizable button layout.
• 🖼️ It features a fully articulated screen and a photo/video mode switch, making it easier to switch between shooting modes with separate settings for each.
• 🎥 The autofocus system in the Z6III is a significant upgrade, offering fast, accurate, and easy-to-use options, with exceptional 3D tracking and auto subject detection.
• 🔍 The viewfinder is considered the best on the market, with a 4000 nits brightness and 5.76 million dots, providing a sharp and bright viewing experience.
• 🎬 RAW video recording is a standout feature, with options for Apple ProRes RAW and Nikon's NEV format, allowing high-quality video capture without crop.
• 🏆 The camera's overall performance is highly regarded for delivering outstanding image and video quality, with Nikon RAW files requiring minimal editing.
• ⏱️ The video recording time limits could be a concern for those needing to record very long clips, due to the lack of an active cooling system and a 125-minute physical limit.
• 🔧 The Vibration Reduction (VR) stabilization is functional but not as advanced as some competitors, lacking the flexibility for high-quality video work.
• 📐 The absence of full sensor readout and open gate recording is noted, which limits the camera's versatility in post-production cropping for different aspect ratios.
• ⏳ The lack of a shutter angle option requires manual adjustment of shutter speed when changing frame rates, adding an extra step in the filming process.
• 💾 The inability to record externally onto an SSD drive over USB is a significant limitation for handling the large file sizes of high-quality video recording.

Q & A

What is the overall impression of the Nikon Z6III camera?

The Nikon Z6III is highly praised for its exceptional performance, innovative features, and solid build quality, positioning it at the top of the hybrid camera market.

What are the camera's strengths according to the reviewer?

The strengths include build and ergonomics, auto focus performance, the viewfinder quality, RAW video recording capabilities, and overall performance in delivering outstanding image and video quality.

How does the reviewer describe the camera's build and ergonomics?

The build and ergonomics are described as polished, solid, and designed to last, with a nice hand grip and a good button layout that is customizable.

What is special about the Nikon Z6III's auto focus system?

The auto focus system is described as very responsive, accurate, and easy to use, with exceptional 3D tracking and auto subject detection, making it one of the best in the market.

What makes the Nikon Z6III's viewfinder stand out?

The viewfinder is considered the best, sharpest, and brightest on the market with 4000 nits of brightness and 5.76 million dots, providing a noticeably different and 'WOW' experience.

What RAW video recording options are available on the Nikon Z6III?

The camera offers Apple ProRes RAW and Nikon's own format, NEV (N-RAW), both at 12bit, allowing for 6k recording at 60 frames per second without any crop.

What are some of the camera's limitations from the reviewer's perspective?

The limitations include recording time limits due to no active cooling system, average VR (Vibration Reduction) performance for video, lack of full sensor readout and open gate recording, no shutter angle option, and the inability to record externally onto an SSD drive over USB.

How does the reviewer feel about the camera's VR (Vibration Reduction) for video?

The VR performance for video is considered usable but not outstanding, lacking the flexibility and effectiveness of systems like those in Lumix cameras and not replacing the need for a gimbal.

What is the reviewer's opinion on the Nikon Z6III's image quality straight from the camera?

The reviewer finds the image quality straight from the camera to be outstanding, with Nikon RAW format producing vibrant and lifelike images that almost do not require editing.

What is the reviewer's stance on the camera's partially stacked sensor and its impact on dynamic range?

The reviewer acknowledges the discussion around the partially stacked sensor and potential dynamic range loss but believes it's not a concern for most photographers or filmmakers due to the real-world performance and improvements in readout speed and rolling shutter effect.

Would the reviewer recommend the Nikon Z6III for purchase?

Yes, the reviewer highly recommends the Nikon Z6III, considering it capable of delivering professional results across the board when combined with the right lenses.