Description
Sporting a new and inspired partially-stacked sensor design, the Nikon Z6 III Mirrorless Camera unlocks a number of flagship-level upgrades for this mid-range camera, including faster and more precise autofocus, professional-level 6K internal raw video, pre-capture at up to 120 fps, and a smooth, bright, colorful EVF. Taken together, these upgrades make this mirrorless monster an ideal choice for aspiring professionals in search of an all-around, affordable camera.
- Top continuous shooting speeds of 20 fps when shooting in raw, up to 60 fps when shooting in full-frame JPEG, and 120 fps when shooting JPEGs using a DX crop, with all rates supporting full AF/AE performance.
- Able to buffer over 1000 images in a burst when using the electronic shutter, meaning image sequences can be recorded for approximately 50 seconds continuously.
- Pre-Release Capture at up to 120 fps helps make decisive moment shots easier by recording frames in a burst for up to a second prior to actually releasing the shutter. When this feature is activated, burst shooting will commence when the shutter is half-pressed and the buffer will retain up to 4 seconds’ worth of frames after fully pressing the shutter.
- Electronic shutter affords a top shutter speed of 1/16,000 sec for working in the brightest conditions with wider apertures.
- Partially-stacked sensor design reduces rolling shutter distortion so fast-moving subjects, like a golf club, tennis racket, or baseball bat, do not appear distorted when working with shutter speeds up to 1/16,000 sec.
- AF calculations are done at a 120 fps rate to keep up with fast continuous shooting speeds.
Utilizing inherited algorithms and deep learning technology from the Z9, including sophisticated Subject Detection, the Z6 III can recognize a variety of distinct subject types, ranging from humans to animals to airplanes to bicycles. When working in Auto-Area AF, these subjects will automatically be detected, focused on, and tracked to ensure sharp focus when the subject is moving across the frame.
Eye-Detection AF, specifically, has been tuned for improved accuracy and refined recognition of eyes in the scene and can also be used in conjunction with custom Wide-Area AF for different subject shapes and sizes.
Perfect for portraits, the Z6 III improves on the partially-stacked sensor’s inherent capabilities with a series of processing tools and shooting functions to improve portraits:
- Portrait mode processes portraits for skin with natural texture and a rounded feel
- Rich Tone Portrait mode, a picture mode that produces more vivid results while capturing details of the subject’s complexion and avoiding loss of detail in the highlights
- Flat Monochrome mode features gentle gradations from highlights to shadows, producing soft monochrome portraits
- Deep Tone Monochrome mode chooses slightly darker tones in the range from shadows to mid-tones, with brightness rapidly increasing as tones progress from mid-tones to highlights
- Skin softening can be used on up to three subjects in a shot and slightly blurs the skin for a more pleasing texture while still retaining essential sharpness on eyes and hair
- Manual white balance control is more intuitive when making adjustments and Auto WB has also been optimized for human subjects
- Take full advantage of Nikon’s portrait modes by pairing the Z6 III with one of Nikon’s portrait Z lenses, like the 50mm f/1.2 S, the 85mm f/1.2 S, or the 135mm f/1.8 S Plena
Equally capable for video, the Z6 III approaches the Z9’s recording capabilities here, as well, with a variety of resolutions and frame rates available up to 6K.
Using full pixel readout, 6K60p video can be recorded with continuous shooting, while 4K and Full HD recording is also possible in a variety of frame rates, including full-frame 4K recording at up to 120p and Full HD recording at 240p for slow-motion playback.
Internal 12-bit raw raw recording at up to 6K 60p in the N-RAW format is supported along with internal ProRES RAW HQ. Raw recording offers greater tonal and color latitude and can improve dynamic range, benefitting color grading needs and post-production flexibility.
- N-RAW is Nikon’s own raw recording format that offers impressively small file sizes compared to other raw formats as well as the ability to create MP4 proxies for more efficient previewing or transferring.
- N-RAW recording is available at up to 6K at 60p and ProRes RAW is also available at up to 6K and 30p.
- Dual card slots-one CFexpress Type B slot and one UHS-II SD slot-allow for flexible file saving. The CFx slot is suitable for data-intensive applications, like 6K recording and high-speed burst shooting, while the SD slot retains compatibility with the popular storage format. Additionally, the CFx B slot is also compatible with XQD memory cards.
- Pair the Z6 III with the optional MB-N14 Power Battery Pack grip for improved ergonomics when shooting vertical and up to 1.9x the battery life.
- The smaller, lighter design makes the Z6 III an ideal candidate for rigging or use on a gimbal for video use.
- Premium weather sealing protects against dust and moisture for confident use in harsh climates.
- In-body Vibration Reduction now supports Synchro VR to achieve up to 8 stops of camera shake compensation when used with select Z lenses.
Matching the professional build quality, the Z6 III is fitted with a variety of connectivity options to suit various workflow needs:
- Another Nikon first, the Z6 III features direct-to-cloud connectivity with Nikon Imaging Cloud for file transfer and access to Nikon’s imaging recipes for creative color grading
- Sync timecodes using Ultrasync Blue from Atmos, connecting multiple Z6 III camera bodies for multi-camera production setups
- Full-size HDMI port for outputting video to an external recorder or monitor
- 3.5mm headphone port and a new line-in port for on-board audio monitoring and high-quality audio input directly into the camera
- One USB-C port that supports file transfers and tethering as well as power delivery and battery charging
- USB-C communication terminal supports USB-LAN connectivity when paired with an optional USB-C to Ethernet adapter. This enables a 1000BASE-T wired LAN connection for transferring files over FTP
- 10-pin port offers wide accessories and remote connectivity
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz) permit wireless transferring of files, remote camera control via a mobile device, and works in conjunction with the NX Mobile Air app for file managemen.