Introduction

Ease of Use

Front of the Nikon D6

Designed for a wide variety of photographic pursuits - yet more specifically, says its manufacturer, 'hard news and international sports' - in normal circumstances, Nikon's new top-end, full-frame D6 flagship DSLR would have been out in time for use by the world's press and sports photographers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

With that major event and most others worldwide postponed or simply cancelled outright because of the continuing Covid-19 crisis, the action-ready camera has arrived to a very different world and circumstances than any of us anticipated when Nikon first teased this DSLR way back in October 2019.

At the time of writing, due to social distancing measures, no professional or amateur sport is taking place anywhere in the UK. Though personal exercise such as jogging or cycling is allowed, thankfully, it does means subject matter for testing the Nikon D6 out on is somewhat restricted. That said, we are fortunate enough to live near to green spaces for our daily exercise - and headed out there with the camera.

So, how does the Nikon D6 stack up? With direct competition in its class most obviously coming from Canon's own swift-shooting EOS-1DX Mark III, the buzz around the 20.8 effective megapixel D6 initially was its overhauled AF system; that, and the fact that it costs a sizeable £6,299 body only in the UK (£200 less than Canon's contender). Here we're using it in conjunction with Nikon's F mount compatible AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 E FL ED VR zoom, itself priced at a hefty £2,209.

The core pitch for the action-ready D6 is that its 105 all-selectable cross type sensors boast a 1.6x higher density coverage than the outwardly very similar D5 predecessor (which instead boasted 153 AF points), while burst rates of up to 14fps are attainable in Continuous High (CH) mode with a squeeze of the shutter release button in full AF/AE mode (for up to 2000 Fine quality JPEGs), or a still respectable 10fps in Continuous Low (CL) mode. This extra 2fps in CH mode over the previous Nikon D5 will please its intended audience.

Rear of the Nikon D6

Naturally, with a latest generation Expeed 6 processor on board, the Nikon D6 also boasts the ability to shoot 4K video - here to a maximum but not quite class leading 30fps - once the camera has been placed into Live View mode via rear switch flick, followed by a press of the pin-head sized record button at the top of the handgrip. The video button is tiny, presumably to avoid being mistaken for the larger main shutter release button adjacent to it, which here is ergonomically encircled by the on/off button. This proximity and combination enables its user to get nigh instantly up-and-running (and shooting) with this camera; in practice we're able to loose off a shot soon as the switch is flicked.

With the ability to shoot JPEG and Raw files, both separately and in combination, but not TIFFs, the magnesium alloy bodied Nikon D6 feels reassuringly robust in the hand when gripped - just as it should at this price point. It's fair to say that, with telephoto lens attached, it is also both a bulky (at 160x163x92mm) and weighty proposition - a few grams heavier than the four-year-old D5 at 1450g total - but nevertheless one that in combination will squeeze practically into a backpack.

A broad shoulder strap is also provided out of the box, along with a chunky mains charger that has space to recharge two batteries simultaneously - though unsurprisingly just the one is provided with purchase of the body itself.

Though we were blessed with bright spring sunshine for our test period - seemingly ideal conditions - the camera's specification indicates both on paper and as it turns out in practice that it is potentially just as useful a tool in lower light. We get AF sensitivity down to -4.5 EV at its central focus point and -4 EV at other points.

In terms of light sensitivity settings, these are similarly comprehensive, in ranging from a core ISO100 to ISO102400, in a choice of 1/3, 1/2 and 1EV steps. This can be extended down to the equivalent of ISO50 or up to 3280000, if needed, though to be fair results from the top five highest sensitivity settings are virtually unusable. The resulting lack of detail means that photos resemble faded cave paintings, rather than realistic portraits of contemporary life. There's no built-in image stabilisation here either - as is traditional for a Nikon DSLR, that's provided via the Vibration Reduction ('VR') activation setting on the lens in use.

Top of the Nikon D6

This being a professional newsgathering tool, Nikon lays the connectivity options on thick to help pros ensure a faster workflow, while familiar buttons and dials from the D5 likewise on the new D6 fall readily under fingertips and thumbs (yes, thumbs plural as you'll want to use both hands to hold and operate this camera).

As a real boon for photographers in the field, and those who value convenience generally, the D6 now boasts Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options as well as on-board GPS; there's also wired LAN support, with the port hidden beneath a rubber flap on the camera's flank, that is claimed to be 15% faster than its D5 predecessor.

Undoubtedly existing owners of earlier flagship 'D' series models are going to be the largest possible audience for the D6, while there is so much that is carried over from the D5 in terms of layout that we're not going to zero in on every function button and feature.

Those with drawers full of CF and SD cards of varying descriptions may lament that this latest DSLR goes the way of Nikon's 'Z' series mirrorless and offers support for super quick XQD cards along with CFExpress - so factor in that a high capacity XQD card and reader will cost you around £200 on average.

The camera usefully provides two card slots - again that is as expected at this level. These are hidden under a protective flap that forms part of the rear right hand side of the camera when viewed from the back. As with the previous D5 model, this springs open with a button press; said button also hidden beneath a flap so as to prevent accidental activation when gripping the camera in the right hand. We were using the D6 with a 64GB Sony XQD series card boasting read and write speeds of 440 MB/S and 400 MB/S respectively, providing a fluid and seamless response without the camera being rendered inactive while a sequence of shots or video finishes writing to card. Nikon suggests the shutter unit has been tested up to 400,000 cycles, so inside and out this DSLR is built to last.

Side of the Nikon D6

Investigating the front of the camera, the Nikon D6 here also appears identical to the D5, with the familiar pentaprism SLR shape and solid construction that indicates this is a workhorse of a DSLR able to take a fair bit of a hammering in the line of duty.

Unsurprisingly given its identical nature to its forebear and Nikon taking its common 'if it ain't broke don't fix it approach', the camera's fascia features dual stereo microphones placed either side of the lens mount, large and stiff lens release button nestled nearby, just below which is a switch for alternating between auto and manual focus.

Over on the other side of the lens mount is a row of three function buttons, the positioning of which means that they fall beneath the fingers of the right hand when gripping the camera - though these may benefit those with larger hands as we found them a bit of an uncomfortable stretch to reach, meaning they were simply ignored. There are, however, no fewer than 14 customisable buttons on this camera, so you can pretty much configure it to have your favoured settings literally at your fingertips if you put the time in.

The 0.72x optical viewfinder here is, as we'd expect, large and bright in operation while retaining OLED elements, including roll and pitch indicators displaying in the viewfinder. It's very much a camera built for shooting with your eye placed against the viewfinder, rather than using Live View. You want any camera to feel like an extension of your arm - and/or eye - when shooting, and the Nikon D6 achieves that, by and large, letting you focus on the subject and ensure that they're sharp rather than being distracted by what the camera is doing.

Side of the Nikon D6

Also large-ish, at a regulation 3.2-inches, 2.3 million dot resolution, and of the distinctly fixed (non angle adjustable) variety, is the Nikon D6's rear plate LCD screen. It's also a touch sensitive monitor this time around for increased intuitiveness when it comes to handling, with a virtual playback button appearing centre screen when you're reviewing video clips, for example.

As well as using it for the regular selection and implementation of settings and features in conjunction with the large multi controller to its right, in playback mode key shots can also be sent to the front of the queue when deciding which ones to transfer first, either wirelessly or via LAN cable to your computer. It's all about speeding up the workflow from initial capture to review and, presumably, publication.

As mentioned earlier, though a single rechargeable EN-EL18c lithium ion battery is supplied with the camera, a dual battery charger in the MH-26a is generously provided out of the box - well, as generous as you can be with a package already costing upwards of £6K. Also generous is the amount of shots delivered by the brick-like battery: a whopping 3,580 shots per charge, or up to 105 minutes of video.

We say by and large because over time you're probably going to want to attach this one to a tripod rather than shooting handheld. With the zoom lens we had in for testing attached, the combination is inevitably both a bulky and a weighty one, that is also far from inconspicuous, marking you out very much as a pro rather than an amateur. Inevitably if you are using the camera's burst mode options, then the inevitable machine gun like rat-a-tat is going to turn heads of those nearby. Essentially this DSLR looks, handles and feels every inch the professional tool it is. This isn't one to stash in the glove box or hand bag; it's very much the chunky Land Rover of digital cameras.

A Pro Photographer's Perspective on the Nikon D6

We asked professional photographer Matthew Horwood to share his thoughts on using the Nikon D6 and compare it to the Nikon D5 that he already uses.

Focusing

The focus speed and accuracy on the D5 was already excellent and the Nikon D6 improves on this with the all cross-type focus system. I found focus acquisition and subject tracking improved - particularly in group mode where customisation is extensive. Any improvement on the already excellent D5 is impressive.

The eye/face focus in auto area AF and 3D tracking is very good too. Better than I had expected - like a much more snappy version of the Z7 face/eye detection. I admit that I thought this was a bit of a novelty but I can see it as something I’d use fairly often in day to day work.

I use eye-detection frequently on the Z7 for poorly-lit conferences so having this ability on the D6 which is far better in low light conditions will be a big plus. I’ve read that that the centre AF point works down to LV -4.5 however which will also help, a small improvement on the D5’s LV -4.

Live View Focusing

Just like the D5 and the D4s before the Nikon D6 relies on contrast AF and it’s nothing short of painful for focusing in live view. There are improvements in terms of silent shooting (10.5fps at full resolution) however the lack of phase detect AF makes these improvements feel a little redundant. Granted, this is a camera intended for viewfinder shooting - but I’m very jealous of the Dual Pixel CMOS AF on the new Canon EOS-1D X Mark III.

Front of the Nikon D6

Sensor

Same resolution as the D5. I didn’t notice any improvements in noise at higher ISO levels. The files are very similar to the D5. I find 20mp to be the sweet spot for news. Good balance between file size, resolution and sensor noise. I’m glad Nikon has matched the D5 here.

Handling

The Nikon D6 feels and looks like a D5 which is great. If you used a D5 and D6 blindfolded you’d have a hard job telling the difference. It’s big, tough and heavy. Slightly heavier than the D5 apparently but not noticeably so. The top of the camera, under the flash socket is a little larger - presumably this is where the GPS and wifi chip is located but otherwise it’s hard to tell the difference.

Another small change I noticed was the info LED at the top and on the bottom of the camera is now a more natural white LED rather than the turquoise/blue of the D5. Small change but at least you can tell the D5 and D6 apart when using them in the dark! And the white is easier on the eyes.

I’ve never been one to rush out and buy two D models and prefer to upgrade the older of the two models I own every iteration. The controls are laid out almost identically to the D5 and and so, for me at least, this is a huge advantage. I’m currently using a D4s and a D5 and although both of these cameras are similar in layout there are some irritating differences when using both together.

Burst Shooting

14fps on the D6 vs 12fps on the D5. Not a huge deal for me for most of what I shoot but useful to have when it’s needed.

Playback

You can now directly view the image shooting data for a particular picture on the display screen without cycling through an info menu on the image. I have to press up/down on the D-pad of the D5 to see this info but the Nikon D6 just displays it under the image. It’s a small feature that may be of no interest to many but something I found very useful.

Connectivity

Built in wifi/bluetooth and GPS. At last! I’ve always thought it odd that these features were not included on the professional range of Nikon cameras and yet were commonplace on consumer cameras. Although Bluetooth is limited to transferring low resolution images via Snapbridge, you can get full size RAW files off the camera via a direct wifi connection to a device - it seems to take around 30 seconds per RAW file and about 10-15 seconds for a JPG. It’s good enough for a quick picture for social media etc.

Fortunately the Nikon D6 is compatible with the WT-6 transmitter which allows transferring of images to FTP servers. There are also some useful new features which allow for prioritising certain images when sending via the WT-6 which you can’t do on the D5 and allocating small/medium JPGS to the secondary card slot for transferring quickly. As well as being able to filter images by transfer status in playback mode which is small but useful feature.

Side of the Nikon D6

Speed

The Nikon D5 was always quick but moving through images is very fast on the D6 with the Expeed 6 processor. As is applying in camera edits to RAW images. There’s a big jump from the D4s and a slight jump from the D5.

Quiet Mode

No noticeable difference, sadly.

Storage

XQD and CFexpress. I wasn’t able to try the CFexpress cards but it is something I’d invest in - if only for the read speed when browsing images images on a computer. Nikon have said CFexpress support will come for the D5 but no sign of it yet.

USB Type C 3.1

Nice to see. I use the USB C port fairly often on the Nikon Z7 for importing pictures when I don’t have a card reader nearby, it’s particularly useful when importing images onto the iPad Pro. Transfer speeds were as fast as with my card reader. It didn’t seem to be possible to charge the battery over USB-C as you can do on the Z7 with the new batteries. This would have been a nice feature.

Overall Thoughts

The D5 is an excellent camera. The Nikon D6 is just that little bit more again but it's not revolutionary. If I was using two D5s I’m not sure I’d be rushing to upgrade but anyone coming from a D4s or below are going to see a big jump in focus and low light performance and connectivity. For me there’s not one particular feature that blows me away but instead lots of little improvements and refinements on an already excellent platform which, when put together, may persuade me to swap the D4s for the D6 at some point this year.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20.8 megapixel Large JPEG setting, which produces an average image size of around 13Mb.

Although designed with a bias on speed of capture rather than resolution per se, Nikon's boast for the D6 early on was 'incredible shots… without fail.' Even on an expensive camera costing £6K, busy scenes with multiple subjects all moving in different directions can confuse the AF, and the ability to switch effortlessly to manual focus courtesy of the attached 70-200mm f/2.8 lens we had affixed in such circumstances was a real boon.

Get your subject pin sharp and it veritably leaps off the screen in three dimensions, with the Nikon D6 not only capable of delivering speed but an incredible level of detail and realism with it, despite a 'modest' by current standards 20.8 megapixel resolution that doesn't overload the full frame sensor at its heart.

When shooting a moving subject, information from all 105 focus points is used to acquire and track your subject and although busy scenes will sometimes throw it temporarily off – we were attempting to photograph cyclists weaving in and out of traffic at certain points – the camera at least provides the rapid-fire power of a sufficient velocity of frames (here up to 14fps) to help ensure you come away with at least one image, and hopefully many more, that's sharp and clear. While the ability to prioritise the subject's eyes might be helpful on occasion, this proved less relevant with subjects wearing helmets and goggles.

It has to be said, as long as you have a level and flat surface to be shooting from, the results from night photography can be a knockout, even if simply selecting an ISO1600 equivalent and using no other illumination apart from occasional streetlights. In lockdown we were limited to our local common, but we can imagine the Nikon D6 coming up trumps and delivering the necessary wow factor when its lens is directed on more expansive cityscapes. Tricky lighting conditions were what this camera was seemingly made for.

As we mentioned earlier in the review the D6 has a very expansive range of user-selectable ISO settings, ranging from an equivalent ISO50 all the way up to a frankly mad ISO3280000 equivalent, though the core range is a slightly more sensible ISO100 to ISO102400. While we generally found the Nikon D6 to be very impressive indeed in low light – even with the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens we had alongside the camera for review – which was possibly not ideal in terms of avoiding camera shake hand held - it must be noted that stray above that impressive ISO102400 option and results are largely unusable, suggesting Nikon was right to limit the core range there. Overall though we were very impressed in what we saw from the D6 in the working week we were given to have a play with it.

Noise

The Nikon D6 has an incredible ISO range that runs from ISO 100 to 102400, expandable down to ISO 50 and up to ISO 3280000.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 50 (100% Crop)	ISO 50 (100% Crop)
ISO 100 (100% Crop)	ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12800 (100% Crop)	ISO 12800 (100% Crop)
ISO 25600 (100% Crop)	ISO 25600 (100% Crop)
ISO 51200 (100% Crop)	ISO 51200 (100% Crop)
ISO 102400 (100% Crop)	ISO 102400 (100% Crop)
ISO 204800 (100% Crop)	ISO 204800 (100% Crop)
ISO 409600 (100% Crop)	ISO 409600 (100% Crop)
ISO 819200 (100% Crop)	ISO 819200 (100% Crop)
ISO 1640000‬ (100% Crop)	ISO 1640000‬ (100% Crop)
ISO 3280000 (100% Crop)	ISO 3280000 (100% Crop)

Night

The Nikon D6's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds, but there's a Bulb mode for even longer exposures. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 1/2 second at ISO 1600.

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Nikon D6 camera, which were all taken using the 20.8 megapixel Large JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon D6 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Nikon RAW (NEF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

With full frame mirrorless cameras having come on in leaps and bounds these past few years, the Nikon D6's DSLR housing and operation feels like a bit of a throwback to traditional, less complicated times. The camera is something of an evolution over the previous model, rather than a burn-down-the-barricades revolution. Undoubtedly, rather than seeking to win over new converts its biggest possible audience is going to be current Nikon users - and in that way it's preaching to the already converted.

A specialist tool beyond the reach of most amateurs, the Nikon D6 is a sizeable investment for action photographers too, in every sense. It's bulky, quite weighty too at 1.45Kg with battery and cards inserted (but no lens) as well as pricey, as we'd expect from what is, essentially, its manufacturer's best DSLR to date. That said, it is some £200 less at the time of writing than Canon's competing EOS-1DX Mark III DSLR, so it seems churlish to complain about price points too much.

What you're getting for your investment is a complex and comprehensively featured workhorse of a camera, that, while it may well give you back ache, will also provide years of service. Lightning fast response times, including machine gun-like 14fps burst speeds for up to 200 'Fine' quality JPEGs, plus bags of detail from the now relatively modest sounding 20.8 megapixel sensor is what users will be looking for here - and the Nikon D6 delivers both in spades, images having a life-like almost three dimensional quality, such is the depth and clarity on display.

Put simply, in most respects this is Nikon's most comprehensively featured and dependable action shooter yet. Whether that's worth paying the premium demanded rather comes down to how much you can justify the expense. And whether or not you're already a rival Canon user...

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	5
Value for money	3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Nikon D6.

Specifications

News

Nikon have just announced that the Nikon D6 DSLR camera is in development, boasting the company's most powerful AF system yet.

In addition, Nikon have also announced the development of the AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR telephoto zoom lens.

The Nikon D6 will be available in Spring 2020 priced at £6,299 / $6,499.95.

Nikon UK Press Release

London, United Kingdom, 12 February 2020: Today Nikon unveils its new flagship DSLR: the D6. From hard news to international sports, this phenomenal full-frame camera answers the demands of professionals who don’t want to leave nothing to chance. 

With Nikon’s most powerful AF system yet and fast in-camera connections for real-time image transfer, the D6 lets pros create and deliver without constraint. The new AF engine is faster than ever before. An arrangement of 105 all-selectable cross-type sensors with 1.6x higher density coverage than the D5 takes precision to another level, with unparalleled tracking performance even under the toughest lighting conditions imaginable, and next-level subject acquisition. An increased range of selectable Group-Area AF patterns let users optimise AF setup for any job and nail more clean shots of the action. 

In-camera connections enable the fastest transfer speeds in the field, and don’t slow down while shooting. Streamlined workflows offer more ways to select and prioritise key shots for transfer, giving photographers the edge when every second counts. The camera’s high-resolution displays now offer improved visibility and readability, and the D6 retains the robust body that made the D5 such a firm favourite among pros.

Robert Harmon, Interim Head of Commercial Planning, Nikon UK, says: “The D6 is a phenomenal successor to the Nikon D5. Nikon’s new flagship improves on its forebear with industry-defining AF and versatile connectivity. You can’t control the action, the lighting, or the environment. But you can control the D6, and this DSLR will deliver incredible shots of defining moments—without fail.”

Nikon D6 Key Features

Industry defining 105-field AF. 105 all-selectable cross-type sensors with AF sensitivity down to -4.5 EV at the central focus point, and -4 EV at all other points. Group-Area AF with more custom settings for unparalleled tracking. An improved scene recognition system for next-level subject acquisition.

Nail the winning shot. The D6 lets users define the focus starting point when shooting in Auto-Area AF and prioritise focusing on a subject’s eyes when using Auto-Area AF or 3D tracking. 

Extreme precision and speed. Harness burst rates up to 14 fps with full AF/AE, or up to 10.5 fps with AE tracking in Silent Photography mode. 

Flagship image quality. F-mount lenses. 20.8 MP full-frame CMOS sensor. EXPEED 6 image processor. 180K-pixel RGB sensor. Wide ISO 100–102400 range, extendable to ISO 3 280 000 and all the way down to ISO 50. 

Fast in-camera connections. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and built-in GPS. The camera’s wired LAN supports 1000BASE-T standard and achieves approx. 15 % faster communication than the acclaimed D5.

0.72x optical viewfinder with OLED elements. Enables pin-sharp confirmation over a wide field of view, without delay. Roll and pitch indicators display in the viewfinder. 

Simplified workflow. More ways to check, select, and transfer key shots via the sharp and precise 3.2 ” touch-sensitive monitor. Key shots can be sent to the top of the queue when transferring images to a PC via wired LAN or via the camera’s Wi-Fi connection.

Versatile card slots. Dual card slots accept XQD and CFexpress cards—the fastest cards available today. Benefit from fast read, write and transfer speeds. 

Ergonomic advancements. Higher-resolution displays offer improved visibility and readability. Key ports are easily accessible, even when shooting with a wireless transmitter attached. 

Tough and secure. The robust body is ready to take on any environment and the D6 is compatible with trusted Kensington locks.

Nikon USA Press Release

Decisive Power. Faster Workflow. Absolute Reliability: The New Nikon D6 Gives Professionals the Edge When It Matters Most

The New Nikon D6 Offers the Most Powerful AF System in Nikon’s History, and Continues the Brand Legacy of Professional Cameras That Deliver Connectivity, Dependability and Streamlined Workflow

MELVILLE, NY – Today, Nikon Inc. has unveiled the D6, a new professional-grade DSLR built for those in need of extreme reliability and ultimate performance. The D6 addresses the needs of professionals and press agencies and is faster and more powerful than ever before. Offering the most powerful AF system in Nikon’s history, this flagship DSLR camera delivers crucial improvements to modern workflow while also accelerating file transfer capabilities. Promising unparalleled low-light performance, powerful agility, advanced 4K UHD multimedia capabilities and a mechanical shutter frame rate boosted to a staggering 14fps, the D6 will redefine the way pros work. 

“The D6 is purpose-built and inspired by the valuable feedback of professional users,” said Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President of Nikon Inc. “The world relies on photojournalists and professionals to document every corner of the globe through impactful images; Nikon cameras are trusted to stand up to any job and help photographers capture the shot, time and time again.”

The Most Powerful AF in Nikon’s History: The D6 leaves nothing to chance. To maximize hit rate, it is equipped with a newly developed, densely packed 105-point AF system in which all the focus points utilize cross-type sensors and all points are selectable. Through the new focus point layout and the use of a triple-sensor arrangement for each focus point, the D6 achieves AF coverage that is approximately 1.6x denser than that of the D5. The D6 also sports an expanded focus detection range which increases the detection area for single point AF and dynamic area AF, making it easier to achieve focus on a subject even when slightly outside the focus point.

Improving upon Nikon’s popular Group AF mode, this function has evolved with support for 17 custom arrangements from which users can choose according to the scene or subject movement. The D6 also demonstrates superior low-light AF performance. The center focus point works down to -4.5 EV1 and the others to -4 EV, making autofocus possible even in dark situations or with low-contrast subjects.

Unparalleled Performance: The new EXPEED 6 engine's superior image-processing capabilities combined with the vast amount of information provided by the new dedicated AF engine drives high-level performance in any situation. To help capture the decisive moment consistently, the D6 boasts a 14fps2 mechanical shutter with full AF and AE. The D6 can also shoot completely silent for sensitive situations, capturing full resolution at 10.5 fps. For faster frame rates, the Nikon D6 is able to take 2-megapixel images at approx. 60 fps and 8-megapixel images at 30 fps in Live View mode.

The D6 leverages a 20.8-megapixel FX-Format CMOS sensor, creating images that pop with stunning detail and true colors and exhibit incredible dynamic range. The ISO ranges from 100 to 102,400, which helps to preserve sharpness and subtle details in even the most challenging light. Additionally, ISO is expandable up to 3.2 million, giving photographers the ability to truly conquer the dark. 

Concentration on Workflow: Building on Nikon’s history of serving professionals, the D6 is the most customizable Nikon DSLR yet, designed to speed up the workflow of any user during and after capture.

-Recall shooting functions create combinations of settings that can be assigned to a specific button to get the perfect shot in a pinch

-The D6 excels in connectivity and supports the same 1000BASE-T Ethernet standard as the D5, with an approximate 15% increase in transmission speed. The camera also supports a number of options for wireless networking, offering built-in 2.4- and 5-GHz*3 Wi-Fi®4 or traditional wireless transfer using the WT-6 Wireless Transmitter (optional)

-Includes 14 customizable buttons, assignable to any of 46 unique function choices and a new intuitive menu system

-Priority Image Transfer gives the ability to move an important image to the front of the queue when speed is of paramount priority, which can easily be done by swiping the touch LCD during playback

-Security Lock compatibility supports connection of anti-theft cables to provide maximum security for remote applications or when the camera is unattended

-Built in GPS5 gives accurate time, date and location information for just about anywhere on the planet

-Dual CFexpress6 slots offer blazing fast read/write times and have the ability to overflow, copy or separate file types

-JPEG functions allow for the simultaneous recording of two JPEG images with different image size and quality settings, which is convenient for separating images that will be transmitted from those that will be edited

-Creativity options for multimedia creators including a new interval timer mode to retain the best resolution and enable in-camera time-lapse movie file recording providing professionals the ability to create exceptionally sharp 16:9 4K Ultra HD video

Absolute Reliability: Nikon’s flagship cameras remain trusted in the industry and have been proven on the sidelines, in the studio and even in outer space. With a magnesium alloy camera body and extensively weather-sealed design, the D6 is as tough as the professionals who use it, ready to take on the harshest shooting conditions. The camera offers long-lasting battery life, delivering the safety net and energy-saving performance that pros need on daylong outings. The D6 also employs a USB-Type C connector for faster direct-to-PC file transfer rates than previously possible with the D5.

Endless Lens Choices: By pairing the D6 with Nikon’s extremely diverse selection of F-Mount NIKKOR telephoto lenses, professionals have the most advanced imaging solution in Nikon’s history. No matter the job, the client or the location, there’s a NIKKOR lens, from the ultra-wide to the super-telephoto. The D6 is also compatible with Nikon’s line of creative Speedlights, offering extra creative freedom to enhance natural light and add artistry and drama to any scene.

Pricing and Availability  

The new Nikon D6 will be available in April 2020 for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $6,499.95* for the body only configuration. For more information on the latest Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com. 

Nikon UK Press Release

NIKON ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF THE D6 AND AF-S NIKKOR 120-300MM F/2.8E FL ED SR VR LENS

London, United Kingdom, 4th September 2019: Nikon is proud to announce the development of the Nikon D6 professional digital SLR camera and the AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR telephoto zoom lens, compatible with Nikon FX format cameras.

The development of the D6 – Nikon’s most advanced digital SLR to date – marks the 20th anniversary of the single-digit D-series. Since the launch of the D1 in 1999, Nikon's flagship cameras have evolved with the industry's most advanced technologies and the imaging know-how cultivated over Nikon's long history in camera development. Like its predecessors, the development of the D6 responds to the strict demands of professional photographers with the ultimate in performance, even in the most severe conditions.

Nikon is also announcing the development of the new AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR lens, as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Nikon F mount adopted for the D-series. The new telephoto zoom lens will provide professional photographers, in fields such as sports photography, with even greater support.

The new product developments demonstrate Nikon’s commitment to expanding the possibilities for imaging expression, while leading the way in imaging culture with both digital SLR and mirrorless camera systems, alongside a rich lineup of lenses.

* Details including release dates and retail prices for these products will be announced at a later date.

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Hands On

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics may have been postponed due to you-know-what, but that hasn't stopped Nikon from forging ahead with the release of their brand new flagship DSLR camera, the D6.

So much so that we've just received the Nikon D6 for review. Before we bring you our full verdict on the most sophisticated DSLR that Nikon has ever created, here are some hands-on shots of the new Nikon D6.

Want to see exactly what the new Nikon D6 DSLR camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Nikon D6 camera.

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Preview Images

​Ahead of our final Nikon D6 review, here are some full-size JPEG and Raw sample images taken with the brand new Nikon D6 DSLR​ camera.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Nikon D6 DSLR camera.

Nikon D6 Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon D6 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Nikon RAW (NEF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative)."

Sample Movie & Video

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