Introduction

Ease of Use

Nikon has used pretty much the same body design for the Z6 II as the Z6/Z7, which doesn't come as much as a surprise. It is a couple of mm deeper and around 25g heavier than its predecessor - presumably to accommodate the extra card slot, which we think is very definitely worth the trade off for the convenience.

As with its predecessor, Nikon has gone for a chunky and solid design which shrinks down all the vital elements of a DSLR, without it being frustratingly small to use.

The body of the camera is replete with plenty of dials and buttons which all have enough space to breathe, and we'll go through those in more detail as we progress along the review.

It feels very well-built and has a premium-feeling covering around the grip and rear thumb rest, which helps to make the camera feel comfortable in your hand as well as adding to a feeling of quality.

Most of the camera's buttons are found on the right hand side of the camera, particularly those that you're likely to use frequently. That means you can make almost all of the main changes to settings using just your right hand - and conceivably even use the camera one-handed if you so wished (though we'd recommend using one of the lighter lenses if you're going to do that).

To the left of the top plate, however, you'll find the camera's mode dial. Here there's all the usual manual and semi-automatic modes, (PASM), as well as fully auto, and three slots for user-customised settings.

The latter three come in handy if you're often shooting a particular type of subject - such as sports or action, and want to quickly flick to a certain group of settings.

Just underneath the mode dial on the back of the camera, you'll find the playback button and the delete button - two buttons which you won't be using to make any settings changes and are quite neatly packed away here.

Moving over to the right hand side of the top plate and first of all you've got the LCD display, which shows you all the key settings, such as aperture, battery, remaining shots, drive mode and shutter speed. It's a great way to quickly ascertain if you have the settings you want selected, without having to check the back screen.

To the right of the screen, there's a large dial which you can rotate with your thumb and is used to adjust different settings depending on the shooting mode you're in - in shutter priority, it will control shutter speed. You can also use it in conjunction with one of the other buttons - such as ISO - to make adjustments.

Toward the front of the top plate, at the top of the grip, you'll find the on/off switch, as well as the shutter release button. This is surrounded by a dedicated video record button, an ISO button and an exposure compensation button.

At the front of the grip is another scrolling dial, which again controls different settings depending on the mode you're using - in aperture priority, it adjusts aperture in aperture priority, for example.

The back of the camera is where you'll find the majority of buttons. Starting at the top, you've got a display button which you can use to adjust how both the screen and the viewfinder displays - for example, you can switch off the live view feed altogether and just show settings on the rear screen, and you can switch on and off a histogram and horizon level. In the viewfinder you can toggle on the level, histogram and display around the frame.

Around the display button, there's a switch which you can use to move between stills mode and video mode. It's quite a stiff switch, so it's unlikely you'd do this by accident and end up in the wrong mode.

To the right of this button/dial combination, is the AF-on button, which you can customise to allow for back-button focusing if you prefer to set up AF in that way. This means that when you press the shutter release, it won't attempt to refocus again, which is useful for focusing and recomposing, or for photographing quick moving subjects.

Underneath the AF-On button, there's a joystick. This comes in extremely handy for moving the AF point around the frame, either while composing via the screen, or while composing via the viewfinder.

Unlike some other cameras on the market, you can't use the touchscreen while shooting through the viewfinder, so it's very likely you'll be using the joystick for this purpose. You can also use the stick to move around either the quick or full menu, but you'll have to enable this in the custom control settings of the main menu first.

You can access a quick menu by pressing the “i” button underneath the mode dial. Here you'll find a group of settings which you're likely to use frequently, such as Picture Control, Flash, Release mode, AF-area mode, metering, and so on. You can navigate around this menu either by using the joystick (if enabled), the directional keys or by touching on the setting you want to change.

You can then use the scrolling dials to adjust the setting as required. If you find there are settings in this menu that you don't use all that often, you can customise the “i” menu in the main menu, swapping out any settings you don't use for ones which you do. Another way to access the quick menu is to tap the “i” displayed on the camera screen, too.

Back to the physical buttons, and underneath the I button is a four-way navigational pad, with an OK button at the centre. You can use the directional keys to move the AF point around the screen, as well as navigate around images in playback, or bring up information about said images. The OK button can be used for menu navigation, but also for functions such as resetting the AF point to the centre of the frame.

Underneath the navi-pad is a button with a magnifying glass on it, which you can use to zoom into the scene you're photographing - it's particularly useful for checking critical focus, especially when using manual focus.

Directly underneath it there's a zoom out button, too. You can also use these buttons in playback to check areas of the scene. To the right of the zoom in button is the main menu button, where you'll find a vast array of settings, those which you're unlikely to change on quite as regular a basis as those settings found in the quick menu.

There's several pages to move through, but they are reasonably well-organised into a set of different folders, such as Playback, Photo Shooting, Movie Shooting, Custom Settings, Setup and a Retouch menu.

There's also a “My Menu”, where you can save any menu settings which you access frequently, to save you scrolling through pages of menus to find the exact setting which you need.

One of the big changes, which will come as welcome news to many, is the addition of an extra memory card slot. You'll find the dual slots behind a door which doubles up as the rear thumb rest. There's one slot for XQD / CFExpress, while the secondary slot accepts SD format cards. It wouldn't be possible to put two XQD shaped slots here, so it's a good compromise to have the smaller format alongside the more rugged / faster format.

There is a number of ways you can set up the secondary slot - you can either have it as a backup slot, which makes a straight copy of the first card as you're shooting, you can have set up as “overflow”, so it only comes into play when the first card is full, or you can set up both cards to record different formats. So, you could have the XQD card slot record raw files, and the SD card slot record JPEGs, or one could record stills, and the other movie.

Two things which have stayed the same as compared to the original Z6 is the screen and viewfinder. That means you get a 0.5-inch, 3690k-dot OLED viewfinder, which in practice is great to use and displays a nicely clear view of the scene. It might not be the highest resolution finder on the market, but at this price point it's a good performer.

You can set the viewfinder to switch on automatically as you lift the camera to your eye (the default setting), or you can switch it to so it's permanently on (and the rear screen is not / displays only camera settings), or you can even set it to permanently off if you prefer.

A button at the side of the viewfinder controls all of these settings, while there's a diopter dial on the opposite side of the finder for adjusting the focus of the viewfinder.

Having the same screen as the Z6 will be good news for some, and less good news for other. It's a tilting, 3.2-inch, 2.1m-dot TFT touch-sensitive screen. You can pull the screen quite far out from the body of the camera, which is helpful if you're shooting from top down as you can see the whole frame.

You can also tilt it downwards which is helpful for shooting high angles. As it only tilts, it's not useful for shooting selfies or recording videos to camera - so it's perhaps unlikely that the Z6 II will appeal too much to vloggers. It's also less useful for shooting from awkward angles in portrait format too.

On the left hand side of the camera is where you'll find all the ports, including a headphone and microphone jack, an HDMI port, a remote control port and a USB-C port which you can use for charging the camera. One small - but significant for some - change from the original Z6 is the ability to charge the camera while it is recording stills/video, which could be useful or videographers.

Most of the upgrades for the Z6 II are internal, rather than external / design changes. Nikon claims that autofocus has been improved when compared to the predecessor, and now we have Animal Detection AF that has been added. It's been programmed to work on cats and dogs officially, but we can expect it to also work on other animals of a similar type (such as big cats, foxes etc).

There are also other improvements for action photography here, including 14fps (compared with 12fps), and a vastly increased buffer of 112 raws (12-bit uncompressed) or 200 JPEGs (compared with 37 raws / 44 JPEGs). That means you can shoot for almost three times as long before the camera needs a breather - you should get about 8 seconds with the Z6 II, compared to 3 seconds with the Z6.

To test out these improvements, I've been using the Z6 II with my dog. The results are a little hit and miss, which is a shame when comparing the camera to the Canon EOS R6, which has a phenomenal performance in this respect.

The Z6 II is capable of following the dog when she moves fairly slowly and in a fairly predictable fashion, but you still get a fair number of out of focus shots in a burst - compared to a near 100% hit rate with the Canon EOS R6.

In terms of Eye AF, it seems capable of locking on to her eye - but not always, and especially if she is at a fair distance from the lens. She is a black dog with dark eyes, so it's a challenging test, but again, the EOS R6 had absolutely no problem whatsoever.

That said, the Z6 II does seem to represent a slight improvement when compared with the original Z6, getting it right more frequently than that camera did.

Overall, while it would be hard to recommend this camera too heartily for anybody that shoots a lot of moving subjects, such as wildlife or sport - if it's something you do less frequently and are looking for an all-rounder, it's not quite as disappointing.

In other aspects, the AF is still very impressive, locking on to most subjects quickly and easily. Another improvement comes in low-light focusing, which now sees the Z6 II able to focus at up to -6EV (depending on the lens you're using). I've found that it copes pretty well in dim conditions, not hunting too much, and it's extremely rare for a false confirmation of focus to be displayed.

By default a green focusing light is enabled in the menu, which certainly helps if you're shooting in very dim conditions, but it's quite bright and can draw attention to yourself so you may wish to switch it off - even with it disabled, the Z6 II does well at locking onto a subject, though.

Image Quality

Considering the Nikon Z6 II uses the same sensor as its predecessor, we weren't expecting any big shocks when it came to image quality, expecting it to produce good results in a range of situations.

When we reviewed the original Z6, it was a brand new system with only three native lenses to go with it. Fast forward nearly 2.5 years later and the system has had time to become established, and there's a much wider range of directly compatible optics, some of which we've been using as part of this review.

As we found before, the 24-70mm f/4 makes for an excellent walk around lens, with the relatively narrow aperture meaning it can be smaller and more compact than an f/2.8 equivalent.

With 24.5 megapixels to play with, the Z6 II doesn't provide as much fine detail as the Z7 / Z7 II, but for most photographers it should still be more than enough, even allowing for some post-capture cropping if necessary. Meanwhile, colours in JPEGS straight from the camera are very natural, with just enough vibrance to make them pop without looking unnatural.

The all-purpose metering mode does a good job of providing balanced exposures in most situations, with the exception of very high contrast scenes where you might need to switch to using spot metering.

Theoretically at least, the Z6 II should be better-equipped for low-light shooting than the higher resolution Z7 II (or Z7). We haven't been able to test the Z7 II yet, but we can say that the Z6 copes very well with low light, producing useable results right up to around ISO 25600, especially if you're only viewing or printing at A4 or below. ISO 51200 is just about useable if you're sharing at very small sizes, but it's best avoided if possible.

Noise

The base sensitivity of the Nikon Z6 is ISO 100 but you can go down to ISO 50 (L1.0) if you wish. At the other end of the scale, the highest native sensitivity of the Nikon Z6 is ISO 51200, but two boosted settings, ISO 102400 and ISO 204800, are also available.

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)

Low Light

The Nikon Z6 II lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well for exposure times of practically any length, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography. There is an optional long-exposure noise reduction function that can be activated to filter out any hot pixels that may appear when extremely slow shutter speeds are used.

Active D-lighting (ADL)

D-lighting is Nikon's dynamic range optimisation tool that attempts to squeeze the full dynamic range of the sensor into JPEGs. Active D-lighting works “on the fly”, before the in-camera processing engine converts the raw image data into JPEGs. The available settings are Off, Low, Normal, High and Extra High, plus an Auto mode.

Off

Auto

Low

Normal

High

Extra High

Picture Controls

Nikon's Picture Controls are preset combinations of sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue. All 28 different Picture Controls can be tweaked to your liking, then saved and transferred to other cameras.

Auto

Standard

Neutral

Vivid

Monochrome

Portrait

Landscape

Flat

Dream

Morning

Pop

Sunday

Somber

Drama

Silence

Bleach

Melancholic

Pure

Denim

Toy

Sepia

Blue

Red

Pink

Charcoal

Graphite

Binary

Carbon

Crop Modes

The Nikon Z6 II is an FX camera, but it can also shoot in one of three other crop modes.

FX

DX

16x9

1x1

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Nikon Z6 II camera, which were all taken using the 24 megapixel JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon Z6 II 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 Movies & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

We were big fans of the original Z6 when it first came out, and Nikon has done a good job of adding just enough upgrades for the Z6 II to also make it a very good all-round camera, especially at the price point.

For under £2000 (body only), we've got a full-frame mirrorless camera which is capable of producing lovely images, works well in low-light and is a pleasure to use. The addition of the extra memory card does a lot to allay the fears of those who previously suggested the Z range wasn't suitable for advanced enthusiasts and pros.

That said however, it's a little disappointing that while improvements to AF have been made, it's still not a camera that would be ideally suited to capturing fast action or moving subjects - meaning that Nikon still doesn't have a mirrorless camera to rival its own DSLRS when it comes to this type of work. It also doesn't have a camera which truly rivals other mirrorless manufacturers including Sony and its arch-nemesis, Canon, which particularly with the EOS R6 has proven that you no-longer need DSLRs.

While it's important to note that the Canon EOS R6 is a good amount more expensive than the Z6 II, other models, such as the Sony A7 III aren't. If you're somebody that only shoots action occasionally, you'll be less bothered by the Z6 II's limitations in that regard, and perhaps there may be some improvements made along the line with a firmware upgrade.

The next thing to consider is whether you need the Z6 II, if you already have a Z6, or, as the latter camera is still on sale, if you're contemplating picking one up for the first time. If budget is a big concern, you can save a hefty chunk of change by either sticking with what you've already got or plumping for the older model. The newer one brings with it slightly faster autofocusing, a slightly faster frame rate and buffer, plus an extra memory card slot.

Several other specs have stayed the same - including most importantly the sensor, but also the viewfinder, screen and overall handling. For anybody that doesn't shoot action, and is happy to take their chances with a single memory card slot, it's probably worth plumping for the original Z6 and pocketing the saving.

Overall however, the Nikon Z6 II, just like its predecessor, is a very capable camera and although this upgrade isn't perhaps quite as revolutionary as we might have hoped, it still comes highly recommended for most.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	5
Value for money	4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Nikon Z6 II.

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Nikon Z6 II from around the web.

Specifications

News

The new Nikon Z7 II and Nikon Z6 II are the next-generation versions of its flagship Z7 and Z6 mirrorless cameras.

They principally add dual EXPEED 6 processing engines, faster and deeper buffers, dual card slots and 4K/60p video capabilities.

They both support a new power battery pack – the MB-N11 – that features vertical shooting, as well as the new WR-R11b wireless remote.

The Nikon Z7 II is priced at £2999 / $2699 and the Nikon Z6 II will cost £1999 / $1999 when they are released sometime in "Winter 2020".

Nikon UK Press Release

London, United Kingdom, 14 October 2020: Nikon today announces the Nikon Z 7II and Nikon Z 6II – next-generation versions of its flagship Z 7 and Z 6 mirrorless cameras.

The full-frame Z 7II and Z 6II are designed around the ultra-wide Z mount and ever-expanding range of NIKKOR Z lenses. Both models benefit from; dual EXPEED 6 processing engines, faster and deeper buffers – supporting rapid continuous shooting, and dual card slots – catering for UHS-II SD and XQD or CFexpress cards. The cameras are also equipped with 4K/60p video capabilities . They can accommodate an optional new power battery pack – the MB-N11 – that supports vertical shooting, as well as the new WR-R11b wireless remote.

Nikon Z 7II

The Z 7II is the next evolution of the award winning Z 7, boasting superior subject acquisition, high-resolution and robust reliability. With greater dynamic range and performance across the wide ISO range, its processing power and buffer capacity enable shooting speeds up to 10 fps. Photographers can now capture 200 full-res JPEGs, or 77 12-bit uncompressed RAW images, in one burst.

The Z 7II’s enhanced AF capabilities offer wide-area AF support for human and animal subjects, subject-tracking AF that operates similar to 3D-tracking, and improved AF in low-light situations. And the 3690k-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) delivers a more natural view, with the high refresh rate reducing blackout.

The camera is suited to advanced and professional photographers demanding unparalleled expression of subject details. That could be a portrait photographer shooting at speed to capture textures in skin, hair, clothing and make up; or a landscape photographer requiring robust, lightweight equipment to travel harsh environments and capture scenes of nature.

Nikon Z 6II

The Z 6II builds upon the Z 6’s success. It offers robustness and ease of use, the ability to produce professional-grade cinematic videos, and powerful performance when capturing still moments. The camera’s ‘dust and drip’ resistance supports continuous shooting in harsh conditions, while a new ability to reverse rotate the focus ring lets users manually focus with the direction they are accustomed to.

Regarding video capabilities, the camera can deliver an output of 4K UHD and Full HD in both FX and DX-based movie formats. Its HLG shooting formats, meanwhile, preserve more detail, dynamic range and contrast – minimising post processing requirements . Improved Eye-Detection and Animal-Detection AF results in enhanced focus of subjects during video shooting.

These AF capabilities support superior still photography too, working alongside the camera’s improved speed and power. The Z 6II supports a continuous shooting speed of 14 fps and an increased maximum number of shots in continuous shooting; 200 JPEGs or 124 12-bit uncompressed RAW images in one burst.

The Z 6II is suited to users wanting to shoot cinematic videos in addition to stills with a compact system. It is the camera for professional video production or, for example, wedding photography where manoeuvrability, flexibility and uncompromised output quality are key.

The Nikon Z Mount System

Both cameras leverage the Nikon Z mount system to ensure that light reaches the entire sensor, including the extreme corners. When combined with the expanding NIKKOR Z lens line-up – or the 300+ compatible F-mount NIKKOR lenses via the FTZ Mount Adapter – they push Nikon’s tradition of optical excellence and innovation to unprecedented new heights.

Accessories

The MB-N11 power battery pack boasts a shutter-release button and controls for vertical shooting. It also features a USB-C port allowing the charge of two batteries consecutively when disconnected from the camera.

The WR-R11b wireless remote enables wireless control of the camera’s shutter release and can synchronise the shutter release of multiple cameras linked to the ‘master’ camera. The WR-R11b is compatible with specific Nikon cameras and this remote transceiver can also be used to control external flashes – such as the SB-5000 Speedlight – in advanced wireless lighting setups. The WR-R11b is also compatible with the WR-1 remote, a professional-grade controller with long-range capabilities.

Go Big On Detail. Z 7II

• More power, greater detail: The wide Z mount combines with the large 45.7 MP full-frame sensor and twin EXPEED processors. Benefit from greater dynamic range and cleaner performance across the wide ISO range. Shoot video at resolutions up to 4K/60p.

• Maximum speed and reliability: Dual card slots let you use UHS-II SD cards in one slot and XQD or ultra-fast CFexpress cards in the other. Adapt to any workflow.

• Ultra-wide, tack-sharp AF: focus with absolute tenacity. The camera returns to your selected focus point when it wakes from standby. Exposure metering down to -4 EV is available when shooting with an f/2 (or faster) lens.

• Shoot faster for longer—in silence: Shooting speeds of up to 10 fps allow immense flexibility, while the deeper buffer lets you keep shooting without interruption.

• A viewfinder that keeps up: The high-definition 3690k-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) boasts a high refresh rate that greatly reduces blackout even when shooting at high speed.

• Displays that adapt to you: Customizable info displays let you quickly adjust settings, or you can choose to disable the info display completely when shooting stills. The EVF automatically turns off if you flip out the monitor to shoot in Live View.

• Tough doesn’t begin to describe it: Rough terrain, harsh weather conditions or on-set fog machines—the fully-sealed Z 7II doesn’t flinch.

• SnapBridge: Nikon’s ever evolving SnapBridge app now lets you update your camera’s firmware via your smart device.

Create Fearlessly. Z 6II

• Create in any light: The wide Z mount and large 24.5 MP full-frame sensor enable clean, detailed images across the ultra-wide ISO range. Low-light AF now works down to -6 EV with and an f/2 (or faster) lens.

• So much faster: Shoot full-resolution stills at up to 14 fps with full AF/AE. Capture up to 200 JPEGs or 124 12-bit uncompressed RAW images in one burst.

• Twin EXPEED: Two processors double the power at your disposal for everything from AF to buffer capacity. Performance is smooth as silk, whether filming or shooting stills.

• Dual card slots: Adapt to any workflow. You can use UHS-II SD cards in one slot and XQD cards, or the latest ultra-fast CFexpress cards, in the other.

• A multimedia powerhouse: Capture sharper, cleaner video footage with broader dynamic range. Eye-Detection and Animal-Detection AF are available while filming—and you can output footage however you need.

• Built tough: With a super-strong, lightweight magnesium-alloy frame, this camera is easy to carry and tough enough to handle any location. It’s fully sealed against dust, dirt and moisture.

• NIKKOR Z: Love the cinematic depth of field you can achieve with the wide selection of fast-focusing, compact NIKKOR Z lenses.

• Z system versatility: You can use external Speedlight flashes even when shooting at high frame rates of up to 14 fps. The FTZ Mount Adapter gives you compatibility with over 300 F-mount NIKKOR lenses.

• SnapBridge: Nikon’s SnapBridge app now lets you update your camera’s firmware via your smart device.

Pricing

Nikon Z 7II – from £2,999 | €3,442

Nikon Z 6II – from £1,999 | €2,262

MB-N11 – £359 | €412.19

WR-R11b – £149 | €176.09

Sales Start: Winter 2020

NB: Please note that due to the temporary reduction in VAT in the Republic of Ireland, the RRP will reflect this from 28th February 2021.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample JPEG and Raw photos taken with the brand new Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera.

A gallery of sample photos taken with the Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera.

Nikon Z6 II Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon Z6 II 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).

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