Nikon Z7 II Review

December 23, 2020 | Amy Davies | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

Announced at the same time as its sibling, the Z6 II, the new Nikon Z7 II full-frame mirrorless camera is designed to be an evolution from the original Z7, rather than a dramatic overhaul.

Nikon says that it has listened to customer feedback from the first generation to bring a number of small, but significant, upgrades to its newest top-end model. The Z7 II, unlike the Z6 II, is aimed primarily at professional photographers, or high-end enthusiasts with a fairly big budget, as opposed to the more consumer-friendly Z6 II.

Although none of the upgrades are overly dramatic, if you add them all together, it makes for quite an interesting proposition - especially if any of these niggles on the first version of the Z7 put you off buying it, or you’re thinking of getting a second body.

Along with the changes, some things have stayed exactly the same. The prime example is the sensor, which is the same 45.7 megapixel full-frame back-illuminated device as found in the original Nikon Z7.

There’s also the same 493-point AF system set-up, though new face/animal detection modes have been added, and it’s also said to be improved when it comes to tracking and focus acquisition in low light.

A new introduction to the Z7 Mark II is an additional Expeed 6 processor, so that the camera has dual processors, instead of one. This gives improvements to video - which can now record at up to 60p in 4K, and to burst shooting, which has increased to 10fps (from 9fps), with the added benefit of an faster-clearing buffer.

Probably the feature that received the most criticism, especially with the pro-level Z7, was the single XQD/CFExpress card slot. Nikon has addressed that by adding a UHS-II SD card slot for both the Z7 II and the Z6 II, which is designed to give photographers peace of mind. It also means that anybody new to this format doesn’t necessarily have to shell out immediately for a more expensive XQD/CFExpress card.

There are also some new accessories which can be used with the Z7 II (and the Z6 II), which includes a new battery grip and a new wireless remote.

At the time of writing, the Z7 II retails for around £2,999 / $2,995 body only, while the original Z7 can be picked up for £2,319 / $2,496.

If you prefer, you can pick up the Z7 II as part of a kit with the 24-70mm f/4 lens, for £3,549 / $3,596 - compared to £2,999 / $3,096 for the original Z7.

You can also buy the Z7 II as part of a kit with the FTZ lens mount adapter, which enables the use of existing DSLR lenses with the Z7 II. That will set you back £3,139, or you can buy all three together (Z7 II + 24-70mm + FTZ) for £3,679. By contrast, the Z7 (+FTZ) will cost £2,519, or £2,919 (+24-70mm & FTZ).

Ease of Use

Nikon Z7 II

Unsurprisingly, the Nikon Z7 II has almost the same body design as its predecessor - as well as the Z6 / Z6 II cameras. It is ever so slightly deeper (by a couple of mm) and 25g heavier, which presumably is to accommodate the extra card slot - a very worthwhile trade off for the extra security that it provides.

If you’ve used the either of the previous Z6/Z7 series cameras, you’ll know what to expect here. In essence, it’s a shrunken down version of a Nikon DSLR, which still ends up being satisfyingly chunky and with enough room for all the dials and buttons to breathe on the camera’s body.

We’ll go through how each of the buttons works as we progress through the review. A premium covering surrounds the Z7 II’s chassis, which helps with the high-end feel, and it also feels very comfortable in your hand thanks to an ergonomically built design.

The front grip is complemented by a rear thumb rest. Most of the camera’s buttons and dials are gathered on the right hand side of the rear of the camera, which means you can make the vast majority of changes with your right hand - in fact it’s even possible to use the camera one-handed fairly comfortably, especially if you’re using one of the lighter Z series lenses (such as the 24-70mm f/4).

We’ll look at the top dial in more detail first. To the left you’ll find the camera’s mode dial. This fairly large dial houses all of the standard manual and semi-automatic modes (PASM), plus fully automatic, and three slots for user-customised settings.

Nikon Z7 II

These will be particularly welcomed by any photographer who consistently finds themselves shooting in the same condition and wants to quickly jump to the correct set up - such as low light. The dial can’t be accidentally moved as a button in the middle needs to be pushed down before you can rotate it.

To the right of the viewfinder we have the top-plate LCD. This is extremely handy for showing you all of the key settings at a glance, such as aperture, shutter speed, drive mode, ISO, remaining shot count and battery life.

At the top of the front grip you’ll find the camera’s on/off switch, which surrounds the shutter release. Just behind here there are three dedicated buttons, one for video recording, one for ISO and one for exposure compensation.

Finally, just above the rear thumb rest, you’ll find a large scrolling dial, which can be used in conjunction with the dial on the front grip to control the camera’s key settings - depending on which shooting mode you’re in. In manual mode, the default set up is for the front dial to control aperture, while the rear dial is used to adjust shutter speed.

On the front of the Z7 II, there are two customisable function buttons, which can be assigned to a number of different settings depending on your shooting preferences. There’s also the lens release button which allows you to switch between the various lenses you might have.

Nikon Z7 II

Now to move to the back of the camera, and again, if you’ve used a Nikon Z series camera before, or even a Nikon DSLR, you’ll be very at home here. If you haven’t, it’s fairly user friendly, being a relatively straightforward set up.

To the left of the viewfinder, you’ve got the playback button and the delete button. These are two buttons you don’t need to use to make changes to shooting settings, and as such, it’s fine that they’re out of the way here.

On the viewfinder itself, there is another button for adjusting how the viewfinder works - whether you want it to automatically activate, switch off the screen, or not have the viewfinder on at all. On the opposite side of the viewfinder you’ve got the diopter adjustment dial which you can use to align the viewfinder with your own vision.

The rest of the camera’s buttons are all grouped together on the right of the viewfinder / screen setup. It starts with a display button which, unsurprisingly, you can use to adjust how the rear screen display looks - including switching on/off shooting information, a histogram and a level.

You can also adjust the viewfinder display by pressing the same button while your eye is held up to the viewfinder. That means that you can have different display options depending on whether you’re using the screen or the viewfinder, if you like.

Nikon Z7 II

Around the Display button is a switch when you can use to move between video mode and stills mode. This switch is fairly stiff, so it seems reasonably unlikely you’d do this by accident - but if you do, it should be fairly obvious that you’re in the wrong mode. To the right of the Display button is the AF-On button. You can set this up for back-button focusing if you prefer to work in that way, which will mean that if you press the shutter release, it won’t attempt to refocus again - useful for focusing and recomposing.

Just underneath the AF-On button is a joystick. You can use this to move the AF point around the frame, if you don’t want to use the touchscreen. Unlike some other models on the market, you can’t use the viewfinder and touchscreen at the same time - so it’s very likely you’ll be using the joystick to make quick AF point changes. The joystick can also be used to move around either the main menu or the quick menu, but you will first need to enable this option in the custom control settings section of the menu.

The quick menu itself can be accessed by pressing the “I” button just underneath the viewfinder. By doing so, you’ll presented with a group of commonly used settings, such as Picture Control, Quality, Drive Mode, AF-Area Mode, White Balance and more. You can navigate around the menu using either the joystick (if set up) or via the navigational pad just underneath the stick.

Once on the correct setting, press OK and then you can use the scrolling dials to choose between the various options. If there are any settings in this quick menu you find you don’t use very often, you can take them out and replace them with other settings which perhaps you use more frequently.

The four way navigational pad, with an OK button in the middle, can be used to move the AF point around the screen (if you don’t want to use the joystick/touchscreen), navigate menu, to toggle the information display on images in playback, and to browse through said images. The OK button can be used for menu selection, but in shooting mode, you can also use it to reset the AF point to the centre of the screen.

Nikon Z7 II

Just underneath the navipad is a duo of buttons which can be used to zoom in and out of the scene you’re photographing - particularly useful for checking critical focus, especially if you’re using manual focus. You can also use the buttons when viewing images in playback to zoom in and out, as an alternative to using the touchscreen to pinch in and out of the frame.

To the right of the zoom out button, there’s a drive mode button which you can use to quickly select one of the different drive modes - such as single shooting, Continuous, or the Timer mode.

The Menu button is found above the drive mode button, and it will take you into the camera’s main menu. This is where you should head when you need to make more complex settings than the quick menu will prove you with. The menu itself is divided into a number of categories, which are fairly self-explanatory and easy to navigate around.

There is Playback, Photo Shooting, Movie Shooting, Custom Settings and a Retouch Menu. Handily, there’s also a “My Menu” tab which is where you can save any settings which you are frequently using so you can quickly get to them whenever you need them, rather than scrolling through the various pages of the menu.

Both the viewfinder and the screen have stayed the same from the original Z7. So, you get a tilting, 3.2-inch, 2.1m-dot TFT touch-sensitive screen. You can pull the screen from the body of the camera and tilt it both downwards and upwards.

Nikon Z7 II

It’s useful for composing from some awkward angles, but videographers will likely be disappointed not to have a screen which is fully-articulating or faces forwards. Only tilting up and down is also less useful for shooting portrait-format images.

The viewfinder meanwhile is a 0.5-inch, 3690k-dot OLED viewfinder which is bright and clear, giving you a good view of the scene. Since the Z7’s introduction a couple of years ago, there have been some better viewfinders come to the market, but this is still a good all-round performer, which works well in most conditions.

You’ll find all the camera’s ports on the left hand side of the camera, which includes 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 in-body, if you don’t want to use an external battery charger.

A new feature for the Z7 II is the ability to charge the camera while it is recording stills/video which is perhaps most useful for videographers who might be running low while recording.

Nikon Z7 II

On the opposite side of the camera is where you’ll find the dual card slots - probably the most welcome change for professional photographers. You can set up the card slots to work in whichever way you feel is best - whether that’s a straightforward backup/copy of the first card slot, an overflow to give you more space, or to have one card record one type of media (such as raw files) and the other to record another (such as still files or video).

As with the Z6 II, the vast majority of the improvements made to the Z7 II, are internal, rather than obvious external ones. Although the Z7 II uses the same number of autofocus points, Nikon says that AF has been improved, and we also now have Animal Detection AF, which has been programmed to work with dogs and cats, but should also work with other similar animals (such as foxes etc).

Burst shooting has also been improved, with the Z7 II being able to shoot at 10fps, instead of 9fps. Meanwhile, the buffer maxes out after 50 raw files, or 200 JPEGs.

Nikon Z7 II

I found that when photographing with my dog, the Z7 II puts in a better tracking performance than the Z6 II, which is perhaps to do with the fact that it has a larger number of points across the frame than the Z6 II. However, neither camera performs as well as others on the market, such as the Canon EOS R6.

On the whole, the results can be a little hit and miss, as with the Z6 II. I tested it out by using it to track my dog running along a beach. The Z7 II got a few shots in focus, but there were also a fair few that didn’t quite hit the mark. Switching Animal Eye AF on certainly helps, but it’s also not foolproof. My dog is black, with dark eyes, so she is a particularly difficult test, but other cameras, such as the Canon EOS R6, have coped fine.

In other areas, such as low light, the Nikon Z7 II focuses quickly and accurately in most situations. Although it is said to be improved when compared with the original Z7, using them both side by side doesn’t reveal a huge difference, so if you’re an owner of the original, you shouldn’t expect to be blown away by a massive improvement.

Image Quality

The Nikon Z7 II uses the same sensor as its predecessor, so we therefore had no reason to doubt that image quality would be similarly excellent, being capable of producing good results in a wide range of different scenarios.

In fact, you could argue that it’s better because the number of native lenses now available for the Z series has grown significantly since the introduction of the original Z6/Z7 cameras. We’ve been using the Z7 II with a wide ranging set of different optics, but find that the 24-70mm f/4 remains a good choice for “everyday” shooting.

The Z7 II’s 45.7 megapixel sensor, as we’d expect, is capable of resolving some extremely fine detail which looks stunning on screen, even when zooming in at 100%. Having such a high resolution to play with also means you can crop into the scene after the fact and still keep a good high resolution file.

Colours directly from the camera are very good, being realistic while also containing a good degree of vibrancy. If you shoot in raw format, you’ll find that the files are very malleable, allowing you to extract lots of detail and make changes as you wish.

Using the all-purpose metering mode generally results in well-balanced exposures without the need to switch to spot-metering for most subjects. Similarly, the automatic white balance settings (of which there are two) do a good job of keeping colours looking realistic.

With a very high resolution sensor, the Nikon Z7 II has the potential to suffer in low light, however it still produces very usable images at high ISOs. For sharing at small(ish) sizes, the highest we’d probably recommend is ISO 25600, with ISO 51200 being just that bit too smudgy to recommend unless desperate.

Noise

The base sensitivity of the Nikon Z7 II is ISO 64 but you can go down to ISO 32 (L1.0) if you wish. At the other end of the scale, the highest native sensitivity of the Z7 II is ISO 25600, but two boosted settings, ISO 51200 and ISO 102400, are also available.

JPEG RAW
LO 1EV (ISO 32) LO 1EV (ISO 32)
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ISO 64 (100% Crop)

ISO 64 (100% Crop)

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ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

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ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

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ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

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ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

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ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

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ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

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ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

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ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

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ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

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HI 1EV (ISO 51200) (100% Crop)

HI 1EV (ISO 51200) (100% Crop)

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HI 2EV (ISO 102400) (100% Crop)

HI 2EV (ISO 102400) (100% Crop)

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Low Light

The Nikon Z7 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.

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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.

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Off

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Auto

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Low

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Normal

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High

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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.

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Auto

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Standard

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Neutral

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Vivid

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Monochrome

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Portrait

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Landscape

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Flat

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Dream

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Morning

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Pop

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Sunday

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Somber

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Drama

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Silence

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Bleach

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Melancholic

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Pure

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Denim

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Toy

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Sepia

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Blue

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Red

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Pink

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Charcoal

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Graphite

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Binary

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Carbon

Crop Modes

The Nikon Z7 II is an FX camera but it can also shoot in one of four crop modes, including a 19.5-megapixel DX crop mode, a 37.9-megapixel 5:4 mode that uses the full height of the sensor but trims the sides, a 38.3 megapixel 16:9 mode, and a 30.3-megapixel 1:1 square mode.

The boundaries of the cropped areas are denoted with thin black lines in the viewfinder, which otherwise continues to show the full FX view, allowing you to see what's happening outside the cropped frame - perfect for sports and action shooting.

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FX

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DX

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16x9

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1x1

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Nikon Z7 II camera, which were all taken using the 45 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 Z7 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

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2180 pixels at 60 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2180 pixels at 50 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2180 pixels at 30 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2180 pixels at 25 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2180 pixels at 24 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 120 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 100 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 60 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 50 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 25 frames per second.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 24 frames per second.

Product Images

Nikon Z7 II
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Nikon Z7 II
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Nikon Z7 II

Conclusion

The “problem” Nikon has is that the original Z7 was so good, that while the new Z7 II is also excellent, it’s not a huge leap forward from its predecessor.

However what is true is that professionals and high-end enthusiasts now have a much more well-rounded system to buy into than previously, with a wider number of (native) lenses and accessories being available.

Despite it still being an excellent camera, we’d really have liked to have seen a bit more of a leap forward when it comes to AF capability, especially considering others on the market have shown just what exactly is possible.

If you’re somebody that mainly shoots static subjects, it’s unlikely to be a big bone of contention, but it feels as though Nikon still isn’t quite there yet with its mirrorless models for sports and action - while Sony and Canon are.

If you’ve already got a Z7 and are contemplating replacing it with the newer Mark II model, it’s unlikely to be worth it unless you’re hugely desperate for the extra memory card, or you want to shoot in 4K 60p.

If however, you’re thinking of buying your first mirrorless Z camera, it makes sense to go for the new Z7 II if you have the budget to do so. By keeping the older Z7 available for sale, first-timers also have the option to save a bit of cash by sacrificing those extra specs.

As many of the specs have stayed the same - most notably the sensor, screen and viewfinder, so you won’t feel too short changed if you decide to stick to the original.

Overall, the Nikon Z7 II - like its predecessor - is an excellent camera, with a good range of features and specifications which are likely to appeal to a diverse range of professional and high-end enthusiast photographers. Adding the secondary card slot is a real bonus for anybody using a camera for special events, such as weddings, where it’s absolutely vital that the pictures aren’t lost.

4.5 stars

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 Z7 II.

Canon EOS R5

The EOS R5 has been the hottest full-frame camera on the block ever since Canon pre-announced it back at the start of 2020, thanks to its headline grabbing twin features of a 45 megapixel sensor and 8K video recording. We've seen it a few times since then, but now we can finally bring you our final Canon R5 review, complete with full-size sample photos and videos!

​Hasselblad X1D II 50C

The Hasselblad X1D II 50c is a modern medium-format mirrorless camera with a 51 megapixel sensor, large 3.6-inch touchscreen LCD and an improved electronic viewfinder, all housed in a beautifully crafted body. Read our in-depth Hasselblad X1D II 50c review now...

Leica Q2

The Leica Q2 is an exciting full-frame mirrorless compact camera with a 28mm fixed lens. The Q2 features a a new 47.3 megapixel sensor, 4K video mode recording at 30/24fps, high-resolution OLED viewfinder, dust and water resistance, and focusing speed of 0.15 seconds. Is this the ultimate compact camera? Find out now by reading our in-depth Leica Q2 review, complete with full-size sample photos and videos...

Leica SL2

The Leica SL2 is a new mirrorless camera for professionals, offering a 47 megapixel full-frame sensor, 4K/60p video recording, 20fps burst shooting, a class-leading EVF, fast auto-focusing and a 3.2-inch touchscreen. Read our in-depth Leica SL2 review now to find out what this £5,300 / $5,995 camera is capable of...

Nikon D6

The Nikon D6 is the 2020 update of Nikon's flagship DSLR camera for professional sports, press and nature photographers. Is this the best DSLR that Nikon have ever made? Find out by reading our in-depth Nikon D6 review, complete with full-size sample photos and videos.

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is a brand new 45.7 megapixel full-frame BSI sensor DSLR camera with no optical low pass filter. The D850 also offers 4K video recording, a 3.2-inch tilting LCD touchscreen, 153-point AF system, an optical viewfinder with 0.75x magnification, 7fps burst shooting and 1,840 shot battery life. Read our in-depth Nikon D850 review to find out if this is the best all-round DSLR camera on the market...

Nikon Z6 II

The Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera is an evolutionary upgrade of the original Z6, principally improving the autofocusing, buffer and video and adding a second memory card slot. Is this enough to compete with its main rivals? Find out now by reading our in-depth Nikon Z6 II review, complete with full size sample photos and videos...

Nikon Z7

The Z7 is Nikon's first foray into the brave new world of full-frame mirrorless cameras, and what an entry it is. Boasting 45.7 megapixels, 4K video recording, built-in image stabilsation, a 3.6-million dot EVF and a 2.1-million dot tilting screen, can the exciting new Nikon Z7 give market-leader Sony a run for its money? Find out by reading our in-depth Nikon Z7 review, complete with full size JPEGs, Raw files and movies...

Panasonic S1R

Panasonic have enjoyed a lot of success with their Micro Four Thirds camera range, and now they've turned their attention to the full-frame market with the release of the exciting new Lumix S1R. This is a 47 megapixel full-frame mirrorless camera with 187 megapixel high resolution mode, class leading electronic viewfinder, 6-stop IBIS, and a robust weatherproof body. Read our in-depth Panasonic S1R review now to find out more about this impressive camera...

Sony A7R IV

Traditionally, you'd have to make a tough choice between resolution and speed when it comes to high-end cameras, but with the new flagship A7R IV mirrorless model, Sony are attempting to offer the best of both worlds. Can it really succeed as a camera that suits all kinds of photographers? Read our in-depth Sony A7R IV review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Nikon Z7 II from around the web.

amateurphotographer.co.uk »

The Z7 II follows on from the popular Z7 and becomes the new flagship model in the Z-series. It’s virtually identical in terms of design and sets out to address the shortcomings of the original. Will it entice those who haven’t already switched to mirrorless to do so and is it worthwhile upgrade from the Z7? These are all questions I intend to answer.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Type

Mirrorless

Lens mount

Nikon Z mount

Effective angle of view

FX

Image sensor

CMOS, 35.9 mm x 23.9 mm

Total pixels

46.89 million

Dust-reduction system

Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (Capture NX-D software required)

Effective pixels

45.7 million

Image size (pixels)

[FX (36 x 24)] selected for image area: (L)8256 x 5504 (45.4 million), (M)6192 x 4128 (25.6 million), (S)4128 x 2752 (11.4 million), [DX (24 x 16)] selected for image area: (L)5408 x 3600 (19.5 million), (M)4048 x 2696 (10.9 million), (S)2704 x 1800 (4.9 million), [5:4 (30 x 24)] selected for image area: (L)6880 x 5504 (37.9 million), (M)5152 x 4120 (21.2 million), (S)3440 x 2752 (9.5 million), [1:1 (24 x 24)] selected for image area: (L)5504 x 5504 (30.3 million), (M)4128 x 4128 (17.0 million), (S)2752 x 2752 (7.6 million), [16:9 (36 x 20)] selected for image area: (L)8256 x 4640 (38.3 million), (M)6192 x 3480 (21.5 million), (S)4128 x 2320 (9.6 million), Photographs taken while filming movies at a frame size of 3840 x 2160: 3840 x 2160, Photographs taken while filming movies at other frame sizes: 1920 x 1080

Storage file formats

NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit (lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed); large, medium, and small available (medium and small images are recorded at a bit depth of 12 bits using lossless compression), JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression; size-priority and optimal-quality compression available, NEF (RAW)+JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats

Picture Control System

Auto, Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape, Flat, Creative Picture Controls (Dream, Morning, Pop, Sunday, Somber, Dramatic, Silence, Bleached, Melancholic, Pure, Denim, Toy, Sepia, Blue, Red, Pink, Charcoal, Graphite, Binary, Carbon); selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls

Storage media

CFexpress (Type B), XQD, SD, SDHC (UHS-II compliant), SDXC (UHS-II compliant)

Dual card slot

1 CFexpress card or XQD card and 1 Secure Digital (SD) card, Either card can be used for primary or backup storage or for separate storage of NEF (RAW) and JPEG images; pictures can be copied between cards.

File system

DCF 2.0, Exif 2.31

Viewfinder

1.27-cm/0.5-in. approx. 3690k-dot (Quad VGA) OLED electronic viewfinder with color balance and auto and 11-level manual brightness controls

Frame coverage

Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical

Magnification

Approx. 0.8x (50 mm lens at infinity, -1.0 m-¹)

Eyepoint

21 mm (-1.0 m-¹; from center surface of viewfinder eyepiece lens)

Diopter adjustment

-4 to +2 m-¹

Eye sensor

Automatically switches between monitor and viewfinder displays

Compatible lenses

Z mount NIKKOR lenses F mount NIKKOR lenses (mount adapter required; restrictions may apply)

Shutter type

Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane mechanical shutter; electronic front-curtain shutter; electronic shutter

Shutter speed

1/8000 to 30 s, (choose from step sizes of 1/3 and 1/2 EV, extendable to 900 s in mode M), bulb, time x 200

Flash sync speed

X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower; auto FP high-speed sync supported

Release mode

S (single frame), CL (continuous low speed), CH (continuous high speed), Continuous H (extended), Self-timer

Frame advance rate2

Up to 10 fps, Continuous L: Approx. 1 to 5 fps Continuous H: Approx. 5.5 fps (14-bit NEF/RAW: Approx. 5 fps) Continuous H (extended): Approx. 10 fps (14-bit NEF/RAW: Approx. 9 fps)

Self-timer

2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1 to 9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 s

Exposure metering

TTL metering using camera image sensor

Metering method

Matrix metering Center-weighted metering: Weight of 75% given to 12 mm circle in center of frame; weighting can instead be based on average of entire frame Spot metering: Meters 4 mm circle (about 1.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point Highlight-weighted metering

Metering range3

-3 to +17 EV

Mode

Auto, P: programmed auto with flexible program, S: shutter-priority auto, A: aperture-priority auto, M: manual U1, U2 and U3: user settings modes

Exposure compensation

–5 to +5 EV, in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, available in modes P, S, A, and M

Exposure lock

Luminosity locked at detected value

ISO sensitivity

ISO 64 to 25600, in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1 EV (ISO 32 equivalent) below ISO 64 or to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 102400 equivalent) above ISO 25600; auto ISO sensitivity control available (Recommended Exposure Index)

Active D-Lighting

Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, and Off

Multiple exposure

Add, average, lighten, darken

Other options

HDR (high dynamic range), photo mode flicker reduction

Autofocus

Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF with AF assist

Detection range4

-3 to +19 EV (with low-light AF: -4 to +19 EV)

Lens servo

Single-servo AF (AF-S), Continuous-servo AF (AF-C), full-time AF (AF-F; available only in movie mode); predictive focus tracking, Manual focus (M): Electronic rangefinder can be used

Focus points5

493

AF-area mode

Pinpoint (available in photo mode only), single-point, and dynamic-area AF (available in photo mode only); wide-area AF (S); wide-area AF (L); wide-area AF (L-people); wide-area AF (L-animals); auto-area AF; auto-area AF (people); auto-area AF (animals)

Focus lock

Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF/AF-S) or by pressing the center of the sub-selector

Camera VR

5-axis image sensor shift

Lens VR

Lens shift (available with VR lenses)

Flash control

TTL: i-TTL flash control; i-TTL balanced fill-flash is used with matrix, center-weighted, and highlight-weighted metering, standard i-TTL fill-flash with spot metering

Flash modes

Front-curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, off

Flash compensation

-3 to +1 EV in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, available in modes P, S, A, and M

Flash-ready indicator

Lights when optional flash unit is fully charged; flashes as underexposure warning after flash is fired at full output

Accessory shoe

ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock

Nikon Creative Lighting System

i-TTL flash control, radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting, optical Advanced Wireless Lighting, modeling illumination, FV lock, Color Information Communication, auto FP high-speed sync, unified flash control

White balance

Auto (3 types), natural light auto, direct sunlight, cloudy, shade, incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), flash, choose color temperature (2500 K to 10,000 K), preset manual (up to 6 values can be stored), all with fine-tuning except choose color temperature

Bracketing types

Exposure and/or flash, white balance, ADL

Movie - metering

TTL exposure metering using main image sensor, TTL metering using camera image sensor

Movie - metering method

Matrix, center-weighted, or highlight-weighted

Movie - frame size (pixels) and frame rate6

3840 x 2160 (4K UHD): 60p (progressive)/50p/30p/25p/24p, 1920 x 1080: 120p/100p/60p/50p/30p/25p/24p, 1920 x 1080 (slow-motion): 30p x4/25p x4/24p x5

Movie - file format

MOV, MP4

Movie - video compression

H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding

Movie - audio recording format

Linear PCM (for movies recorded in MOV format), AAC (for movies recorded in MP4 format)

Movie - audio recording device

Built-in stereo or external microphone with attenuator option; sensitivity adjustable

Movie - ISO sensitivity

M: Manual selection (ISO 64 to 25600; choose from step sizes of 1/3 and 1/2 EV); with additional options available equivalent to approximately 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 102400 equivalent) above ISO 25600; auto ISO sensitivity control (ISO 64 to Hi 2.0) available with selectable upper limit P, S, A: Auto ISO sensitivity control (ISO 64 to Hi 2.0) with selectable upper limit Auto: Auto ISO sensitivity control (ISO 64 to 25600) (Recommended Exposure Index)

Movie - Active D-Lighting

Same as photo settings, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, and Off

Movie - Other options

Time-lapse movie recording, electronic vibration reduction, time codes, logarithmic (N-Log) and HDR (HLG) movie output

Monitor

8-cm (3.2–in.) diagonal; Tilting TFT touch-sensitive LCD with 170° viewing angle, approximately 100% frame coverage, and color balance and 11-level manual brightness controls; Approx. 2100k-dot

Playback

Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images) playback with playback zoom, playback zoom cropping, movie playback, photo and/or movie slide shows, histogram display, highlights, photo information, location data display, auto image rotation, and picture rating

USB

Type C USB connector (SuperSpeed USB); connection to built-in USB port is recommended

HDMI output

Type C HDMI connector

Audio input

Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5 mm diameter; plug-in power supported)

Audio output

Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5 mm diameter)

Accessory terminal(s)

Built-in (can be used with MC-DC2 remote cords and other optional accessories)

Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN) standards

IEEE 802.11b/g/n/a/ac

Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN) operating frequency

2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11) and 5180 to 5320 MHz

Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN) maximum output power

5.2 dBm (2.4 GHz) 8.3 dBm (5 GHz)

Wi-Fi (Wireless LAN) security

Open system, WPA2-PSK

Bluetooth standards

Bluetooth Specification Version 4.2; Bluetooth: 2402 to 2480 MHz; Bluetooth Low Energy: 2402 to 2480 MHz; Bluetooth: –0.3 dBm; Bluetooth Low Energy: –1.8 dBm; Range (line of sight): Approximately 10 m (32 ft)⁷

Battery⁸

One EN-EL15c rechargeable Li-ion battery

Battery pack

MB-N11 power battery pack and MB-N10 battery pack (available separately); each takes two EN-EL15c⁹ batteries

AC adapter

EH-7P charging AC adapter (supplied); EH-5d/EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter; requires EP-5B power connector (available separately)

Tripod socket

1/4 in. (ISO 1222)

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Approx. 134 x 100.5 x 69.5 mm (5.3 x 4 x 2.8 in.)

Weight

Approx. 705 g (1 lb. 8.9 oz.), with battery and memory card but without body cap; approx. 615 g/1 lb. 5.7 oz. (camera body only)

Operating environment - temperature

0 °C to 40 °C (+32 °F to 104 °F)

Operating environment - humidity

85% or less (no condensation)

Supplied accessories

BF-N1 Body Cap, DK-29 Rubber Eyecup (comes attached to camera), EN-EL15c Rechargeable Li-ion Battery with terminal cover, MH-25a Battery Charger (comes with either an AC wall adapter or power cable of a type and shape that varies with the country or region of sale), HDMI/USB Cable Clip, AN-DC19 Strap, UC-E24 USB Cable, EH-7P Charging AC Adapter (supplied with a plug adapter attached in countries or regions where required; shape depends on country of sale), BS-1 Accessory Shoe Cover

¹ Diffraction compensation is available with Z mount lenses as well as with CPU-equipped F-mount lenses connected via an FTZ mount adapter (non-CPU lenses are not supported).
² Maximum frame advance rate as measured by in-house tests.
³ Figures are for ISO 100 and f/2.0 lens at 20 °C/68 °F.
⁴ Measured in photo mode at ISO 100 and a temperature of 20 °C/68 °F using single-servo AF (AF-S) and a lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.0.
⁵ Number of focus points available in photo mode with single-point AF selected for AF-area mode and FX selected for image area.
⁶ Actual frame rates for 120p, 100p, 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, and 24p are 119.88, 100, 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25, and 23.976 fps respectively.
⁷ Without interference. Range may vary with signal strength and presence or absence of obstacles.
⁸ EN-EL15b/EN-EL15a/EN-EL15 batteries can also be used. Note, however, that fewer pictures can be taken on a single charge than with the EN-EL15c. The EH-7P charging AC adapter can be used to charge EN-EL15c/EN-EL15b batteries only.
⁹ EN-EL15b/EN-EL15a/EN-EL15 batteries can be used in place of the EN-EL15c. The number of pictures that can be taken on a single charge (i.e., battery endurance) will however drop compared to the EN-EL15c.

Unless otherwise stated, all measurements are performed in conformity with Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards or guidelines.
All figures are for a camera with a fully-charged battery.
The sample images displayed on the camera and the images and illustrations in the manuals are for expository purposes only.
Nikon reserves the right to change the appearance and specifications of the hardware and software described in these specifications at any time and without prior notice. Nikon will not be held liable for damages that may result from any mistakes that these specifications may contain.

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 and a 4K/60p video taken with the brand new Nikon Z7 II full-frame mirrorless camera.

A gallery of photos taken with the Nikon Z7 II mirrorless camera.

Nikon Z7 II Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon Z7 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 Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 24 second movie is 895Mb in size.

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