Released in 2019, the original Nikon Z6 put up a worthy fight to Sony’s formidable Alpha range – but it ultimately fell short of the popular A7iii and A7Riii. Fast forward to 2021, and the new Nikon Z6ii promises to right all the wrongs of its predecessor. But does it close the gap to the Sonys, and is it really a decent upgrade? What's The Best's Curtis Moldrich put it to the test.
Editor's Choice: Best mid-range mirrorless camera
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Build and quality
The Nikon Z6ii is broadly similar to the original Z6, and that’s no bad thing. Weather-sealed and largely made of a magnesium alloy, it’s got great balance and feels perfect in the hand.
It’s by far one of the best-feeling camera bodies you can buy right now – especially at this price point – and it even has a vibrant, swivelling touchscreen at the rear.
Usability
Ergonomics are where the Z6ii really excels compared to its competition. Like the Z6 before it, the Z6ii offers a chunky, secure grip which makes it comfortable to hold – and makes you comfortable shooting with it. What’s more, all the controls fall exactly where you’d want them, and the dials front and rear take moments to adapt to – even for non-Nikon shooters.
It’s a step up from competition such as the Sony A7iii; although the Sony might be more compact, it sacrifices too much comfort as a result.
The Nikon Z6ii has a smooth joystick for picking your focus points, and it’s far better than the one on the Sony A7iii. However, contemporary Sony bodies also allow users to pick focus points by swiping around the touchscreen, when looking through the viewfinder. At the time of writing, the Nikon does not have this feature.
Getting the Nikon to do what you want is relatively easy. Nikon’s menu system isn’t as good as Canon’s, for example, but it isn’t bad. After a few days of use, we found it easy to slip through the Nikon’s menus and assign its function buttons. Of particular ease was the quick menu, which allows you to change key settings on the fly.
Performance
Like most mirrorless full-frame cameras at this price, the Nikon Z6ii users a 24MP BSI-CMOS sensor and pairs it with dual Expeed 6 processors and in practice, it provides more than enough resolution for most users. Even with a 24-70 f/4 kit lens, the Z6ii delivered sharp, vibrant images – with great, accurate colours.
We took the Nikon to the 2021 British GP as well as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and found it just as good at close-ups and portrait shots as high-speed panning. The 12fps burst rate and 5-axis image stabilization proved particularly useful for capturing shots in fast-moving or busy situations.
It was easy to compose shots with the joystick and fixing settings on the fly was also easy due to the well-placed controls. Of course, you can also make use of the Nikon’s 273AF points, and stick in a more automated mode.
Like other cameras, the Nikon also features both Animal and Human Eye AF, though it’s not as bulletproof as we’d hope. While the Nikon did well with most humans, it was hit-and-miss when it came to tracking the eyes of dogs and cats. It’ll mostly work but it lacks the consistency and security of Sony’s solution.
The best bit about shooting with the Nikon? Its OLED viewfinder. The Z6ii viewfinder features a sumptuous 3.68m dot display with 0.80x magnification, and it greatly enhances the shooting experience. It’s bright, sharp, and accurate and was more than up to everything we threw at it. The Z6ii also throws in a class-leading, tilting 2.1m dot touchscreen at the rear.
Video is as good as you’d expect for a camera at this price. The Nikon can record 4K 30fps footage, and it’ll double that to a smooth 60fps – though not without a pesky 1.5 crop.
What’s more, the Z6ii also beats its predecessor in one key area: connectivity. Unlike the Z6, the Z6ii offers two card slots: one for CF Express or XQD, and another for UHS-II. You’re able to shoot to one and then the other - or shoot to both simultaneously, for backup. A huge tick for professional photographers, or the more paranoid amateur snappers among us.
Price
The Nikon Z6ii will set you back around £2000 for the body alone, or £2500 for the body and a surprisingly good 24-70mm f/4 kit lens. That’s a little more than the older, but still good, Sony A7iii – but it’s decent value for the performance you get.
However, the Nikon will likely be more expensive in the long run, and that’s down to a lack of third-party support for its new Z-mount. Unlike the Sony, which benefits from lots of cheap but excellent third-party glass, Nikon’s mirrorless system is mainly serviced by Nikon alone.
Sure, it’s possible to get an FTZ adaptor and use older Nikon glass, but go for the optimum ‘Z’ kit, and it can get expensive. Fast.
Verdict
The new Nikon Z6ii brings fantastic components and specs and wraps them up in an incredibly ergonomic, easy-to-use package. Featuring some of the nicest screens around, dual-card slots (finally) and incredible picture quality, it’s a great choice for those looking for a midrange, mirrorless full-frame. It’s a good first camera, but thanks to an official lens adaptor, it’s particularly suited to those already with Nikon glass.
The only thing we’d change? It’d be nice if the Nikon had the Eye AF tech to match its competitors, as that’s one area it noticeably falls short.
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Curtis has worked in the technology sector for the last few years, reviewing and testing the best audio gear, laptops and gadgets at titles including The Telegraph, Mixmag and Expert Reviews. Now the online editor of CAR magazine, he's a keen sim-racer, too.
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