The Nikon Z6 III is an unimaginable digicam with some novel options and pro-level efficiency. Amongst these new options is a “partially stacked” picture sensor, which Nikon describes as the primary of its form. Early lab testing means that whereas this sensor might provide many advantages, it additionally incurs a dynamic vary value in comparison with the Z6 II. Earlier than diving into this story, which is able to confer with William Claff’s glorious work at Photons to Pictures, it’s price noting that PetaPixel reached out to Nikon earlier this week to ask if the corporate had any issues with Claff’s outcomes, an evidence in regards to the Z6 III’s dynamic vary efficiency, or a touch upon the advantages and prices of its new partially stacked picture sensor design. Nikon responded that preliminary suggestions on Z6 III picture high quality has been unbelievable. Additional, Nikon says the Z6 III’s EXPEED 7 processor provides a picture high quality enchancment over the Z6 II and its EXPEED 6 chip. As for particular questions regarding picture sensor know-how and dynamic vary, Nikon has no remark. On to the outcomes: on the base ISO of 100, the Z6 II tops out at 11.26 EV, whereas the Z6 III peaks at 10.44. This 0.82 EV hole is fairly attention-grabbing and doesn’t include any profit at larger ISOs — the sensor isn’t clearly tuned to offer one thing up at low ISO in trade for enhancements at excessive ISO, which Nikon has a little bit of historical past doing with the Nikon D5 and D6 in comparison with the D4. Nikon Z6 II (blue) versus Nikon Z6 III (black) | Photons to Pictures That mentioned, the hole between the Z6 II and Z6 III’s dynamic vary does lower because the ISO will increase, basically equalizing by ISO 800.
Though Nikon, understandably, isn’t interested by discussing how the transfer to {a partially} stacked sensor would possibly affect dynamic vary, there may be one other digicam comparability in Nikon’s Z system that places a typical CMOS sensor up in opposition to a stacked-type sensor — on this case, the 46-megapixel BSI-CMOS of the Z7 II versus the totally stacked 46-megapixel sensor of the Z8 and Z9. Nikon Z7 II (blue) versus Nikon Z9 (black) | Photons to Pictures Whereas the Z7 II peaks at a really spectacular 11.6 EV of dynamic vary, the Z9 hits its excessive mark at 11.26 EV. This 0.34 EV distinction is notably smaller than the one between the Z6 II and Z6 III, however there’s a hole nonetheless. The cameras talked about on this story are highlighted in inexperienced. | Photons to Pictures Whereas DxOMark assessments its sensors otherwise than Claff, the Z7 II bests the Z9 for the previous as properly: 14.7 versus 14.4 EV. The truth is, the Z7 II is up there with one of the best full-frame cameras in the marketplace by way of dynamic vary. Whereas there are many causes to go for the Z8 or Z9 as a substitute, for photographers solely, or at the very least primarily involved with dynamic vary, the Z7 II is a good choice. As Chris Niccolls exhibits together with his wonderful Z6 III pictures, the digicam doesn’t lack for general picture high quality. Right here’s one other of Niccolls’ pictures from PetaPixel‘s Z6 III hands-on impressions.
And that’s necessary to say right here, too, as a result of the Z6 III, as Nikon rightly notes, provides nice general picture high quality and is a robust digicam. Even when its peak dynamic vary is worse, for causes Nikon isn’t but interested by elucidating, the Z6 III is best than its predecessor in practically each doable approach and is arguably one of the best general digicam in its class. Picture credit: Header photograph created utilizing an asset licensed through Depositphotos. Graphs and tables courtesy of Photons to Pictures. Nikon Z6 III pattern photos shot by Chris Niccolls.
