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Z5 II vs Z6

Quick take: The Z6 is the most affordable.

16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

Z6 — Travel, Portrait, Video: Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.

Who should buy what
Z6 (2018)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
  • Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification Z5 IINikon · 2025Z6Nikon · 2018
Price £1,349£749Best
Sensor 24.5MP full-frame BSI CMOSFull-frame BSI CMOS 35mm
Resolution 24.5MP24.5MP
Video 4K/60p (crop), 4K/30p (uncropped), 10-bit N-Log4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps
Autofocus Hybrid phase-detect AF with 9 subject types (people, animals, birds, vehicles)273-point phase-detect hybrid AF
Stabilisation 7.5-stop IBIS with Focus Point VR5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops
Burst Rate 14fpsBest12fps
Battery Life 380 shots (CIPA)Best310 shots (CIPA)
Weight 700g (with battery and card)585g (body only)Best
Dimensions —134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm
Weather Sealed YesYes
Viewfinder EVF, 3.69M dotsEVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot
Screen Vari-angle touchscreen3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot
Mount Nikon Z-mountNikon Z-Mount
Memory Cards Dual SD (UHS-II)Single XQD / CFexpress Type B
Connectivity USB-C, HDMI, Wi-Fi, BluetoothWi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Z5 II
Z6
Portrait
8.4/10
7.2/10
Street
6.5/10
5.9/10
Travel
6.2/10
5.7/10
Wedding & Events
8.1/10
6.0/10
Vlogging & Video
6.2/10
—
Filmmaking
7.1/10
6.3/10
Documentary
7.7/10
6.5/10
Sports & Action
7.9/10
6.9/10
Landscape
7.0/10
5.9/10
Wildlife
8.0/10
7.4/10
Casual
5.7/10
4.6/10
Food
7.6/10
6.5/10
Macro
7.2/10
6.3/10
Architecture
7.3/10
5.8/10
Astrophotography
7.4/10
6.1/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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