Z6vs Nikon Z8

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon Z6 (2018) Starting from £749 new Best for Travel, portrait, video View Z6

Nikon Nikon Z8 (2023) Starting from £3999 new Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals View Nikon Z8

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Travel, Portrait, Video — Z6 (2018): Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.

Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals — Nikon Z8 (2023): Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

Z6 (2018)

Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget

Nikon Z8 (2023)

Professional photographers who want Z9 capability in a smaller body
Wildlife and sports shooters who want 8K RAW and 120fps burst
Z6 III or Z7 II owners upgrading to pro-grade performance
Hybrid professionals who need the best Nikon video and stills in one body

Quick take: The nikon z8 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the z6 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification	Z6 (2018)	Nikon Z8 (2023)
Price	£749	£3,999
Sensor	Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm	45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution	24.5MP	45.7MP
Video	4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps	8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus	273-point phase-detect hybrid AF	Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops	6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate	12fps	20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life	310 shots (CIPA)	330 shots (CIPA)
Weight	585g (body only)	910g body only
Dimensions	134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm	144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot	0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen	3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot	3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount	Nikon Z-Mount	Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards	Single XQD / CFexpress Type B	Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI	USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

Suitability by genre

Genre	Z6	Nikon Z8
Sports & Action	—	9.0
Wildlife	—	9.0
Vlogging & Video	—	9.0
Landscape	—	9.0
Portrait	—	9.0
Travel	—	4.0

⚡ Compare specs side by side Z6 prices → Nikon Z8 prices →

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