At long last, Nikon today announced its first two full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z6 and the Z7. Due out in November and September for $1,995 and $3,399, respectively, these two cameras look to compete directly with Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras, the A7 III and the A7R III. Let’s see how they compare.
Nikon Z6 vs Sony A7 III
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Nikon Z6 | Sony A7 III |
| Price (body only) | $1,995 | $1,998 |
| MP/Sensor | 24.5MP BSI CMOS | 24.2 MP Exmor BSI CMOS |
| ISO Range | 100-51200 (expandable to 50-204800) | 100 - 51200 (expandable to 50 – 204800) |
| Max Photo Size | 6048 x 4024 | 6000 x 4000 |
| Max Video Resolution | 4K/25p | 4K/25p |
| Shooting Speed | Up to 12 fps | Up to 10 fps |
| Autofocus | 90 percent coverage/273 hybrid phase/contrast detection | 93 percent coverage/693 phase detection points, 425 contrast detection |
| Image Stabilization | 5-axis in-body | 5-axis in-body |
| Memory Card Slots | One XQD | Two SD/SDHC/SDXC slots |
| Viewfinder | 3.69 million (Quad VGA) OLED | 2.36 million dots (XGA OLED) |
| Display | 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen (2100k dots) | 3-inch LCD touchscreen/ 922K dots |
| Size (body only) | 5.3 x 4 x 2.7 inches | 5 x 3.9 x 2.9 inches |
| Weight (body only) | 1.3 pounds | 1.4 pounds |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | Approx. 310 shots (EVF only) | 710 shots |
Nikon Z7 vs Sony A7R III
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Nikon Z7 | Sony A7R III |
| Price (body only) | $3,399 | $2,998 |
| MP/Sensor | 45.7 MP CMOS | 42.4 MP Exmor BSI CMOS |
| ISO Range | 64-25600 (expandable to 32-102400) | 100 - 32000 (expandable to ISO 50 – 102400 |
| Max Photo Size | 6048 x 4024 | 6000 x 4000 |
| Max Video Resolution | 4K/25p | 4K/25p |
| Shooting Speed | Up to 9 fps | Up to 10 fps |
| Autofocus | 493 hybrid phase detection/contrast points (90 percent coverage) | 399 focal-plane phase-detection points (68 percent coverage), 425 contrast points (47 percent coverage) |
| Image Stabilization | 5-axis in-body | 5-axis in-body |
| Memory Card Slots | One XQD | Two SD/SDHC/SDXC slots |
| Viewfinder | 3690k (Quad VGA) OLED | 2.36 million dots EVF (XGA OLED) |
| Display | 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen (2100k dots) | 3-inch LCD touchscreen (1440k dots) |
| Size (body only) | 5.3 x 4 x 2.7 inches | 5 x 3.9 x 2.9 inches |
| Weight (body only) | 1.3 pounds | 1.4 pounds |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | Approx. 330 shots (EVF only) | 650 shots |
Compared to the Sony A7R III, the Nikon Z7 appears a bit more robust in terms of ISO range and focus points, and, like the Z6, has a sharper EVF and touchscreen. However, the Z7 is about $400 more expensive than the A7R III.
While Sony has a large head start when it comes to full-frame mirrorless cameras, Nikon has a potential competitive advantage in its lens selection. While only three Z-mount lenses will be available at launch (six more will be launched in 2019), the F-to-Z mount adapter means that more than 90 of Nikon’s F-mount lenses can also be used with the Z6 and Z7. Currently, Sony only has 26 A-mount lenses.
From a consumer’s standpoint, it’s nice to see one of the largest camera companies challenge Sony in the fastest-growing segment of the camera market, and we’re interested to see how the Nikon Z6 and Z7 perform.
