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Nikon

Z6 III

First partially stacked full-frame sensor with 6K N-RAW internal video.

$2,499

Released Jun 2024

vs

Nikon

Z7

Original high-res Z body with 45MP for detail work.

$3,399

Released Aug 2018

Z6 III is 5.8 years newer.

Wins

9categories

Z6 III

Video & HybridSports & Action

Wins

4categories

Z7

PortraitLandscape

1 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

Z6 III wins 4 categories·Z7 wins 1 categories
  • AZ6 III has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 9 fps)
  • AZ6 III has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 30 fps)
  • AZ6 III has higher ISO max (native) (64,000 vs 25,600)
  • AZ6 III has higher Card slots (2 vs 1)
  • BZ7 has higher Resolution (45.7 MP vs 24.5 MP)

Key specs at a glance

Z6 IIIZ7
Resolution24.5 MP45.7 MP
SensorFull FrameFull Frame
ISO max64,00025,600
Burst120 fps9 fps
4K120 fps30 fps
IBIS8-stop5-stop
Weight760 g585 g
Battery380 shots330 shots

Size and weight, to scale

Z6 III

139 × 102 × 74 mm

760 g (1.68 lb / 26.81 oz)

Z7

134 × 101 × 68 mm

585 g (1.29 lb / 20.64 oz)

Z6 III is 5mm wider, 1mm taller, and 7mm thicker than Z7.

Z6 III is 175 g heavier than Z7.

Depth (front-to-back): 74mm Z6 III · 68mm Z7

Sensor size, to scale

Z6 III

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Z7

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

Z6 III

✓ more lenses

Nikon Z

90+

native lenses available

40 first-party50 third-party

Z7

✓ more lenses

Nikon Z

90+

native lenses available

40 first-party50 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseZ6 IIIZ7
Portrait
7.5Good
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
8.5Excellent✓ wins
3.0Limited
Video & Hybrid
9.0Excellent✓ wins
5.0Fair
Landscape
7.0Good
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Travel
5.5Fair
6.5Good✓ wins
Wildlife
6.5Good✓ wins
1.5Limited
Vlogging
5.5Fair
6.0Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

Z6 III

  • AF low-light limit

    -10 EV vs -4 EV — lower is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 138.5, 101.5, 74

  • Burst (electronic)

    120 fps vs 9 fps — higher is better

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Birds, Dogs, Cats…

  • 4K max frame rate

    120 fps vs 30 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, H.265/HEVC

  • ISO max (native)

    64,000 vs 25,600 — higher is better

  • AA filter

    Only Z6 III supports it

Reasons to choose

Z7

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 134, 100.5, 67.5

  • Resolution

    45.7 MP vs 24.5 MP — higher is better

  • AF points / zones

    493 vs 273 — higher is better

  • ISO min (native)

    64 vs 100 — lower is better

  • Weight

    585 g vs 760 g — lower is better

Both cameras share

  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • In-body stabilizationBoth support in-body stabilization
  • Weather sealingBoth support weather sealing
  • EVF magnificationBoth 0.8 ×
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

Z6 III

Pros

  • Partially stacked CMOS reduces rolling shutter
  • 6K N-RAW 60p internal — true filmmaking capability
  • 5.76M dot EVF — best-in-class resolution
  • 14fps mechanical burst

Cons

  • EN-EL15c battery life only 380 CIPA shots
  • Smaller lens ecosystem vs. Canon RF

Z7

Pros

  • 45MP
  • IBIS
  • Z mount

Cons

  • Single slot
  • Older AF
  • Superseded

Full specifications

= category winner

Z6 III
Z7
Resolution
24.5 MP
45.7 MP+87%
Sensor type
Full Frame Partially Stacked CMOS
Full Frame BSI-CMOS
Sensor size
35.9 × 23.9 mm
35.9 × 23.9 mm
AA filter
Yes
No
Z6 III
Z7
AF system
Hybrid AF (phase-detect + contrast-detect)
Hybrid AF (phase-detect + contrast-detect)
AF points / zones
273
493+81%
AF low-light limit
-10 EV
-4 EV
Eye AF
Yes
Yes
Animal / bird AF
Yes
No
Subject recognition
People, Birds, Dogs, Cats, Cars, Bicycles, Motorcycles, Trains, Airplanes
People
Z6 III
Z7
Burst (mechanical)
14 fps+56%
9 fps
Burst (electronic)
120 fps13.3× more
9 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
No
RAW buffer depth
1000 frames
Z6 III
Z7
Max resolution
6K RAW
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
120 fps4× more
30 fps
Internal RAW video
Yes
No
Log profile
N-Log / HLG
N-Log
Codecs
N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, H.265/HEVC, H.264/AVC
H.264/AVC
Z6 III
Z7
Weight
760 g
585 g−175 g less
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
138.5 × 101.5 × 74 mm
134 × 100.5 × 67.5 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for sports, Z6 III or Z7?

Z6 III scores 8.5/10 versus 3.0/10 for Z7 — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.

What's the resolution difference between the Z6 III and Z7?

Z6 III is 24.5 MP and Z7 is 45.7 MP, so the Z7 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the Z6 III and Z7 have in-body image stabilization?

Z6 III has 8-stop in-body image stabilization, while z7 has 5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the Z6 III or the Z7?

Z6 III reaches 120 fps electronic. Z7 reaches 9 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the Z6 III and Z7?

Z6 III weighs 760 g and Z7 weighs 585 g, so the Z7 is 175 g lighter.

Do the Z6 III and Z7 record 4K video?

Z6 III: 6K RAW (max), 4K up to 120p. Z7: 4K up to 30p.

Are the Z6 III and Z7 weather sealed?

Z6 III: Yes. Z7: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 380 shots (CIPA) for the Z6 III and 330 shots for the Z7, giving the Z6 III the edge.

How much does each cost?

Z6 III launched at $2,499 and Z7 at $3,399. The Z6 III is $900 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.