Nikon Z6 II

The Z6 II is Nikon's full-frame mirrorless body from 2020, built around a 24.5 megapixel sensor and the Nikon Z mount. That combination suits photographers who want one camera for both stills and video.

It measures 134 x 101 x 70 mm and weighs 705 g, so it is a bag camera rather than a pocket one.

In-body stabilisation, weather sealing and dual card slots point to a camera intended for regular shooting in varied conditions rather than occasional indoor use.

The optics score of 83 is described as exceptional, and the Z6 II sits in the top 5% of cameras in our database for Optics. A 24.5 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor works with dual Expeed 6 processors, giving enough resolution for large prints and confident cropping.

The ISO range runs from 100 to 51200, which covers bright outdoor work and dim interiors alike. A top shutter speed of 1/8000 second helps keep wide apertures usable in strong light.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake rather than subject movement. In practice that keeps handheld shots steady at slower shutter speeds, so you can work in lower light without pushing ISO as far.

Burst shooting reaches 14 frames per second at its maximum, quick enough to pull brief moments out of an action sequence. The 273 autofocus points are available for focus placement, and the 3.69 million dot electronic viewfinder shows the result in fine detail while you frame.

The video score of 91 is very good, built on its recording specifications. Footage tops out at 4K, which holds detail on large screens and leaves room for cropping in the edit.

The fastest frame rate is 120 fps, enough to slow motion right down on playback. That suits splash, sport and wildlife moments that full speed would rush past. Resolution and frame rate are listed here as separate maximums, so treat the two figures as ceilings and confirm the combinations you need before a shoot.

Timelapse is built in, so interval work needs no external trigger. Recordings come in MOV or MP4, giving a choice of file format for different projects.

The features score of 87 is very good. The 3.2 inch TFT LCD screen carries 2.1 million dots and touch control, so reviewing images and moving through menus is quick.

That screen does not flip out. Low-level or overhead framing means working from the fixed position, which matters if you often shoot from the ground or above a crowd.

Weather sealing is built in for use in dusty or damp conditions.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provide wireless connection options, but there is no built-in GPS for location tagging from the body. With no built-in flash either, plan on an external unit when a scene needs extra light.

Storage and battery scores 71, which is good and the softest area on this page, with battery life the main contributor. The EN-EL15c battery carries a 410-shot rating, a specification rather than a promise for every situation, so a spare is wise for busy days.

Storage is more flexible. The dual slots accept SD cards alongside CFexpress Type B or XQD media, with the SD option listed as UHS-II compatible.

A second slot also means one card can fill before you have to stop and swap, which keeps a shoot moving. Charging over USB lets you top the battery up between sessions.