At the start of a recent photo walk with a Nikon representative, I was told it was only a matter of time before I became a “bird watcher.” Because eventually every photographer runs out of things to take photos of and only needs to master one subject: birds. Which, due to advances in camera technology, have become a much easier target.
During the same photo walk, I got a few hours with the new $2,500 Nikon Z6 III. And the big news about this camera is its 24.5-megapixel partially stacked CMOS sensor. This is the first camera ever to use this technology. Instead of the circuit parts and pixel area both spanning the full corner-to-corner dimensions of the image sensor and sitting on top of each other, as in the more expensive Nikon Z9 or Nikon Z8, or not being stacked at all, as in the previous Nikon Z6 II the Z6 III’s circuit components are stacked as bars at the top and bottom of the pixel area.
It results in faster continuous shooting speeds, faster autofocus, higher video frame rates and less rolling shutter effect than the previous Z6 II, with its BSI CMOS sensor in e-shutter mode. But it also means the Z6 III isn’t as fast as the more premium Z8 or Z9 with their fully stacked sensors. Simply put, partially stacking the sensor allows Nikon to keep the price of this camera below the Z8 and Z9 while improving performance over the previous generation.
The other major updates include the Z6 III’s incredibly bright electronic viewfinder that can reach a peak brightness of 4,000 nits and the camera’s ability to shoot 6K RAW video at up to 60 fps and 4K RAW at up to 120 fps. Nikon also promises Z8-level build quality, which means the camera is dust and moisture proof and can withstand temperatures down to -10°C. Simply put, Nikon builds highly resilient cameras that don’t skimp on specs. And also cameras that can turn any photographer into a birdwatcher.
I chose the Staten Island Ferry for my photo walk with the Z6 III because of the endless people watching opportunities and the incredible views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Combine that with the iconic orange color of the boat and you are guaranteed some great photos. What I had never paid much attention to before were all the birds using the boat’s slipstream to move around the harbor.
Although the Z6 III doesn’t have a dedicated bird focus mode, Nikon claims its autofocus is 20% faster than the Z6 II and has an extended range down to -10 EV, meaning it’s more sensitive even in low light. And while sitting on the back of the ferry, he had absolutely no trouble capturing birds. Within minutes of taking off from Lower Manhattan, I was swinging the Z6 III from side to side, trying to catch seagulls. Eventually I got smarter and framed One World Trade Center and waited for a bird to cross through my frame. As soon as a bird came in, the camera focused directly on the moving object, a seagull. Within minutes I had taken over 100 photos.
Photos taken with the Nikon Z6 III + Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens
Of course there came the moment when I thought: “What on earth am I going to do with all those photos of birds.” So I’d like to thank all of you for clicking through the slideshow above and giving my newfound passion for bird photography a reason to exist.
Like the Z8 and Z9, Nikon is increasingly making cameras that are so responsive and intuitive that you no longer have to spend so much time thinking about issues like focus, hand shake or shutter speed. You can quickly point the camera in any direction and it will capture anything sharply.
That said, there’s only so much I can test in my few hours with this camera. I didn’t have a low-light environment to test ISO range or low-light autofocus, I didn’t have multiple subjects to test skin tone representation on, and I didn’t have ND filters to get good video exposure for 6K RAW testing. So while I had a lot of fun and am now a certified ‘bird watcher’, there is certainly a lot more testing to be done with this new partially stacked sensor technology. But in the short time I spent with it, I can confidently say that it didn’t feel like a step back in any way. The Z6 III is available today for $2,500.