At the beginning of a recent photography walk with a Nikon representative, I was told that it was only a matter of time before I became a “birder.” Because eventually every photographer runs out of things to photograph, leaving only one subject to master: birds. Thanks to advances in sensor technology, this has become an easier target.
It was during this photography trip that I spent several hours with the new $2,500 Nikon Z6 III. One of the highlights of this camera is its 24.5-megapixel partially stacked CMOS sensor. This is the first camera ever to feature this technology. Instead of stretching the entire corner-to-corner dimensions of the image sensor and stacking on top of each other, as in the more expensive Nikon Z9 or Nikon Z8, the circuitry components and pixel areas are not stacked at all, as in the Z6 III’s circuitry that preceded it, the Nikon Z6 II Widgets are stacked into bars at the top and bottom of the pixel area.
Compared with the previous Z6 II (whose BSI CMOS sensor was in electronic shutter mode), it has a higher continuous shooting rate, faster autofocus, higher video frame rate and less rolling shutter effect. But that also means the Z6 III isn’t as fast as the higher-end Z8 or Z9 (which feature fully stacked sensors). Simply put, the partially stacked sensor allowed Nikon to keep the price of this camera lower than the Z8 and Z9, while also significantly improving performance over the previous generation.
Other important updates are the Z6 III’s extremely bright electronic viewfinder, with 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 video at up to 120 fps. Nikon also promises Z8-level build quality, which means the camera is dust and moisture resistant and rated to operate in temperatures as low as 14°F/−10°C. In short, Nikon makes a very resilient camera and doesn’t skimp on specs. There are also cameras that can turn any photographer into a birdwatcher.
I chose the Staten Island Ferry as a photo location for my walk with the Z6 III because of the endless opportunities for people watching and incredible views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Pair it with the boat’s signature orange color and you’re guaranteed to get at least a few great photos. What I had never noticed before was that all the birds used the boat’s slipstream to cross the harbor.
While 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 expanded range to -10EV, meaning it’s more responsive even in low-light conditions. When behind a ferry it has absolutely no problem locking onto birds. Within minutes of taking off from lower Manhattan, I was waving the Z6 III from left to right trying to catch seagulls. Eventually, I wised up and framed One World Trade Center and waited for a bird to fly over my frame. Once a bird enters the camera, the lens locks onto the moving object, which is the seagull. Within minutes I had taken over 100 photos.
Photos taken with Nikon Z6 III + Nikon Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens
Of course, then I thought “What the hell am I going to do with these bird photos?” That’s why I want to thank you all 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 producing cameras that are so responsive and intuitive that you no longer have to spend so much time thinking about things like focus, hand shake, or shutter speed. You can quickly point the camera in any direction and it will capture the subject in focus.
Having said that, I can only test so much in a few hours with this camera. I didn’t have a low-light environment to test the ISO range or low-light autofocus, multiple subjects to test skin tone performance, or an ND filter to get the proper exposure for the video I tested 6K RAW. So while I had a great time and am now a certified “birder,” more testing is definitely needed with this new partially stacked sensor technology. But in the short time I’ve had with it, I can confidently say that it’s anything but a throwback. The Z6 III will go on sale today for $2,500.
