REVIEW
NIKON Z6 CAMERA
The Nikon Z6 is part of Nikon’s mirrorless suite of cameras, and when you combine price with performance, it’s a real star in the night-sky photography world
Reviewed by Andy Hartup
CAMERA ADVICE
Cost: £1,399 / $1,599.95
From: Amazon
Type: Mirrorless
Sensor: 24.5MP backlit CMOS
Lens
mount: Nikon Z (FX)
ISO range: 100 to 51,200 (before expansion)
Viewfinder size/resolution: 2.1k dots, 3.2-inch touchscreen
Video capability: 4K at 30fps
Weight
(body
only): 67 grams
Size (body only): 13.2 by 9.9 by 6.6 centimetres (5.2 by 3.9 by 2.6 inches)
Memory card type: Single-slot CFexpress, XQD
BEST FOR…
£
high budgets
LUNAR PHOTOGRAPHY
NIGHTSCAPES
If you’re looking for a highly capable mirrorless camera for astrophotography, few models are better than the Z6. But the Z6 – which only launched in 2018 – has already been superseded by the Z6ii, so why are we testing and recommending the original model? It comes down to price and usage. For us, the original represents better value than the Z6ii, unless you’re using it for video and high-intensity shoots, like weddings.
We love the Z6 for a number of reasons: it has a superb backlit sensor, perfect for low-light image quality, and a staggering 100 to 51,200 ISO range that delivers incredible clarity even in the darkest locations. Combine this with in-built image stabilisation and you’ve got one of the best cameras for astrophotography around. In fact, we’d say this is among the best mirrorless cameras for any use, so you’ll be able to use it for way more than astrophotography. If you do want to use it for astrophotography, you may want to combine it with some of the best telescopes to get super-clear images. For beginners looking for an easy target, we recommend lunar photography to help you get to grips with combining your equipment.