Nikon will announce its latest camera, the Z6 III, on June 17, 2024 at 8:01 EDT. PetaPixel has tested it, and its hands-on first impressions will be published at the same time.
For some, the Z6 III has been expected for some time. While the camera was never being shared with any media or influencers this past January on a Spanish island, guessing that the camera would come eventually was likely to be true at some point. It will make its real appearance this coming week.
While not uncommon in the video game industry where reviewers are able to openly state when a review will be published and that at game has been played, it’s exceptionally rare for a camera company to allow media to say that a new product has been seen and publicly state the embargo time. Beyond that, Nikon also allowed PetaPixel to share a few teaser images of its own that give an idea of how it was used during the initial hands-on testing — another rarity — although no details of the camera nor its appearance will be revealed until next week.
Where the Z6 III Fits in Nikon’s Camera Line
While PetaPixel is unable to share any concrete details until next week, for those who are curious what to expect, it is worth looking at Nikon’s existing line of cameras for clues. For starters, the Z6 II was announced alongside the Z7 II in October 2020, so a new model is certainly due especially in the wake of the runaway success of the Z9 and Z8 — which won 2022’s and 2023’s Camera of the Year awards, respectively.
The Z6 II kept the same basic form factor as the original Z6, but updated the internal processor to allow for 4Kp60 video capture, 14 frames per second photo capture, a larger buffer, better autofocus performance, better memory card support, and the ability to take a battery grip.
Many photographers look at last year’s Zf as an example of what they wanted to see in a Z6 III sans the retro design. PetaPixel‘s Chris Niccolls was in that camp, arguing that while the camera looked old through its aesthetics, the internals of the camera gave a look into the future.
“Maybe it’s odd that Nikon is using the Zf to showcase some novel design features, or maybe it’s totally awesome. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both. Regardless, we get to see some features we’ve never seen before,” he wrote in his initial review, citing the multi-shot mode, vastly improved in-body image stabilization, and the ability to use subject detection in manual focus mode.
“Most certainly, the Zf is debuting features that will be present in future upgrades to the Z6 II and Z7 II. I wouldn’t look at it as merely a successor to the Z6 II, but rather a feature-rich camera with some quirks that provide the most enjoyable shooting experience overall. It may look like a blast from the past, but inside it is a real glimpse into the future for Nikon.”
Next week, it will be revealed if those predictions are true.
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