Nikon Z 6 II vs Z 7 II: The Complete Comparison

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There are a lot of brands out there in the camera market these days that offer a wide range of selections. Brands such as Nikon, Sony, and Canon are most prominent when it comes to fulfilling your photography needs.

The Nikon Z6ii and Z7ii are upgraded variants of the previously loved Nikon Z6 and Z7. 

In this article, I will be trying to provide insights on Nikon Z6ii vs Z7ii, when stuck between choosing either.

I’ll be looking at whether they bring something new to the table, get rid of the complications of their predecessors, and which one to choose.

Nikon Z6ii vs Z7ii: Quick Comparison Table

Here are some key differences between Nikon z6ii vs z7ii:

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New photographers have a hard time grasping the smallest differences between cameras with similar qualities, Nikon z6ii vs z7ii. They may seem almost indistinguishable but have considerable differences.

Let’s take a look at the various distinctions between the two cameras.

Market Price

Buying a camera is partially dependent on the price. Immediately what you spot is the close to $1000 price gap.

The Z6ii is priced at around $2000 for the body only.

Contrastingly, the Z7ii sits at $2897 body only which is very close to the $3000 mark.

The $1000 difference sets the Z7ii on a whole different budget orientation and competition. Needless to say, the difference isn’t only for show. But on the topic of price, the Z6ii gets the upper hand.

Design and Build Quality

From the perspective of design, both are identical. To the point where, if there were multiple Z6iis and Z7iis in the same room, it would be very much impossible to tell them apart from Nikon z6ii vs z7ii without taking a look at the stickers naming them.

The Electronic View Finder(EVF) and the screen size are also the same in both cameras.

Sensors, Resolution, and Image Quality

Both are excellent cameras for hands-on use. But to weigh up the differences and find out the perfect one I have to investigate further.

Right off the bat, the Z7ii comes equipped with a 45.7MP high-resolution sensor that provides clearance to compose and crop photos.

The Z6ii does not give as much headroom as its competitor since it has a 25.7MP sensor.

Let’s look at identical photos taken with both cameras.

The Z62ii produces photos with a resolution up to 6048×4024.

The Z72ii produces a resolution of 8256×5504.

Using the same settings on both cameras, taking a closer look, the Z72ii delivers photos with a bit of saturation.

The Z62ii looks more crisp and sharp and gives off more of a mild saturation.

The z62ii uses a 10-bit n-log output format so it produces more vibrant colors in the woods.

The Z72ii captures 8-bit internally where it falls short to produce enough colors because it is harder to produce those colors internally.

Here is an example of color reproduction in both cameras.

(source: the CameraVille)

The Z72ii having a higher resolution produces a sharper image. The Z62ii falls short because of its lower resolution.

Here are photos to demonstrate the sharpness.

If we look at the small green leaf in all the hay we can see it is much clearer in the photo that was taken by the Z72ii.

However, the Z62ii renders the cloud with more depth.

Now let’s look at dynamic range performance.

These photos were taken in extremely low light conditions and post-processed so exposure has been pushed out to find differences.

The Z62ii loses color and saturates the photos into a more purple-ish color in both situations.

On the contrary side, The Z72ii has a better dynamic range. It reigns supreme in these deep dark conditions. It holds the natural colors and performs impressively.

However, extremely dark conditions are not ideal for photography in the woods where there are no signs of artificial lighting. So it does not bear all that much importance in this case.

Here is an ISO test for Nikon z6ii vs z7ii.

The Z7ii retains most of the natural colors and it comes with ISO 64 so it produces a cleaner ISO.

The Z6ii again turns colors into a purple-ish aura and provides the lowest ISO of 100.

Considering all that the Nikon Z72ii takes a big lead in image quality and gets a point for outstanding performance.

Check the images for a clear idea from here.

Or use these links to get a better view of the photos:

• https://imgbox.com/XW5cGBMW
• https://imgbox.com/Sv7cAKSX
• https://imgbox.com/YMYssrWb
• https://imgbox.com/0v5cmAC7
• https://imgbox.com/onFsky5u
• https://imgbox.com/PNLmtETh
• https://imgbox.com/YTKHTtVJ

Video Recording

The Nikon Z6ii and Z7ii both come with 4k60fps recording capabilities. The Z6 and its successor the Z6 mark ii, more commonly known as Z6ii is touted as the all-around master in terms of both photo and video capturing.

Z6ii on the other hand uses oversampling to deliver sharper videos than the Z7ii. If the videos are shot internally without the use of an external recorder then the Z6ii delivers better results.

The Z7ii uses Pixel binning for sampling which is not as sharp as the oversampling method and seems pixelated at times. If the videos are taken using an external recorder such as the Atomos – Ninja V then the higher resolution of the z7ii will yield better results.

So in the video capture category, the Z6ii is the absolute winner.

Durability

Since both cameras are almost identical in build quality, there should be no issue with durability with either of them.

Nikon Z6ii vs Z7ii, which one to choose?

The decision to choose between the Nikon Z6ii and z7ii rests mostly on the price and the type of photographer the consumer is. The cameras themselves were made for two different shooters. So I think that is the deciding factor in choosing which to buy.

The Z6ii is an all-rounder model with its 25megapixel sensor providing overall quality images and videos. If my priority is to shoot wildlife and sports photos then the Z6ii is the one for me.

The Z7ii has that 45megapixel sensor along with better dynamic range, phase detection, and ISO 64. If I was a landscape photographer taking still photos or portrait or a studio shooter then I would go for the z7ii.

I recommend choosing based on the preference of what type of photos the end-users are going to be taken with the camera to make my choice.

But for a fair evaluation considering the price and overall quality I would pick the z62ii if I have no intention of shooting in a closed studio.

Nikon Z 6 II vs Z 7 II : Why Nikon?

There has always been this debate about which brand to pursue in the world of cameras and photography for a very long time. Most people spend a great deal of money on their choice of brands and devote a lot of time to make sure they have chosen correctly.

When another person prefers an alternative brand in front of them, it comes off as denouncing and even offensive to some degree. Hence the clash between brands creates hate towards specific brands. Nikon is no different. 

But since the launch of the D800, the shunning of Nikon has been largely reduced because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the camera.

The Nikon Z6ii and Z7ii are two of Nikon’s most wonderful products. But if I have to pick one at the price range of $3000 then I’d look at the offerings Canon or Sony has as at these price levels they deliver much better results.

Final Words

I hope you have learned everything about Nikon z6ii vs z7ii. I have tried to explain the contrasts between the two cameras and their usage scenarios.

If you are on a tight budget the Z6ii is the overall budget beast. But for more refined photography the Z7ii still holds the crown.

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