The Secret of the Nikon Z6 III Camera: The Partially Stacked Sensor

The Secret of the Nikon Z6 III Camera: The Partially Stacked Sensor

June 19, 2024 ·

Dan Wells

The Secret of the Nikon Z6 III: The Partially Stacked Sensor

While Pentax went all retro with their new film camera, Nikon decided to shake things up with the Z6 III, aiming squarely at the heart of the mirrorless market. This isn’t just another release in the Z6 series; it’s a game-changer.

The Evolution of Nikon’s Z6 III

At first glance, the Nikon Z6 III might look like its predecessors, but there’s a big improvement. It’s a bit thicker and heavier, thanks to the new fully articulated screen, which is a dream for both stills and video. Historically, if you had a budget under $4000, you had to choose between a fast, stacked sensor in a smaller format OR a full-frame camera with slower sensors. The Z6 III changes the game by offering a partially stacked sensor in a full-frame body at a mid-range price.

Understanding the Partially Stacked Sensor

So, what’s the deal with this “partially stacked” sensor? Here’s a bit of tech talk: traditional non-stacked sensors have a slow readout speed, around 1/15 second, which causes significant rolling shutter effects and often limits the use of electronic shutters.

Fully stacked sensors, like those in high-end cameras such as the Nikon Z8, offer a much faster 1/250 second scan speed. This speed virtually eliminates rolling shutter distortion and allows for practical use with electronic shutters, including high-speed flash sync.

The Z6 III’s partially stacked sensor offers a 1/60 second scan speed. It’s not as fast as fully stacked sensors, but it significantly reduces rolling shutter effects compared to traditional sensors. This means better performance in both still photography and video. Plus, it has a mechanical shutter with a 1/250 second sync speed for flash photography.

Advanced Features for the Modern Photographer

The Z6 III is loaded with features that make it stand out. It has Nikon’s top-notch autofocus system with 3-D tracking and multiple subject recognition modes. This makes capturing fast-moving subjects a breeze. The image stabilization is rated at 8 stops, which is among the best you can get. If you’re already familiar with Nikon’s mirrorless cameras, you’ll feel right at home with the Z6 III’s controls.

This camera also benefits from Nikon’s commitment to keeping their firmware up to date. It’s equipped with the EXPEED 7 processor, so it can take advantage of many new features that have been rolled out since the Z6 II.

A New Standard for Nikon Video

Video enthusiasts, take note: the Z6 III is likely Nikon’s best video camera to date. The 24 MP sensor is perfect for video, avoiding the pitfalls of higher-resolution sensors that can struggle with video quality. It offers internal raw video recording and supports line-level audio input through its microphone socket, which is a big deal for filmmakers using external mic preamps. The viewfinder is a new, ultra-bright 5.76 million dot display, a significant upgrade from previous models.

This camera supports 6K video recording in 12-bit NRAW, offering ability to give a “cinema” like video capabilities in a mirrorless body. You can also record 4K at 120 fps, albeit with a crop, and Full HD at 240 fps, which is fantastic for slow-motion footage. The inclusion of HDMI 2.1 and USB-C 3.0 ports gives you high-speed data transfer and connectivity, making it a great option for professional video people.

The Competitive Edge

Until the Nikon Z6 III, photographers wanting to spend less than $4000 on a body had two choices. They could get the performance and rolling shutter benefits of a very fast stacked sensor, but only by going for a less-than-full-frame camera like Fujifilm’s X-H2S or the OM System OM-1 or OM-1mk II.

Alternatively, they could choose a full-frame camera from any of the major manufacturers but accept a relatively slow rolling shutter sensor. The least expensive full-frame stacked sensor camera is Nikon’s $4000 Z8, and Canon’s and Sony’s options (the EOS-R3 and A1, respectively) start north of $5000.

With the Z6 III, Nikon has raised the bar. The Sony A7 IV, while still a great camera, is nearly three years old and starting to show its age next to this powerhouse. The Canon EOS R6 II, approaching its second birthday, keeps up a bit better but relies on 12-bit readout, which can negatively affect image quality. The Panasonic S5 II and S5 IIX, though newer, don’t offer the same level of advanced features. The partially stacked sensor and all the advanced features packed into the Z6 III make it a standout in the mid-range mirrorless market. This camera isn’t just keeping up with the competition – it’s pushing ahead. Your move, Sony and Canon.

Luminous-Landscape is a membership site. Our website contains over 5300 articles on almost every topic, camera, lens and printer you can imagine. Our membership model is simple, a Dollar-a-Month ($12.00 USD a year). This $12 gains you access to a wealth of information including all our past and future video tutorials on such topics as Lightroom, Capture One, Printing, file management and dozens of interviews and travel videos.

To continue reading with unlimited access join today for $12 a year

New Articles every few days
All original content found nowhere else on the web
No Pop Up Google Sense ads - Our advertisers are photo related
Download/stream video to any device
NEW videos monthly
Top well-known photographer contributors
Posts from industry leaders
Speciality Photography Workshops
Mobile device scalable
Exclusive video interviews
Special vendor offers for members
Hands On Product reviews
FREE - User Forum. One of the most read user forums on the internet
Access to our community Buy and Sell pages; for members only.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Dan Wells

See all articles by Dan Wells

Dan Wells, "Shuttterbug" on the trail, is a landscape photographer, long-distance hiker and student in the Master of Divinity program at Harvard Divinity School. He lives in Cambridge, MA when not in wild places photographing and contemplating our connection to the natural world. Dan's images try to capture the spirit he finds in places where, in the worlds of the Wilderness Act of 1964, "Man himself is but a visitor". He has hiked 230 miles of Vermont's Long Trail and 450 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail with his cameras, as well as photographing in numerous National Parks, Seashores and Forests over the years - often in the offseason when few people think to be there. In the summer of 2020, Dan plans to hike a stretch of hundreds of miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, focusing on his own and others' spiritual connection to these special places, and making images that document these connections. Over years of personal work and teaching photography, Dan has used a variety of equipment (presently Nikon Z7 and Fujifilm APS-C). He is looking for the perfect combination of light weight, ruggedness and superb image quality.