Nikon D6

20⅔ MP FX, 14 FPS, ISO 102,400, 4K/29.97

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

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Nikon D6

Ni9kon D6 (two CFexpress card slots, 51.2 oz./1,450g with battery and 2 CFexpress cards, $6,497) and 24-70mm f/2.8 VR. bigger. I'd get mine at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

November 2022   Nikon   Nikon Lenses   Nikon Flash   All Reviews

 

Nikon D6

Nikon D6. bigger.

 

Nikon D6

Nikon D6. bigger.

Nikon D5 (2016 - 2020)

Nikon D4s (2014 - 2016)

Nikon D4 (2012 - 2014)

Nikon D3S (2009 - 2012)

Nikon D3X (2008 - 2012)

Nikon D3 (2007 - 2010)

Nikon D2Xs (2006 - 2007)

Nikon D2Hs (2005 - 2007)

Nikon D2X (2004 - 2008)

Nikon D2H (2003 - 2005)

Nikon D1H and D1X (2001 - 2003)

Nikon D1 (1999 - 2001)

Pro 35mm (1958-today): F6  F5  F4  F3  F2AS  F2S  F2  F  SP  S3

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Introduction       top

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

Recommendations   More

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

The D6 uses the same image sensor, same meter, same rear LCD, the same battery charger and what looks like mostly the same body as 2016's D5, with a competely new autofocus system using the new Multi-CAM 37K AF sensor module and numerous other additions — and most importantly adds two more frames per second.

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New since 2016's D5

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 14 FPS, up from the D5's 12 FPS.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Silent full-resolution Live View shooting at 10.5 FPS.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Video-like still frames saved at 30 FPS at 8MP (à la 4K) or 60 FPS at 2 MP (à la 1,080) when shot in Live View.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Quiet mode now selectable from 1 to 5 FPS. D5 QC (Quiet Continuous) mode was fixed at 3 FPS.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Uses CFexpress cards. Does not work with either CF or SD cards.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com New 105-point AF system, Nikon's best ever. D5 had only 55 selectable points.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Center AF point works down to LV -4.5 and the rest to LV -4. (All D5 points rated to LV -4.)

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Three times as many selectable cross-point AF sensors as the D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Nikon claims this is the first DSLR that can do eye AF in Auto-AF-Area and 3D tracking modes.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 17 customizable group-area AF groupings.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 14 programmable buttons.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com More buttons light up in the dark compared to the D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Manual exposures settable to 15 minutes in Manual mode, hallelujah!

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com TIME exposure mode; no longer do we need a remote release to hold open the shutter in Bulb.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com New trick to let a touchscreen flick move a selected image to the top of the waiting list for transmission.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Internal GPS receiver (D5 required an external module).

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Built-in Wi-Fi (D5 required you buy an external adapter).

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Bluetooth.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com New JPG + JPG mode to save two different kinds of JPGs for each shot, for instance, a smaller one for immediate transmission and a big one for the archives. This same innovation was in my Sony Mavica FD-88 back in 1999, which also recorded smaller JPGs for emailing at the same time as full-resolution images.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Same sensor, ISO range and video resolutions and rates as the D5, one new thing is the option to save movies as .MP4 rather than only in .MOV as in the D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Might have a new camera-state recall ability; Nikon says we can "Recall shooting functions create combinations of settings that can be assigned to a specific button to get the perfect shot in a pinch."

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 15% faster transmission over 1000BASE-T Ethernet than the D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Kensington anti-theft security slot.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 1:1 square crop mode (D5 had only 4:5, 16:9, 1.2× and DX crops).

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Highlight-weighted metering option.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Specifications suggest the D6 may now have native remote radio flash control. The D5 needed the external WR-R10 and WR-A10 adapter for radio control.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com USB-C rather than Micro-USB of the D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com New EN-EL-18c battery, also works with older EN-EL18-series batteries.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com 1.5 oz./42g heaver than D5.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Same 180k pixel meter sensor; now claims "greater performance" due to a newer onboard computer.

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com "Improved connector arrangement."

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Stills grabbed while shooting 1,080 or 720 video are now only the same resolution as that video; the D5 saved stills at the full 16:9 sensor resolution (or two smaller sizes) when saving those stills. (Both D5 and D6 save at 3,840 × 2,160 when shooting 4K.)

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com No more RGB TIFF file option.

 

Good

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Nikon's top pro camera of all time: Extreme durability, survivability, mechanical quality and speed. I'll skip 37 green dots listing it all.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com 4:5, Square 1:1, 16:9, 1.2× and DX crops.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Separate mic for voice notes.

 

Bad

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Big, heavy and expensive.

 

Missing

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No automatic brightness control for rear LCD.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No built-in Image Stabilization (no Nikon DSLR has this).

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No more RGB TIFF file option.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com Stills grabbed while shooting 1,080 or 720 video are now only the same resolution as that video; the D5 saved stills at the full 16:9 sensor resolution (or two smaller sizes) when saving those stills. (Both D5 and D6 save at 3,840 × 2,160 when shooting 4K.)

 

Nikon D6

Nikon D6 and 24-70mm f/2.8 VR. bigger.

 

Lens Compatibility       top

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

Recommendations   More

 

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Nikon D6

Nikon D6 Lens Mount showing focus-motor screwdriver and aperture-ring feeler. bigger.

Far better than any mirrorless camera or the crummy FTZ adapter, the D6 is compatible with every Nikon SLR and DSLR lens made since 1977. It autofocuses with every Nikon autofocus lens made since 1986.

So long as your lens is updated to AI, every Nikon SLR and DSLR lens made since 1959 is compatible, complete with Color Matrix Metering if you enter its focal length and maximum aperture at MENU > SETUP > Non-CPU Lens Data.

Explicit details at Nikon Lens Compatibility.

All these lenses made over more than 60 years work just great:

 

YES

AF, AF-D, AF-S and AF-P lenses (1986-today)

AI-P manual-focus lenses (1988).

DX lenses (2003-today).

AI, AI-s and AI converted lenses (1977-today) give you A and M exposure modes and, if you tell the D6 what lens you're using at MENU > SET-UP > Non-CPU Lens Data, you get full Color Matrix metering.

E diaphragm (2008-today).

If they mount, even Nikon's original F (non-AI) lenses (1959-1976) meter and shoot with stop-down metering. (Some will have mechanical interference and not mount; every one is different.)

 

NO

Won't work with:

Z lenses for mirrorless.

Pronea IX NIKKOR lenses.

Lenses for the 40-year-old prehistoric F3AF.

Some 1959-1976 F lenses that haven't been converted or updated to AI may not mount due to mechanical interference, but if they do mount, you can shoot them and even meter in stop-down mode. Ideally update them to AI and they work great.

 

Specifications       top

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

Recommendations   More

 

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Frame Rates

CH (Continuous High): selectable from 10 to 14 FPS with full AF and AE. (Not everyone wants to go 14 FPS in CH).

CL (Continuous Low): selectable 1 to 10 FPS.

Q (Quiet): selectable 1 to 5 FPS.

 

Autofocus       specifications       top

All points work down to LV -4, which is full moonlight on sand, and center point works down to LV -4.5.

105 selectable points, all of which are cross-type and 15 of which support f/8.

Face- and Eye- Priority AF; should automatically find faces and focus on them.

Multi-CAM 37K AF sensor module.

 

Sensor       specifications       top

35.9 × 23.9 mm CMOS.

Ultrasonic cleaner.

Same "Dust Off Reference Data" feature.

 

Image Sizes       specifications       top

FX (24 × 36mm)

5,568 × 3,712 (L), native (20.67 MP or 20,668,416 pixels).

4,176 × 2,784 (M).

2,784 × 1,856 (S).

 

5:4 (24 × 30mm)

4,640 × 3,712 (L).

3,472 × 2,784 (M).

2,320 × 1,856 (S).

 

1:1 (24 × 24mm)

3,712 × 3,712 (L).

2,748 × 2,784 (M).

1,856 × 1,856 (S).

 

1.2× (20 × 30mm)

4,640 × 3,088 (L).

3,472 × 2,312 (M).

2,320 × 1,544 (S).

 

DX (16 × 24mm)

3,648 × 2,432 (L).

2,736 × 1,824 (M).

1,824 × 1,216 (S).

 

Stills shot during video

3,840 × 2,160 when shooting 4K.

1,920 × 1,080 when shooting 1,080.

1,280 × 720 when shooting 720.

 

ISO       specifications       top

ISO 100 to 102,400, expandable from ISO 50 ("L0 1.0") to ISO 3,276,800 ("Hi 5.0").

 

Auto ISO

 

File Formats       specifications       top

NEF (Raw): 12 or 14 bit (lossless compressed, compressed or uncompressed); large, medium, and small pixel sizes (medium and small images are recorded at a bit depth of 12 bits using lossless compression)

JPG: Fine (approx. 1:4), Normal (approx. 1:8) or Basic (approx. 1:16) compression. Usual optimal quality or fixed size options.

RAW + JPG.

JPG + JPG (save two different kinds of JPGs).

 

White Balance       specifications       top

All with individual fine-tuning:

Auto (3 types).

Incandescent.

Fluorescent (7 types).

Direct sunlight.

Flash.

Cloudy.

Shade.

Preset manual.

   6 stored presets.

   Spot white balance also with live view.

Kelvin (2,500 K to 10,000 K).

 

HDR       specifications       top

Yes, in camera.

 

Color Spaces       specifications       top

sRGB and Adobe RGB.

 

Video Frame Rates and Sizes       specifications       top

3,840 × 2,160 (4K): 29.97p, 25p or 23.976p.

1,920 × 1,080 regular or cropped: 59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 23.976p.

1,280 × 720: 59.94p, 50p.

You can select high or normal quality at all these, except only normal at 4K.

H.264/MPEG-4 video stored in your choice of a .MOV or .MP4 file.

 

Audio       specifications       top

Stereo Linear PCM with .MOV movies.

Stereo AAC with .MP4 movies.

Separate mic for voice notes.

 

Finder       specifications       top

100% coverage. (only 97% in DX and 1.2× crop, only 97% horizontal in 4:5 crop, only 95% horizontal in square, only 96% vertical in 16:9.)

0.72× magnification with 50mm lens.

17mm eyepoint.

-3 to +1 diopters.

Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark X screen with AF area brackets with optional grid display.

 

Shutter       specifications       top

Vertical metal focal plane.

1/8,000 to 30 seconds in all modes.

To 15 minutes (shown as 900 seconds) in Manual mode, hallelujah!

TIME mode that keeps the shutter open until you press the shutter button again.

Bulb.

1/250 flash sync speed.

Electronic shutter options when shooting Live View.

 

Remote Release

10-pin Nikon remote terminal for things like the optional WR-R10 wireless flash controller, which requires the WR-A10 adapter to attach.

The WR-1 Wireless Remote Controller, GP-1/GP-1A GPS Unit, or GPS device compliant with NMEA0183 version 2.01 or 3.01 (requires optional MC-35 GPS Adapter Cord and cable with D-sub nine-pin connector) also attach.

Won't work with the ML-L3.

 

Flash       specifications       top

Flash Sync

1/250 sync speed.

Auto Focal Plane High Speed Sync (FP HSS).

 

Flash Control

Nikon's usual i-TTL with the 180k-point meter, as well as Creative Lighting System (CLS) and new Advanced Wireless Lighting (AWL).

 

Compatible Flashes

Radio

Only the SB-5000 can be fired via radio.

 

Optical Wireless

For the usual on-camera TTL use, any CLS compatible flash is fine, which is the SB-5000, SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500, SB-400, SB-300 or SB-R200.

 

Old non-TTL flashes

Older flashes will fire, but you'll lose TTL (through-the-lens) exposure control and won't even get an in-finder ready light. Older flashes like the SB-28 or SB-20 work fine in their non-TTL auto modes which use a sensor on the flash itself. Simpler flashes like the SB-23 that have no on-flash auto mode will only work manually.

 

PC (Prontor-Compur) Sync Terminal

Yes; ISO 519.

 

Light Meter       specifications       top

TTL RGB.

180k pixels.

3D Color Matrix III, Highlight Weighted, 75% center-weighted (8, 12, 15 or 20mm diameter), all-frame average or 4mm spot,

20mm, 15mm, 12mm or 8mm diameter center-weighted. (only the 12mm circle works with old manual-focus AI lenses.)

4mm spot at the selected focus point (only the center point with old manual-focus AI lenses).

 

Meter Range

LV -3 ~ +20.

Spot meter: LV 2 ~ 20.

Highlight weighted: LV 0 ~ 20.

 

Live View       specifications       top

Yes, for stills and movies with the usual options.

 

LCD Monitor       specifications       top

3.2" (8cm) TFT.

Touch sensitive.

2,359,000 dot (XGA).

170° viewing angle.

100% frame coverage.

NO AUTO BRIGHTNESS CONTROL.

 

Storage       specifications       top

CFexpress (Type B) memory cards.

Nikon says it also takes XQD cards, but I don't beleive it.

 

Connectors       specifications       top

Nikon D6

Nikon D6 Connector Covers. bigger.

USB-C.

Type C HDMI.

3.5mm stereo mic input with plug-in power.

3.5mm stereo headphone output.

10-pin Nikon remote: for things like optional MC-30A/MC-36A remotes or WR-1 Wireless Remote Controllers.

Peripheral connector for WT-6/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter

RJ45 for Ethernet:

 

Ethernet       specifications       top

RJ45.

10/100/1000 Mbps with auto detect.

IEEE 802.3ab (1000BASE-T)

IEEE 802.3u (100BASE-TX)

IEEE 802.3 (10BASE-T)

 

Wi-Fi       specifications       top

IEEE 802.11b/g/n (Africa, Asia, and Oceania), IEEE 802.11b/g/n/a/ac (Europe, U.S.A., Canada, Mexico), IEEE 802.11b/g/n/a (other countries in the Americas).

2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11: Africa, Asia, and Oceania), 2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11) and 5180 to 5825 MHz (U.S.A., Canada, Mexico), 2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11) and 5180 to 5805 MHz (other countries in the Americas), 2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11) and 5745 to 5805 MHz (Georgia), 2412 to 2462 MHz (channel 11) and 5180 to 5320 MHz (other European countries).

Maximum output power (EIRP): 2.4 GHz band: 6.8 dBm, 5 GHz band: 6.3 dBm (Georgia), 5 GHz band: 9.3 dBm (other countries).

Authentication: Open system, WPA2-PSK.

 

Bluetooth       specifications       top

Communication protocols: Bluetooth Specification Version 4.2

Frequency: 2402 to 2480 MHz (Bluetooth), 2402 to 2480 MHz (Bluetooth Low Energy).

Maximum output power (EIRP): Bluetooth: 1.3 dBm, Bluetooth Low Energy: -0.2 dBm.

 

GPS       specifications       top

GPS, GLONASS and QZSS.

NMEA logs up to 6, 12 or 24 hours long.

15s, 30s, 1m, 2m or 5 minute updates.

 

Power     specifications       top

New EN-EL18c battery. Also works with all the older EN-EL18 series batteries.

Same MH-26a dual battery charger, included:Nikon MH-26a

Nikon MH-26a battery charger. bigger.

 

Nikon MH-26a

Bottom, Nikon MH-26a battery charger. bigger.

 

Size       specifications       top

6.5 × 6.3 × 3.7 inches.

163 × 160 × 92 millimeters.

 

Weight       specifications       top

51.2 oz./1,450g with battery and 2 CFexpress cards.

44.8 oz. (1270 g) stripped.

 

Included       specifications       top

D6 Camera

BF-1B Body Cap

BS-3 Accessory Shoe Cover

EN-EL18c Rechargeable Li-ion Battery and BL-6 Battery Chamber Cover

MH-26a Battery Charger

UC-E24 USB-C Cable

AN-DC22 Strap

HDMI/USB Cable Clip

DK-27 Eyepiece Adapter

DK-17F Fluorine-Coated Finder Eyepiece

 

Quality       specifications       top

Nikon D6

Nikon D6. bigger.

 

Environment, operating       specifications       top

0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F).

85% or less RH, no condensation.

 

Development Announced       specifications       top

04 September 2019.

 

Product Announced       specifications       top

Tuesday, 11 February 2016, 11 PM NYC time.

 

Promised for       specifications       top

April 2020.

 

Price, USA       specifications       top

November 2022

$6,497 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.

About $4,000 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

February 2020

$6,497 at Adorama and at B&H.

 

Nikon D6

Nikon D6 and 24-70mm f/2.8 VR. bigger.

 

Recommendations       top

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

Recommendations   More

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

You people know who you are. If you shoot Nikon for a living, you need the D6 to stay competitive with all the other guys shooting the same thing. Those two extra frames every second are two more opportunities you lose if you're shooting with the old D5.

If you're not shooting full-time, see Is It Worth It and Should You Upgrade.

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Nikon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used camera. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken Rockwell.

 

More Information       top

Intro   Lens Compatibility   Specifications

Recommendations   More

 

I'd get my D6 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Nikon's D6 page.

Nikon's D6 Press Release.

 

© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Alla rättigheter förbehållna. Toate drepturile rezervate. Ken Rockwell® is a registered trademark.

 

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Ken.

 

 

 

11 Nov 2022, 12 February 2020