Canon R6 vs Nikon Z6 III

The Canon EOS R6 and the Nikon Z6 III are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2020 and June 2024. Both the R6 and the Z6 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24.3 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R6		Nikon Z6 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
20 MP – Full Frame sensor		24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/60p Video		6K/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-64,000 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
138 x 98 x 88 mm, 680 g		139 x 102 x 74 mm, 670 g

Check R6 price at
amazon.com
Check Z6 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R6 and the Nikon Z6 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon R6 and the Nikon Z6 III is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z6 III is somewhat larger (5 percent) than the Canon R6. However, the Z6 III is slightly lighter (1 percent) than the R6. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R6 gets 360 shots out of its Canon LP-E6NH battery, while the Z6 III can take 380 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15c power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z6 III	139 mm	102 mm	74 mm	670 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Z6 III is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Z6 III offers a higher resolution of 24.3 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the R6. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 6.57μm for the R6). However, it should be noted that the Z6 III is much more recent (by 3 years and 11 months) than the R6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z6 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z6 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.2 x 20.1 inches or 76.8 x 51.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 40.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R6 are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the R6, the Z6 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon EOS R6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z6 III are ISO 100 to ISO 64000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the R6 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Z6 III uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
2.		Nikon Z6 III	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3318	97
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
9.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
10.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
11.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
12.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
13.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
14.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
15.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Z6 III provides a better video resolution than the R6. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Z6 III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R6 (5760k vs 3690k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R6 and Nikon Z6 III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon Z6 III	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Z6 III, but is missing on the R6 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R6 and the Nikon Z6 III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The R6 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Z6 III uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R6 and Nikon Z6 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z6 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Both the R6 and the Z6 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Z6 III replaced the earlier Nikon Z6 II, while the R6 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Nikon websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R6 better than the Nikon Z6 III or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R6:

• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2020).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z6 III:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24.3 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 4k/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.76x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 11 months of technical progress since the R6 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z6 III is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 1 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R6 and the Nikon Z6 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R6 or the Z6 III perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z6 III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R6 price at
amazon.com
Check Z6 III price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check R6 price at
amazon.com
Check Z6 III price at
amazon.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.