Nikon Z6 III Auto Focus = PASS OR FAIL?! (Real World Preview)

[@froknowsphoto]

What are your thoughts after seeing the Z6 III's Auto Focus in action in the Real World?

[@jfinneynowable]

I will buy it! I believe that your accurate criticism of Nikon's auto focus system helped motivate them to get it right! I shoot with a Z7ii and for my purposes it has always done an excellent job. However, I would not be satisfied if I were shooting fast moving subjects!

[@tubularificationed]

@@jfinneynowable your previous Z7 ii purchase indicates, that the 24mp resolution of the Z6 ii wasn't enough for you. Wouldn't it bother you, to downgrade to 24 MP, and being stuck there for, say, the next 4 years?

[@ИмяФамилия-з9щ7э]

Мне нравится, что при съемке с электронным затвором нет затемнения экрана. Эт круто. Я бы снимал без вспышки на электронный затвор, а со вспышкой на механический.

[@michapiotrstankiewicz2713]

My opinion is that it is a camera that should be released 1-2 yrars ago. Good camera, worth money, at good system (now). Hope for nikon for the best.

[@baljindersinghsidhu3959]

I believe Nikon has improved a lot.. one of the best🎉❤❤kudos..

[@michaelmalodrums9674]

Amen ! The end of the AF bashing 😅 even Jared fully knows if you try to use an 85 1.2 lens at 1.2 for super fast action you’re not gonna nail every shot with paper thin DOF . The 24-70 2.8 was the right choice for close in fast action , nothing to do with the camera AF .

[@jameswhitesides4745]

Also dual motor vs single in the 1.2. The single motors are still faster than the first prime 1.8 lineups but not as fast as the 2.8s.

[@michaelmalodrums9674]

@@jameswhitesides4745agreed ! You just wouldn’t normally do sports action at 1.2 . It’s a bit odd unless it was so dark in there that he chose that .

[@CaptainHurricane]

Thank you for writing this. I did not realise. I was really concerned when I saw his first video. You have reassured me. I am very keen to buy this camera.

[@bsc001]

I do believe a lot of the bashing was justified, where the Z6/7/II bodies were concerned. Even my Zf is decently ahead of the AF on my Z6II, the Z9 on a completely different level, especially for BIF. And yes, I agree on the DOF lenses like the 135 1.8 Plena, 50 1.2, 85 1.2. They are portrait lenses first and foremost, but the again, if a camera’s AF can track well at these wide-open apertures, it will work with everything else.

[@LaveaFirmis]

Nikon deserved a bashing, they released cameras with very poor, the AF that wasn't ready. I own the Z6 II and it's poor, if I need to nail focus reliably I have to go back to my D500 and I shouldn't have to.

[@randalfordphoto]

I've ordered a Z6III as a smaller body to compliment my beloved Z9. Also ordering the 40mm F2 for a small lens to go with the body.

[@fthprodphoto-video5357]

The 40mm is a nice compact prime lens, it can make great photos but in comparison with the Sigma 40mm 1.4 Art it’s quite soft

[@randalfordphoto]

@@fthprodphoto-video5357 Interesting... yeah the Sigma would defeat the purpose of getting that lens.

[@fthprodphoto-video5357]

@@randalfordphoto indeed. I own both, actual I purchased the Nikon 40mm F2 Z lens first and made some great shots with it but it has its limits in terms of overall sharpness and it is a bit slow to focus. I gave it to my wife to use it as a 60mm on her Z30 and she loves it for kids portraits. I then found the Sigma 40mm 1.4 ART second hand (demo model) for a great price and it’s basically on par with a Zeiss OTUS quality glass, with autofocus. It’s incredible. (If you don’t mind the bigger glass, and FTZ2 adapter)

[@楊聲宇]

I use Voighlander 40mm f/1.2 on my Z9, and of course it's a manual focus lens.

[@johnw.3636]

I want the Z6III to complement my Z8.

[@photography_by_mnl]

I think seeing the af work and experiencing it are two different animals... it looked fine to me, subject recognition for people is still a little bit behind Canon in my experience, even on the z9. But I found my z9 to be more reliable for animals than the R6ii I owned before switching. Other way around for portraits/weddings... but the differences are minor and I I am/ was happy with either system. The problem with Nikon focusing on the background, unable to acquire focus again is something I also noticed, but rarely get... really annoying tho when it happens... but I'll just manually focus a lil bit to get rid of the problem in those situations :D (gotta know your gear... no matter the brand) And this is gonna be a hot take... but I think the Z9, currently, is the best in terms of af, when it comes to birds. Faster recognition and focus than an R3 when I was lucky enough to test both at the same day! (no experience with Sony tho, so please forgive me if the A1 or the a9III are better) My final takeaway from this video is that Nikon finally got to a place, where they have great autofocusing flagships and now... FINALLY... more affordable cameras with great af aswell! You'll be able to get great pictures with every current gen camera, no matter the brand.

[@tubularificationed]

And that's probably just the reason, why the lens choice eco system becomes more and more decisive for brand decisions in the future.

[@photography_by_mnl]

@@tubularificationed100% agree! that's why I switched😄

[@tubularificationed]

@@photography_by_mnl just saying 🙂 I just wondered about possible reasons why Nikon Z's mirrorless market share had been plummeting and is approaching the 10% mark, in all market share charts I've seen recently. 10% corresponds to Pentax' level in the DSLR era. I suspect it has to do with the lens choice (including pricing), but am open for other suggestions. (customer segment) Another reason could be, that (just like with Pentax before), now Nikon's user base ages. Making Nikon slowly gravitate towards an old men's brand. Nikon embraces that (e.g. retro cameras, or over-bright viewfinders for those with fading eye sight?), but evolving into an old men's brand means, you don't win new customers, only lose some. It is also problematic for a brand's image. Pentax had been through that before, and see where they are now 😱 (video) Another issue with Nikon Z was them having been a bit underdog for video (which also supports the "for old men" focus). Now Nikon has probably recognized their deficiency there, and starts applying countermeasures, but it is probably too late by now? Everyone with a remote interest in video already had changed to the trinity Sony, Canon, and Panasonic. The market is saturated, there's no space left for another contender to wake up late in 2024.

[@hidetoshitakahashi3881]

I would say that Nikon nailed AF system this time. It's not perfect but this is quite a leap from the Z6,Z6II. For you to say that its AF looks to be a little better than the Z8,Z9...it's a big statement and it goes to show that Nikon did an excellent job this time. I do wedding shoots and I'm using Z6 and D750. I only use single AF mode, not full AF mode, and it works just fine. But I've always wanted a better AF on the Z camera and the Z6III is the camera to get. By the way, the D750 AF sometimes works better than the Z6 and that's the reason why I couldn't let it go. Even if I get the Z6III, the D750 will stay with me.

[@ST-fl5fy]

Does the z6iii have a sensor cover if changing lenses?

[@TheJindelt]

Exactly , I use a Z6 and a D4 for the same reasons and will be getting a Z63

[@michaelmalodrums9674]

He didn’t say it was a little better than the Z 9 and Z8 he said on par .

[@hidetoshitakahashi3881]

@@michaelmalodrums9674 , my misunderstanding. Thank you for correcting me. Nonetheless, the Z6III looks to be an excellent camera.

[@mcandelacom]

​@@ST-fl5fyComing from the original Z6 be frustrated by the dust in some of my videos, I was also looking for this feature. Unfortunately, it seems Nikon didn't included. WTF

[@truthkeeperfilms]

Nothing abnormally bad. Canon also had issues with sticking and focusing on background instead of the subject. Look at the forums and you’ll see AF complaints for every system.

[@stefanweilhartner4415]

at some point the camera would need an interface to the brain of the fotographer to know what he wants to focus on.

[@mitsos88spyr]

Sony rules 😅😅😅

[@truthkeeperfilms]

@@mitsos88spyr - Yeah idk, I had an A7IV that continually froze, requiring the battery to be pulled every time. It couldn’t focus on something as simply as the horizon. Needless to say, I returned it after 3 days. Couple that with the shutter issues that they have, I wouldn’t trust Sony in the long term.

[@TvBoxHead]

Not Sony much

[@mitsos88spyr]

@@truthkeeperfilms I am a wedding videographer . I bought a Sony A7iv as soon as it arrived in the stores and it is my MAIN camera .Although there are newer cameras from Sony with separate chip for focus I don't feel the need to switch my A7iv . It NEVER let me down and I leave in Greece . We have very high temperatures in the summer and it had no problems . I started with Canon originally before 7 years but the last 4 years... only Sony . I am playing around with Nikon since our photographers of the team have Nikon but for VIDEO I think it is the best (except cinema cameras of course ) . Sonys focus is loyal as a loyal dog . :)

[@moneyshift8190]

The way it tracked the kid was impressive.

[@CristiancBucur]

Indeed. Z6II would nail the focus behind the kid.

[@armiiofototaker2896]

Eyes blur but ears in focus 🤦🏻

[@paigeofstylez]

Oddly these pictures are really from a Panasonic 😂😂😂😂😂

[@redsox7897]

Still can't compete with a Sony a7iii af system from 6 years ago 😩

[@moneyshift8190]

@redsox7897 In which way did it not compete? Genuinely asking.

[@baljindersinghsidhu3959]

Amazing job Nikon.. AF is way better than my Z6II.. I'll switch to Z6III in the future for sure.. I'm in love already ..❤❤🎉

[@denault3985]

Good to hear about the auto-focus improvements for Nikon, glad we can put and not change brands.

[@Hodenkat]

I know these things take time, so it's hard to crack on Nikon for finally joining competitors who've had better autofocus for a few years now. Too bad they didn't have a better system back when Canon released their R6 and R5. I may not have switched. I'm invested in the Canon ecosystem now and the cost of switching back is far too great. Cheers to all of you who stuck with Nikon. It looks like the Z6-III is the reward you've been waiting for considering the price!

[@KnightsoftheApex]

I am really glad they fixed the foreground/background issue. I have been limping along with a Z5 for years and that was one of the major things keeping from upgrading and even made me consider switching brands. Going to give the Z6iii a shot.

[@Cincy_Kid]

Did you get one?

[@jeffgaboury3157]

It's great to see Nikon hitting the mark again. They used to be so strong for AF performance and they seem to be hitting their stride again. Great lens lineup too. I'm a Canon shooter and I love the AF on my R8, but I'm a fan of other companies hitting the mark, because competition drives innovation. A solid review - as always.

[@bsc001]

Very good reply, and this is the point fanboys on all sides seem to be missing. Let’s appreciate the efforts of any camera-manufacturer, as innovative features eventually makes it across all brands.

[@zegzbrutal]

Yeah, same thoughts here

[@351linzdoctor]

On my Z9 I don't use 3-D to shoot sports but W-C1 and W-C2 and I customize the Focusing area to my taste then use Face Detection and I get Much Much better performance for the auto focus than 3-D!

[@HenkvanMierlo]

This. I use focus areas in sports most of the time. Especially if there's an audience in the background.

[@TEN21Portraits]

Gotta give you your pros. Those photos of Harper are elite.

[@YoHam513]

In a situation when you were doing sports. I would have activated the box. So that way it will not confuse the auto focus with so many things and people around it . That way it will only look for focus in the box

[@SlayerzXtreme]

I have the Z6ii I love it, but the Z6iii is a freaking beast beyond my imagination! It's has basically everything I wanted and needed to move forward with the hybrid experience, you know photos and videos! I think the time has come to step up the game with a bang. Now I can shoot amazing RAW video straight from the camera itself which is insane!

[@MrCoolAttitude]

Patiently waiting for the head to head comparison between the 3 brands.

[@robeson1231]

Why? Stop wasting your life and just go out and shoot great images

[@gregorius4648]

I think he repeatedly said in his other video that this is the best in it's class. Also this is the best camera under $4000.

[@brianfowler2795]

@@robeson1231 you took his post literally? 😂

[@skyrunr]

Nice editing, distorted gated guitar plays while the subject was lost at 2:23. I just need to the Z6III to be 50% better than the II's and more predictable. I've used the Z7II (over a year,) Z8 (one month), and ZF (one month). When there is no contrast Nikon AF gets confused. A quick nudge on the focus ring helps. It was worse with Dynamic and less so with Wide (L People) which is my favorite mode. If I use 3D I use targeted/manual subject selection (works like Sony/Canon). I NEVER use full area/auto subject detection. i love the new AF features and EVF, but I could shoot pretty well with a D200/D300/D500 without all the fancy tricks. Kind of like driving an old car versus a modern car or even e-bikes. For me, Nikon images need the least amount of editing of all the systems. As long as I can see that I'm out of focus in that fancy new EVF, I think it will be an improvement.

[@ItsPinecone_911]

Yes I agree. Its finally a mirrorless camera for Nikon to be proud of to compete with Canon and Sony in same price range that isnt professional grade like the Z8 and Z9

[@kevc.2958]

is the autofocus better than the ZF？

[@ConfusedAstroStation-mb2ch]

Have the Z9 and pre-ordered the Z6III. Needed a smaller full frame camera for travel and the flip out screen will be perfect for me for video.

[@alphajam1]

When it locks onto the background just pull the focus back by the ring, it only takes a split second. Or use memory recall. One should assign three focus modes for different buttons for different situations. I don't usually get the lost focus foreground much anymore. I don't focus unless I'm going to take the shot. It's like muscle memory. Prefer shooting with the Z9 at 45 megapixels more than a 25. I have the option of getting more action, more players in the shot to tell the story, and crop in to 20 megapixels (or less) for the main subject. Though 11 megapixels is still expectable. This is the drawback with Canon R1 and R3, you can't crop much. I would have liked Canon to have the R1 at 45 megapixels and R3 with the 25 for lower light. I still wouldn't rule out a Nikon Z9h withe 25 megapixels. I may pick up the Z6III because I think it will shine with the -10 ev focusing and the focus point stabilization in low light.

[@johnyoung1606]

What are the 3 focus modes You suggest ?? n What Fn Buttons do You use ??? Thanks :)

[@alphajam1]

@@johnyoung1606 I use auto subject detect, 3D subject and spot. I always practice so it's just second nature for me. I assign buttons for each. Hockey has the least tracking or minimal because it's so fast. I had cameras that had lower dynamic range like the a9iii and the helmets would lose definition with overhead lights in a dark rink, because of shadows and poor lighting. This is a weak point of a Sony a9iii.

[@johnyoung1606]

@@alphajam1 Thanks Again!!! Really appreciate !!!!! I am sure this is a Great way!!!!!

[@alphajam1]

​@@johnyoung1606 Your welcome. You may find a better way that works for you. A camera is a machine, an extension of you.

[@johnyoung1606]

@@alphajam1 Hi ,, I have been shooting with Nikon,, (Nikon F) in 1967 (72yo),,I was a photojournalist n freelancer, for most of My life :) for me it is best to optimize whatever equipment we are using !! There are a few Great Brands, and they are similar but different.... I do not have the networking group I had in the past :( So now I rely upon the Brotherhood of Photogs on the Internet :) I am lucky to come across People like You (sometimes) who are willing to step-up and go well beyond,,, to be helpful... Here is something that I have been sharing,, I hope this is helpful :::: The one thing that I MUST change in My Nikon Z cameras is,, in the Z8,,, "f6 RELEASE BUTTON TO USE DIAL" ""TURN IT ON"" then (WHEN YOU TOUCH ANY '"FN"BUTTON,, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HOLD IT DOWN TILL YOU ARE DONE) push the "FN" button, change the settings then touch any button to finish the change!!!!!!!!!!! "Z6III,,, f7" :) :) :)

[@BernhardStein-v4b]

Hi. I love your videos. The part where "we look through the viewfinder" are so helpfull! This is where we can realy see how it works. It is much better than describing it. Thanks a lot for this!

[@_cjmccullough]

I wonder if some of those misses of the people up close are the minimum focusing distance or just the autofocus of some of these longer lenses

[@36SOAD817HMC]

eazy tip from a Z6 user . throw the focus ring left to bring focus forward and off of background . problem solved in less than 1 sec . . i could feel myself trying to do it when watching this video . sad to see it still need asistance . and also center lock focus tracking is how i am able to trace faces and movement when doing my portrait photography . .. . really not to bad at all . i never really liked auto anything anyways hence why we still shoot manual mode . . . .. .

[@csc-photo]

Problem with that approach is, I do not want the manual focus ring active when I'm shooting in autofocus modes. Too easy to bump on many Z lenses (example, the 1.8's with their giant focus rings). Once you bump it, AF is off and that's hard to catch in the middle of action. This is one reason for a TON of missed AF. I've since assigned Fn1 to AF Mode + AF-ON (Single Point option). Can do this in Z8/9/6III so far. This disables Subject detection and activates single point AF instantly. When you let off, you're back in whatever AF mode and subject detection you were originally in. I don't know any wildlife shooters, in all brands, that don't have a very similar setup. Everyone should learn AF techniques from wildlife shooters. Modern cameras are like playing a musical instrument, they can't think for us (all the time anyway).

[@barryobrien1890]

Would expect exactly the same ag as the Zf, z8, z9 as it's the same processor and lenses. The sensor has less effect as af is driven off the image, and other than a slight difference in speed, there is no reason to think they would cripple it as typically Nikon does not do that. Overall it's very impressive and a great upgrade for sports, wildlife, action and weddings. For the landscape and portrait folks maybe less so. 24MP is probably a little low for these uses. Video is a different bag as this has a lot more features.

[@mortonvisuals]

I shoot a lot of corporate events in dimly lit ballrooms (similar to wedding receptions when they get to the dance portion). I'm curious how the Z6iii can lock on to a face in the dimmer light, vs the Z6ii..?

[@dendobriy3684]

I think new firmwares will make Nikon z6-3 match better...

[@XtremeLinkProduction]

Not sure what to do Jarod.. Nikon Zf or Nikon Z6 III??

[@JuanPacheco-gr5hr]

Really respect, your honest analysis of our 6Zs/Z6IId, unlike those with "fan-boy-itis"...symptoms of fan-boy-itis include tunnel vision, confusion, illusions of grandeur, and minor case of constipation...that sensor shield would have made this the camera I wanted, since I bought into the Nikon mirrorless system...that and smaller lenses.

[@jklbd4815]

Just one question, how good (or bad) the electronic shutter is !?

[@Tmanw8898]

I think it's supposed to be the fastest readout for any camera that isn't a fully stacked sensor. I think the readout speed sits between the R6 mark2s fast readout and the R3s faster readout.

[@mattklingle7004]

I'm curious since a lot of my work is with concert photography. How is it with low light situations like that?

Jared Who has the best auto subject tracking Now ?

[@m0nztam0nk]

For me, after finally ditching Sony for its still awful colour & contrast rendition in Lightroom, Nikon has been absolutely AMAZING! My only 2 brands currently due to colour and skintones are Fuji and Nikon. I might actually prefer Nikons colour (shocking), but most importantly, compared to my a7s3 and a74, the z8 has been an upgrade, the af is AMAZING. But, Nikon has some slower lenses, that wont keep up with erratic running kids (35 1.8, 50 1.8)…you can still do it, but hitrate drops to 80%…the 2.8 Zoom however basically never misses

[@WIDGI]

Nikon cameras autofocus even better when you know how to use them! 3D is a specific mode that Jared has been told he's using wrong for years. It's like using a car in the wrong gear because you expect it to be automatic and you don't know how to drive with three pedals and seven gears. 🤷‍♂️😄

[@rbos6001]

Wonder what focuses better this Nikon Z6iii or the Canon R6II/R8?

[@jaysizzle17]

From the look of it the problem was shooting with the f/1.2 wide open.. it seems like 2.8 is the sweet spot for tracking movement.. the f/1.2 wide open can get the pretty portraits with little movement.

[@bsc001]

Thanx for a good and balanced review of the AF, Jared. I won’t be getting the Z6iii, already own the Z9 and Zf, as well as a Z6II, so pretty well covered for all eventualities. Happy for the Wedding Photographers and Videography crowd, this should be a very decent body for them. Take it easy that side, keep pushing.

[@pixeljarbv]

As a non professional everlasting doubter I’m really interested in the difference between the Zf and the Z6 III. The Zf seems like more fun and an easy buy over the Z6 II, but I didn’t get to it and now I’m not sure what to buy.

[@pierrevilley6675]

Z6III>Zf>Z6II. If you're a casual shooter who uses mostly lighter lenses (Standard F/1.8, F/2, F2.8 primes, or F4 zooms) the Zf might be the most fun option (and it looks badass). Otherwise you'll want a real grip with more Fn buttons, and a Z6III is the way to go. If you don't plan on relying on Eye-AF, a used Z6I is still a great option as they're dirt cheap (500-600€) while still being extremely performant (except for eye AF, which is somewhat decent in most cases, but not reliable).

[@pixeljarbv]

Currently using the Z6 I with the 35mm F1.8 (still rocking an old 70-200 2.8 or an 85 1.8 sometimes). The reason I was browsing for something else is the crappy eye AF and the 35mm being a tad too big to carry around all day, So I was looking at the Zf + 40mm F2, just to find out that the Zf is actually a bit bigger than the Z6 but it's so beautiful. So when I saw the Z6 III coming out, I started doubting again that the Zf would perform 'way worse' than the Z6 III. But it seems to be mainly a video difference, which is of less importance to me.

[@sandramcquain8715]

Thanks, Jared. I would love to see you compare the Nikon and the Canon R6ii.

[@imamruta]

Wow! I was just waiting for it to miss the mark, exactly all same test done in similar setups for Z6II was so disappointing to watch when you did it in 2020. It has come a long way. I am genuinely happy and what have been waiting for. “ yes its the Hardware” you guys, like an windows update can’t fix the speed of your computer (i5-i7) similarly a firmware can’t fix the autofocus problem 😊. I have a nikon D5600 and a Canon R6 , i am upgrading my nikon after a few more videos of Jared. 😀 By the way, my 2021 Cannon R6 buy was based on research watching Jared’s comparison between nikon z6II, Canon R6 and a Sony ( cannot remember the model) . Yieeee 🎉

[@Meth0z]

That tracking of the kid running towards the camera is nuts.. like a video i saw of a Z9 recording a bird flying towards the camera.. and it was perfecto focus all the way.. crazy!! So Nikon got that right.. which is allegedly the most difficult way of tracking.. but... tracking a standing subject with stuff getting in the way still messes up with the tracking? daang..

[@livejames9374]

Watch Julia Trotti’s review of Z63. The issue was Jared using 3d tracking.

[@pierrevilley6675]

@@livejames9374 Even then, if 3D tracking setup on the Z6 is comparable to what we had on the reflexes, you can set the "reactivity" of the AF so it ignores obstructions.

[@pierrevilley6675]

@@codebunnies Okay, good to know for the future, i'm a Z6 mk1 user, so the only 3D tracking i used was on my trusty D810, but i plan to buy a Z8 or Z9 once the used price will be low enough.

[@BobG-eh5fc]

Thanks for a great review. Curious about how fast the Z6iii is with old "F" lens. Thinking about upgrading from D850 and have a bunch of "F" lens that I'd prefer to keep.

[@vzshadow1]

Thanks. I ordered one for my wife a few days ago based on your first video.

[@OkwyUgonweze]

The least you can do is to assign two buttons to two different af modes ,you can’t rely on 3D for everything’that’s lame . In some situations you need another af mode to get the shot that’s why the options is there .

[@nigerian-nightmare]

He was experimenting with different modes and clearly stated so. You guys should refrain from criticizing him constantly for stating facts. The hate on Nikon fanboys for this guy is getting out of hand. I wonder why Nikon keeps inviting him to test their cameras.

[@livejames9374]

@@nigerian-nightmare1.4M followers?

[@nigerian-nightmare]

@@livejames9374 yep. He must be doing something right. All these haters are jealous of him.

[@AnonGoogleuser]

For most of these situations I would have used 3D tracking in a small wide focus box instead of full field 3D tracking. The latter I only use with stationary birds and switch over to the boxed 3D tracking as soon as it flies away.

[@pasara21]

is the AF much faster than the Nikon Zf

[@matthewmallett4718]

11:11. "Nikon have finally got to the place".. Great news as they have and do make great cameras......but.........that statement says its all. They've caught up not exceeded. Meanwhile nearly everyone else is looking forwards not backwards. I truly wish them every luck.

[@joshuagarcia184]

Does the Z6iii still black out when shooting continuous?

[@livejames9374]

No blackout in electronic shutter. Blackout is much less than Z6ii with mechanical shutter.

[@Gass96851]

I have to buy my first mirrorless and I want ask you….Wait the Sony alpha 7v or buy the Nikon z6iii? Plus and minus for each? I will use that for photos and videos. Thanks

[@jdam28k]

First mirrorless, buy a used a7iii or z6ii and put more money into glass, all cameras are good, invest in the glass that you want. Cameras change all the time but your lens won’t.

[@Axis360]

Is Jared coming home? Nikon came out strong with intent but under-delivered with real-world results. Now, it's got firmware updates that put them in the game impressively! I have Z9 and Z6ii; the 6iii is interesting. I came from sports shooting Lacrosse, which is insanely tough due to the action and tight space. I'm not sure there is anything more demanding, but going through the shots captured is time-consuming. I am now hitting the road and capturing landscape - learning a lot and have captured some photos that are above the curve, fun fun fun! On this last trip to Yellowstone, I put in the bird focus- amazing hawks with nest protecting and feeding newborns with great flight and flight action. My lens is 100-400 4.5-5.65, so I don't have the speed or low light ability of 400 2.8, which I would love, but I can't tell my kids I chose a lens over their college. The fact that the Z6iii has such a focus choice on subjects is outstanding- I know picking the subject, especially with quick and tight quarters, is key! The auto falls off and having wrong subject- forget it! Nikon should be commended for the growth of mirrorless lenses- I try to stay with the 2.8 range, but again, I am not Mr moneybags- you're lucky if you are! Nikon good job- firmware updates are the key to staying relevant and in the game- Your lenses have no equal I hope to say that about your camera's Z9 is flag ship so do not forget that focus!

[@sanchitpardhekar5907]

Ok the final question canon EOS R6 mark 2 or a nikon Z6mark 3 ???

[@sanchitpardhekar5907]

@@codebunnies canon 24-105f/4 and 70-200f/2.8 is enough for me

[@sanchitpardhekar5907]

@@codebunnies I am ok with EF lenses , I will go for canon EOS R6mark2

[@tyleronamac]

Jared, you've used both the Canon R6 ii and this Nikon Z6 iii. How would you compare the focus systems with your experience? I'm shooting XC mountain biking.

[@look9005]

What are the work l-arounds for mirrorless and studio strobes

[@ChetPeterman-oi4dx]

Why is the top left signifying that you are shooting in "M" manual??

[@froknowsphoto]

Manual exposure, not manual focus

[@chadolson5537]

I have taken some truly amazing BIF shots with my Z9, but truth be told it still misses focus sometimes, even with the new 180-600 lens. It’s still an amazing camera as I’m taking photos that wouldn’t have been able to get on my old Canon camera. I also love the no shutter mechanism. The Z6iii looks solid. Hopefully the next flagship will put the Z9 to shame.

[@novingeorgethomas]

Can you give a comparison reviews between z6 iiiand zf?

[@thekingofhearts8687]

Great to see Nikon becoming a serious contender even though they took their sweet time. This will only mean more competition and better valued products coming from different manufacturers. I switched from my original Z6 to a sony a7iv mainly because of the cheaper lens options and also the autofocus. Something that I did not think I would notice was the bump in megapixel but I did!! Another massive difference nobody talks about is the sony having three dedicated dials for ISO, Shutter speed and Aperture which made a difference in the way I shoot. I might be wrong but the Z6iii still seems to be a bit behind than sony and probably canon as well in terms of autofocus and considering the fact that the a7iv is more than 2 and a half year old camera.

[@philippGM]

Very well made video. Maybe best of Nikon Z6 III as of today. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@Ruckus99ss]

How is it compared to z8 after all the updates they have done to z8. I have z6ii and torn between moving to z6iii or spending few dollars more on z8 when on sale.

[@christopherclarke6184]

Hopefully all the new Zf z8 and z9 all use the 7 expeed processor. So unless it’s the evf then we might see a firmware update to these to. I have the Zf and don’t do much fast action type photos . So it hit all the time . Why was you using an external video recorder when the new Z cameras can record video in 10 bit raw . Could you do a test on that function please . Nice review

[@inaflashnetworkinaflashpro918]

Is that the 80's retro He-man and battle cat on your shelf out of focus? 😅

[@wildlifesimon]

Would be interesting to know if you assigned and used any of the buttons to the AF tracking, single shot etc? sorry if I missed it

[@elqpixphotography]

What field monitor are you using? I been looking for where I can still use the viewfinder on the camera as well as the field monitor at the same time.

[@Jones5121]

3:32 whoa what happened there

[@frankfeng2701]

Worse than a 7-year-old Sony a9.

[@LunaBelAir]

Seems to stick pretty good though the 3:30 mark is maybe something to be worried about. Of course every camera messes up to follow focus sometimes but its 2024… It should stick like a glue and react fast of changing objects.

[@saibhargavamanda1062]

Im curious to know how Z6iii campare with ZF

[@markbennett7283]

mentioned the dropped focus with the f1.2 vs the f2.8; did you try the same thing with an F4?

[@cameraz99]

Why weren't you shooting in Auto ISO, instead of having your exposures fluctuate like that?

[@pentzzzify]

how does the focus compare to sony a7IV ?

[@arunmaroli]

Does the AF has hair priority so that focus is on your hair rather than eyes?

[@cristianblazquez7930]

Great video Jared! I use this new system from Nikon (I have the Nikon ZF) and it works very well. I work in events like weddings and I am happy with my camera.

[@tectorama]

It looks pretty good to me, although I wonder who it is aimed at ? As price wise it's very close to the Z8

[@johnleftwich650]

based on your reported results I believe I will upgrade from my Z6 to the Z6III.

[@cristianb5359]

Could these slight AF improvements be forwarded onto the z8/9/f?

[@phphoto]

Finally !!! Nikon, what took you so long 👍🏼

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

The AF certainly tends to drift when an object interrupts the subject. Is it worse than Canon or Sony? That's the question.

[@billmartin1010]

Yes, it is worse.

[@mbismbismb]

Which canon? The latest canon with DPAF ver2 has a setting to lock on the subject despite whatever coming infront of the initial subject

[@michaelmalodrums9674]

@@mbismbismbNikon has focus with lock on too but maybe he’s not using it 😅

[@livejames9374]

@@michaelmalodrums9674Julia trotti has a good demonstration of it.

[@michaelmalodrums9674]

@@billmartin1010 no it’s not ! You have to choose the right lense to shoot sports , not a modelling portrait lens 85 1.2 wide open ! He admits it worked perfectly with a 24-70 2.8

[@JeannotBadjie]

Thank for your thoughts on the Z6III. I have moved on to Sony and I doing a bit of video looking to take it seriously what Sony would be ideal.

[@Vincentecreativeservices]

To be honest, it looks identical to my ZVE1, which has that AI autofocus tracking which is supposed to recognise and prioritize peoples faces, but real world behaves exactly like the Z6iii apparently.

[@frederickdaroza4963]

AF is good but not as good as Sony or Cannon. But this camera is being compared to Sony and Cannon cameras that were release 2-3 years ago. Without a 33M sensor this might be a short window for Nikon.

[@livejames9374]

Nobody cares about 17% more resolution you get with 33MP

[@tubularificationed]

Let's all remember, how in Nikon's DSLR days, the jump from 24 MP (D7xx) to 36 MP (D8xx) was so important and decisive, for enough Nikon customers, that they were willing to pay a 4-digit $ surcharge for getting a D8xx over a D7xx. Was that all psychology only? I suspect it had to do (also) with cropping leeway, something important especially for pros. Now, the Z8 has only 17% more resolution than an A7 IV. So nobody should care about a Z8's resolution then? 😉

[@livejames9374]

@@tubularificationed what’s the bigger difference, 17% of 24 or 17% of 33? Compare 24mp vs 33MP vs 45/50mp and you’ll see the latter has a more noticible difference. 33mp is very slightly different visually.

[@frederickdaroza4963]

Agree with the cropping. Not sure why they went with a 4000 nit, 5,760k EVF. Seems like overkill when that money could have been spent on a better sensor. AF seems good enough but would have preferred the higher resolution sensor, Z9 EVF and Z6 II screen.

[@livejames9374]

@@frederickdaroza4963 if it’s choice between a fast 24mp semi stacked sensor or a 33mp I’m picking the 24mp every time. Especially if any type of video is involved.

[@AndrewEades-i8s]

Quick question - is the top LCD screen the same size as the Z6ii or Z8?

[@froknowsphoto]

It's basically the same size, just rotated, more of a vertical rectangle than horizontal rectangle

[@짱구mori]

Any reasons on using 3d tracking for the baseball and boxing shoot? Does it work better than the small box af modes?

[@vptmatrox]

Will the Nikon Z6III autofocus works well with an FTZ2 adapter, using F zoom lenses such as the 14-24/2.8, 27-70/2.8 and 70-200/2.8? (via Google Translater)

[@shawnwilliams8590]

I still shoot with a Z6, love the camera, especially for astrophotography and landscape. But I will definitely agree the auto-focus sucks on moving targets. I'm definitely thinking about buying the Z6III, then maybe I'll just get the Z6 astro modified 🤔

[@freddensing1224]

So then what was the sense of dual processors in z6 ii then

[@pierrevilley6675]

Increasing AF performance compared to the Z6I, without being obligated to rush the Expeed7 (which was still under development). So they just put a dual Expeed6 setup (one processor for image, and one entirely dedicated to AF). As for the hardware limitations, i think the Z6II could run much better Eye-AF software, but they choose to concentrate on the newer bodies.

[@davids2720]

Hey! What was that noise? The beeping sound at the end (obviously it was suppressed during production)? It sounded ominously like the Nikon Money Truck reversing up the The Factory loading bay…!

[@andrewmason8691]

The AF looks very good. The main “real world” scenario where it struggled was taking photos of a boxing in a gym. What percentage of the population takes photos of people boxing?

[@livejames9374]

And even the boxing was fine when selecting the best mode for the situations full af area, the issues were with 3D and stickiness settings don’t apply to 3d

[@Sashasuzuki]

I am curious about the AF performance difference between the Z6iii, A7RV, and R6ii. I use R6 A7iii and Z7. R6 is way ahead of A7iii/Z7. So, those newer models must be way better, but there might be different competition among them.

[@3akoscielski]

Ah, yes this was the video I needed on a hot summer Saturday afternoon.

[@fruhfruh429]

I’m just curious what’s with the colors of the wall with the little girl and glad you said that was rain because I’m was extremely concerned if the noise looked like that at such a low iso

[@tomirwinphoto]

Appears to be a great, if not best, $2500 full frame hybrid. But unfortunately, six years too late since in 2018 I sold my Nikon D750, D600 & D7100 and moved to Sony. Hoping Sony’s rumored a7V response warrants an upgrade from my a7IV.

[@juanvelazquez5799]

Jared, are you going to try using the z6III for future video cameras in the studio? Or replace the Canon r5 in the studio?

[@mbismbismb]

I just hate the box of AF is so thin its hard to see where it goes

[@chrisvalford]

You can change the thickness of the AF box line on the Z9 and Z8, I haven't seen this reported on the Z6III but I expect it's there as well.

[@mbismbismb]

@@chrisvalfordoh really? Its weird to have a thin box option in the first place 😅

[@chrisvalford]

@@mbismbismb I think the option appeared in FW 5, so the original thin border has been kept as the default

[@vojtechbarta8442]

Now I am not sure if I sholud buy Z6III or Z8 mainly for wedding and very fast moving objects shoots.

[@gregorius4648]

Considering that Nikon is late getting into the mirrorless game, this is very impressive. The have reached so much in such a short time.

[@martintassev9674]

Short time? Around 6 years after A7III hit the market...

[@Vaidanis.]

would you compare this autofocus performance to Sony a7iv or higher?

[@answeris4217]

Or a Canon... Or a Panasonic....

[@alphaandomega2709]

Lower, Panasonic has better autofocus.

[@michael516]

@@answeris4217 Or Pentax... 😉

[@tubularificationed]

This question becomes almost irrelevant, in terms of the roadmap timeline. - Nikon will probably not deliver A6 III until Xmas 2024 or so. Let's safely expect the usual stale excuse "sorry for us not delivering, as demand exceeded our expectations", which we had accompanying each and every new Nikon item so far. - But then, Sony's next A7, the A7 V, is due already in 2025 (as also the A7 is on a 4 years schedule, just like the Z6). So, the actual availability is only a few months apart. Let's expect a likelihood that the A7 V could blow the Z6 III out of the water, with regards to AF and other camera traits. You'd probably want to await the A7 V reviews in 2025, and then make an informed decision, rather than making (potentially) a mistake in a hurry?

[@ghas4151]

The Z6 III is most likely going to perform better than the A7 IV. The Z9/Z8 is significantly better than the A7 IV and the Z6 III looks to be pretty close to the Z9/Z8.

[@throttleblip6544]

Jared did you play with the setting where you can adjust “stickiness” of the focus? Does that make a difference?

[@nightowlnzab]

In 3D tracking, no it doesn't. We don't have a manual yet for the Z6III, but in the ZF manual it says 3D tracking will always use the middle (3) setting for "blocked shot AF response".

[@chrisguli2865]

Jared thanks for a fair review. These shooting situations are probably the most stressful any AF system can handle, with multiple subjects in multiple zones (at the Phillies game), so it was a good test. I am mainly concerned about BIF not events or sports, so I watched Steve Perry's initial tests and it seemed to perform very with usually a lot less distractions background or foreground. Let's not forget the lens and camera work as a team for AF performance, so there will be variable performance with different lenses. I guess you would say the 3D area mode was most accurate?

[@cheungtintimothyszeto2533]

Hi all.... i have got a Z6III... i am having kind of issue and would like to have some suggestions. since i also love playing badminton, therefore, i also love to take photos while playing with my friends. i have trouble to focus on players that are behind the net... now i have tried different AF modes, and the best that i think is using Dynamic Area to focus on their pants or legs.. however, i think there should be some better options....

[@cheungtintimothyszeto2533]

or is there any some function like "Subject-Tracking AF" (pressing OK) in Auto area AF mode...

[@chrisvalford]

My Z9 autofocuses much better than my original Z7, which is much better than my Contax AX. True the 50mm f/1.2 misses occasionally, but try manually focusing the Contax 50mm f/1.4. Let's hope any firmware refinements will be in the next Z9 update.

[@kahotamph]

please compare the af performance with the r6ii