Nikon Z6 Mark II vs Sony A7 III Comparison

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Nikon Z6 II

25 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Sony A7 III

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Nikon Z6 II vs Sony A7 III Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing Z6 Mark II and A7 III, two Pro Mirrorless cameras from Nikon and Sony. Nikon Z6 II was introduced to market in October 2020 and Sony A7 III was launched in February 2018. As you can see, A7 III is 2 years older than Z6 Mark II. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon Z6 II Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2020-10-14

25MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)

Nikon Z Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.20" Tilting Screen

3690k dot Electronic viewfinder

14.0fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

705g. 134 x 101 x 70 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Nikon Z6 Compare

Sony A7 III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2018-02-27

24MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Tilting Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

650g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha A7 II Compare

Sony A7 III was replaced by Sony Alpha A7 IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Sony Alpha A7 III
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Nikon Z6 Mark II

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Nikon Z6 Mark II over Sony Alpha A7 III

Viewfinder Magnification	0.8x vs 0.78x	Larger Viewfinder
Max Sensor Resolution	25 MP vs 24 MP	4% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3.2 vs 3″	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	2.100k dots vs 922k dots	127% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	14.0fps vs 10.0fps	4 fps faster
Viewfinder Resolution	3690k dot vs 2360k dot	56% higher resolution
Top LCD	Yes vs No	Help viewing and changing settings easily
Focus Bracketing	Yes vs No	Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking	Yes vs No	Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
Min Focus Sensitivity	EV -4.5 vs EV -3	Autofocus in lower light
CFexpress Card Support	Yes (Type B) vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 III over Nikon Z6 Mark II

Number of Focus Points	693 vs 273	420 more focus points
Battery Life	610 shots vs 410 shots	200 more frames with a single charge
Weight	650 g vs 705 g	55 g lighter
Dynamic Range	14.7 vs 14.4	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	3730 vs 3303	better High ISO performance
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Common Strengths of Nikon Z6 Mark II and Sony Alpha A7 III

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection	Yes vs Yes	Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Tilting vs Tilting	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs Yes	Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	25 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
Continuous Shooting	14.0fps vs 10.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port	Yes vs Yes	better video control
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs Yes	creative shooting
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Storage Slot	2 vs 2	Extra Storage Slot
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support	UHS-II vs UHS-II	Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function	Yes vs Yes	Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti_flicker	Yes vs Yes	Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus	Yes vs Yes	Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Z6 Mark II and Sony Alpha A7 III

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Nikon Z6 II vs Sony A7 III: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon Z6 II has external dimensions of 134 x 101 x 70 mm (5.28 x 3.98 x 2.76″) and weighs 705 g (1.55 lb / 24.87 oz) (including batteries). Sony A7 III has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 74 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.91″) and weighs 650 g (1.43 lb / 22.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III. Sony A7 III is 7mm narrower and 5mm shorter than Nikon Z6 II but it is also 4mm thicker.

Comparison image of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III.

Comparison image of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7 III is 55g lighter than the Nikon Z6 II but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Z6 Mark II

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Z6 Mark II

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both Z6 Mark II and A7 III have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon Z6 II's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A7 III's 3″ screen.

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.

Nikon Z6 II vs Sony A7 III: Sensor Comparison

Nikon Z6 II has a 25.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Dual Expeed 6 processor. On the other hand, Sony A7 III has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Below you can see the Z6 Mark II and A7 III sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III Cameras

Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A7 III has a better overall score of 96, 2 points higher compared to Z6 Mark II's score of 94.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Nikon Z6 II	94	25.0 bits	14.4 Evs	3303 ISO
Sony A7 III	96	25.0 bits	14.7 Evs	3730 ISO

Nikon Z6 II vs Sony A7 III Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Sony A7 III has an advantage over Nikon Z6 II There are 176 lenses for Sony A7 III's Sony E mount, on the other hand there are only 31 lenses for Nikon Z6 II's Nikon Z lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. A7 III's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards.

Lens Type	# of Nikon Z6 II Lenses	# of Sony A7 III Lenses
Standard Zoom	6 (5 Full Frame)	16 (11 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	5 (4 Full Frame)	32 (18 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	2 (2 Full Frame)	9 (8 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	7 (7 Full Frame)	54 (37 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	3 (2 Full Frame)	15 (13 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	3 (3 Full Frame)	26 (20 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	2 (1 Full Frame)	10 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	n/a	2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	3 (3 Full Frame)	9 (8 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	n/a	2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	31 (27 Full Frame)	176 (119 Full Frame)

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Z 24-70mm F2.8 S	24 - 70mm	805gr	1510gr	126mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM	24 - 70mm	886gr	1536gr	136mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200 F2.8 VR S	70 - 200mm	1440gr	2145gr	220mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM	70 - 200mm	1480gr	2130gr	200mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Z 50mm F1.8 S	50mm	415gr	1120gr	87mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony Zeiss FE 50mm F1.4 ZA	50mm	778gr	1428gr	108mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Z 14-30mm F4 S	14 - 30mm	485gr	1190gr	85mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM	16 - 35mm	680gr	1330gr	122mm	Amazon B&H Photo

24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Z 24-200mm F4-6.3 VR	24 - 200mm	570gr	1275gr	114mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS	24 - 105mm	663gr	1313gr	113mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Nikon Z DX 50-250mm F4.5-6.3 VR	75 - 375mm	405gr	1110gr	110mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS	100 - 400mm	1395gr	2045gr	205mm	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon Z6 II for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 25.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon Z6 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Nikon Z6 II for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 14.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
273 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 610 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Read the details

Nikon Z6 II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
705g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
650g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Nikon Z6 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A7 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 25.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Nikon Z6 II vs Sony A7 III: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III scores compare:

Nikon Z6 II

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #20 out of 98 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #21 out of 1239 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #27 out of 98 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #28 out of 1239 in all Cameras

Nikon Z6 II has a higher Overall Score than the Sony A7 III and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6 II Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Z6 Mark II	Sony Alpha A7 III
Brand	Nikon	Sony
Announced	2020-10-14	2018-02-27
Body Type	SLR-style mirrorless	SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	35.9 x 23.9 mm	35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area	858.01mm²	852.04mm²
Megapixels	25 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	6048 x 4024	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	51,200 ISO	51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	204800 ISO	204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	273	693
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon Z	Sony E
Number of Available Lenses	31	176
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3.20"	3.00"
Resolution	2,100k dots	922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	3,690k dots	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.8x	0.78x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	14.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	705g	650g
Dimensions	134 x 101 x 70mm	127 x 96 x 74mm
Battery Life	410 shots	610 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	94	96
DxO Color Depth	25.0	25.0
DxO Dynamic Range	14.4	14.7
DxO Low Light ISO	3303	3730
	Report a correction	Report a correction