Nikon Z 8 vs Z6III

Two EXPEED 7 full-frame Nikon bodies with 20 fps electronic bursts, C120 pre-release capture and the same CFexpress Type B/XQD plus SD card pairing. The 2023 Z 8 is the resolution body: a 45.7MP stacked sensor, no mechanical shutter at all, 1/32000 s and 8K video. The 2024 Z6III has 24.5MP on a partially stacked sensor, a mechanical shutter, a 5.76M-dot finder, a vari-angle screen, AF rated to −10 EV and more shots per charge with energy saving on.

A black Nikon Z 8 with a zoom lens, shown at an angle on a dark reflective surface — **Nikon Z 8**45.7MP stacked, 8K · launched at $3,999.95 in 2023Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

A black Nikon Z6III with a large NIKKOR Z zoom lens on a store display stand — **Nikon Z6III**24.5MP partially stacked · launched at $2,499.95 in 2024Photo: 昼落ち via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (resized)

Side-by-side specs

	Nikon Z 8	Nikon Z6III
Sensor	45.7MP FX, stacked	24.5MP FX, partially stacked
Processor	EXPEED 7	EXPEED 7
ISO (stills)	64–25600; Lo to ISO 32, Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent	100–64000; Lo to ISO 50, Hi to ISO 204800 equivalent
ISO (movies, mode M)	64–25600; Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent	100–51200; Hi to ISO 204800 equivalent
Autofocus	493 points (single-point); −7 to +19 EV (−9 EV with starlight view)	273 points (single-point) / 299 (auto-area); −10 to +19 EV
Shutter	Electronic only; 1/32000–30 s	Mechanical 1/8000–30 s; electronic to 1/16000 s
Bursts	Continuous high 10–20 fps; C15/C30/C60/C120	About 14 fps (continuous high extended); 20 fps electronic; C15/C30/C60/C120
Viewfinder	0.5-in OLED, about 3,690k dots, 0.8x	0.5-in OLED, about 5,760k dots, 0.8x
Screen	3.2-in, about 2,100k dots, tilts vertically and horizontally	3.2-in, about 2,100k dots, vari-angle
Video	8K UHD to 30p; 4K to 120p; N-RAW 8K to 60p	5.4K to 60p; 4K to 120p; 6K/60p N-RAW
Card slots	CFexpress Type B/XQD + SD UHS-II	CFexpress Type B/XQD + SD UHS-II
Battery (CIPA, EN-EL15c, energy saving on)	About 340 (viewfinder only) / 370 (monitor only)	About 380 (viewfinder only) / 410 (monitor only)
Weight (with battery and card)	About 910 g (820 g body only)	About 760 g (670 g body only)
Size	144 × 118.5 × 83 mm	138.5 × 101.5 × 74 mm
Launch price	May 10, 2023; $3,999.95 body-only SRP (US)	Jun 17, 2024; $2,499.95 body-only SRP (US)

Z 8 specs from Nikon's Z 8 online manual (Specifications, Battery Endurance); Z6III specs from Nikon's Z6III online manual (Specifications, Battery Endurance); Z6III 6K N-RAW from Nikon, as cited in our Z6III review. US launch prices from Nikon Inc. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.

Sample photos

Four photos taken with the Nikon Z8 and four with the Nikon Z6 III, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.

Sample photo 1 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Enoch Leung from Canada via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 2 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Luc Viatour via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 3 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Lviatour via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)

Sample photo 4 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Glenn Beltz via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 5 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z6 III — Taken with the Nikon Z6 III. Photo: xiangyang17 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 6 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z6 III — Taken with the Nikon Z6 III. Photo: いそっぴ via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.1 JP (resized)

Sample photo 7 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z6 III — Taken with the Nikon Z6 III. Photo: xiangyang17 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 8 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z6 III — Taken with the Nikon Z6 III. Photo: Martin Myotis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Who should buy which

Buy the Z 8 if…

You crop hard or print large: 45.7MP on a stacked sensor.
You want 8K video and N-RAW 8K to 60p.
You want no mechanical shutter to wear, with electronic speeds to 1/32000 s.

Buy the Z6III if…

You shoot events and low light: AF rated to −10 EV and stills ISO to 64000.
You want a mechanical shutter, a 5.76M-dot finder and a vari-angle screen.
You want the lighter body with more shots per charge: about 380 / 410 with energy saving on.

Both use EXPEED 7, 20 fps electronic bursts with C120 pre-release capture and the same card pairing, so the choice is resolution and 8K against a mechanical shutter, a sharper finder, a vari-angle screen and less weight. Battery figures are Nikon's CIPA numbers with energy saving on for both cameras (Nikon's manuals also list lower figures with it off). See our full Z 8 and Z6III reviews, or all comparisons.

Where to buy

Nikon Z 8

Z 8 · body (new or Renewed)

Nikon Z 8: Launched at $3,999.95 in 2023 (Nikon Inc. SRP, body only, May 10, 2023).

Check price (new) Check price (Renewed)
Read the full Nikon Z 8 review

Nikon Z6III

Z6III · body (new)

Nikon Z6III: Launched at $2,499.95 in 2024 (Nikon Inc. SRP, body only, June 17, 2024).

Check price
Read the full Nikon Z6III review

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