Some interesting new specs for the Nikon Z6s and Z7s, the rumored new full-frame mirrorless flagships, may have leaked alongside some rough price tags.
The current Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7 are still both riding high in our best mirrorless camera guide, but are approaching their second birthdays, having both arrived in November 2018. That's why Nikon is expected to release incremental updates to both models called the Nikon Z6s and Z7s later this year.
We first saw possible specs for the cameras in July 2020, but now the usually reliable Nikon Rumors has posted more rumored specifications for the cameras.
In its previous leak, Nikon Rumors revealed that both cameras will likely have the same sensors as their predecessors – which means 24.5MP and 45.7MP full-frame sensors for the Nikon Z6 and Z7 respectively.
But a new rumored spec for the cameras include new 5.76-million dot EVFs, which would be a significant upgrade on the 3.69-million dot viewfinders on the current models. This was by no means a weakness on the Nikon Z6 and Z7, but with cameras like the recent Sony A7S III pushing EVF resolutions to an incredible 9.44-million dots, an upgrade in this department is certainly welcome.
The Nikon Z6s and Z7s are also expected to offer 4K/60p video, along with the somewhat vague promise from Nikon Rumors of "more new video features". We'd expect that to include the addition of features like Eye-AF and perhaps, at a stretch, the ability to shoot 10-bit video internally, rather than the current 8-bit.
- These are the best full-frame cameras you can buy right now
- Sony A7C vs Panasonic Lumix S5: which is the best full-frame camera?
- Or check out our guide to the best cameras in the world
Twice as nice
The Nikon Z6 is already a pretty impressive mirrorless camera for video, as unlike the higher-resolution Nikon Z7, it doesn't need to employ techniques like pixel binning or line-skipping to output its 4K video. But it's fallen slightly behind the features offered by new rivals like the Sony A7C and Panasonic S5 in this area, so we'll be interested to see what those "new video features" in the Z6s and Z7s turn out to be.
Another important improvement, which Nikon Rumors reported in its previous leak, is the inclusion of dual memory card slots. These are expected to be CFexpress/XQD and SD slots, though it's possible both slots will support the speedier, if pricier, CFexpress and XQD cards.
Aside from optional vertical grips and a Dual Expeed processors (which could provide an important performance boost), that's about it for Nikon Z6s and Z7s rumors so far – apart from a hint at their price tags. Nikon Rumors has reported that the new cameras will cost more than the current asking prices for the Nikon Z6 ($1,797 / £1,449 / AU$2,995) and Nikon Z7 ($2,497 / £2,249 / AU$4,780).
That's to be expected given that the latter are both almost two years old. But what will be interesting is if the Nikon Z6s and Nikon Z7s dip below their predecessors' respective launch prices, which were a much higher $1,995 / £2,099 / AU$3,300 (Nikon Z6) and $3,999 / £3,399 / AU$5,500 (Nikon Z7).
If the new successors do indeed arrive as expected in October 2020, we can also expect to see some good deals on the Nikon Z6 and Z7 during Black Friday, which is expected to kick off on November 27. Decisions, decisions.
- These are the best 4K cameras you can buy right now
