Nikon Z6II Review

I’ve used the Nikon Z6II for around three years across sports, real estate, and other creative work. In many ways, it reminds me why I’ve always trusted Nikon. The body feels solid and thoughtfully built, the ergonomics are second nature, and the colors coming out of the sensor have that unmistakable Nikon warmth. Every time I review files from it, I’m reminded of the brand’s attention to image quality and design.

Unfortunately, those familiar strengths are constantly overshadowed by one major weakness. The autofocus system has let me down too many times to count, often in the exact moments where reliability matters most. It struggles to keep up with unpredictable movement, tends to lock onto the wrong subject, and can hesitate just long enough to miss the shot. In controlled environments, it performs well enough, but when the pace picks up, its limitations quickly surface.

It’s a frustrating experience because the Z6II does so much else right. It feels professional, delivers beautiful files, and carries Nikon’s heritage of craftsmanship. But for me, those positives are too often overshadowed by missed focus and lost opportunities. A camera that should have been a dependable workhorse instead became one I could only trust part of the time. That’s a difficult compromise for any photographer who depends on precision.

Despite all of this, I hope there's a future where, once the price drops enough, the Z6II can be a respectable budget option for an entry to full frame mirrorless cameras on Z-mount for those not involved in any action based or high pressure photography genres with it's excellent low light performance and access to (in my opinion) the best and most fun lens lineup money can buy.