1. Home
  2. Photography
  3. News

Nikon’s flagship and very pricey D6 camera finally starts shipping

By

Nikon’s flagship D6 camera is finally shipping in the U.S.

Recommended Videos

Aimed primarily at professional sports photographers and photojournalists, the highly advanced full-frame DSLR comes with a hefty price tag of $6,500. And that’s body-only.

The camera’s original launch date in April was abandoned because of a shortage of components caused by the coronavirus pandemic. But with production lines starting to ramp up again, Nikon was able to set a new shipping date for May 21.

The top-of-the-range D6 comes with Nikon’s best autofocus technology to date with a densely packed 105-point AF system comprising cross-type sensors, each one selectable.

High-speed continuous shooting is possible at a zippy 14 frames per second, with that headline autofocus system able to keep the subject sharp at all times thanks to the camera’s improved tracking performance.

The D6 comes with a 20.8-megapixel sensor and an ISO range from 100 to 102,400. It also supports recording of 4K UHD video. Nikon designers incorporated a number of workflow improvements, too, in an effort to help professional photographers deliver their images to picture desks in the quickest time possible.

Of course, with the coronavirus outbreak forcing the cancellation of sports events everywhere, professional photographers who upgrade to the D6 will, for the time being, have to wait for a proper chance to fire up the new camera. Many had been looking forward to taking it for a spin at the Tokyo Olympics in July, but the pandemic forced the event’s postponement until 2021.

Rival camera company Canon has also been hit by virus-related disruption, closing at least five production facilities in Japan for several weeks in March 2020. It also sent thousands of office-based employees home for a couple of weeks in April, with only a small number required to work during that time.

If you’re interested in a new DSLR but the D6 offers way more than what you need, then check out these offerings designed for all budgets and abilities.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Nikon adds pet eye AF with major firmware update for the Z 6 and Z 7

Nikon’s first-generation, full-frame mirrorless cameras are catching up, thanks to a firmware update. Announced late on Monday, February 17, Firmware version 3.0 for the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7 brings animal eye AF and improvements to subject tracking, along with some of the previously promised CFexpress memory card support. The new crop sensor Nikon Z 50 also sees an update with improvements to video autofocus for vlogging.

Nikon’s new animal eye AF could be better described as pet AF -- the new feature works on cats and dogs. Like with focusing on humans, photographers can use the left and right keys to switch between eyes or faces when photographing groups. The animal eye AF also works with video, Nikon says.

Read more
Nikon crowns a new flagship: The 14 fps, 105-point Nikon D6

Nikon has a new top camera. Unveiled late on Tuesday, February 11, after teasing the camera in the fall, the Nikon D6 upstages the D5 with a new processor delivering a 14 frames-per-second burst rate and a new 105-point autofocus system.

The D6 houses the same sensor as the D5, a full-frame, 20.8-megapixel option that’s also capable of 4K video at 30 fps. While the resolution may be identical to the predecessor, a new EXPEED 6 processor gives the flagship -- commonly used for professional sports -- a bit of a speed boost. The D6 shoots at 14 fps compared to the D5’s 12 fps, with the option for a 10.5 fps silent shutter, or 8 megapixel Live View photos at 30 fps.

Read more
The Nikon D780 is finally here, with 4K video and insane battery life

It has been five years since Nikon launched the D750, and now it has finally come up with a successor. Announced at CES 2020, the D780 carries on the tradition of being a lightweight but rugged DSLR, while inheriting some mirrorless technology from the Nikon Z series. New autofocus, 4K video, improved ISO sensitivity, and a number of smaller tweaks have made their way into the camera.

The D750 is Nikon's most popular full-frame DSLR ever made, giving the D780 some big shoes to fill. But on first inspection, one would be forgiven for being underwhelmed with the new camera's specs. It uses a 24-megapixel sensor and 51-point viewfinder autofocus system, numbers that have not changed since the D750.

Read more