Torn between the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z6 III? Here’s which one I’d choose…

Ah, the reality of being a Nikon photographer in 2025: choosing between more of the best mirrorless cameras than you can shake a monopod at and all the confusion that goes with it. Ever since releasing the mighty Nikon Z9 at the end of 2021, the ‘Big N’ has been busy divvying out those juicy flagship specs across a variety of Z-Series releases, of which the Nikon Z5 II and Nikon Z6 III are the newest additions to the full-frame family.

And on paper, these two cameras are extremely similar. In fact, the most notable difference is the price, with the Nikon Z5 II weighing in at $1,699 / £1,599 / AU$2,699, and the Nikon Z6 III £2,499 / £2,699 / AU$4,499. So, there’s a not-so-insignificant price disparity of nearly $1,000, which is enough to buy some of the best Nikon Z lenses. So, I thought I'd figure out which one I'd choose in the hope of helping out a few fellow Nikon fans in the process.

Well, the answer is pretty simple. If you’re serious about the best cameras for video or want a more future-proof video camera, plump for the Nikon Z6 III. If you’re exclusively a stills photographer or a photographer who only requires video for vlogging and/or social media, save yourself some dough and opt for the Nikon Z5 II. It really needn’t be any more complicated than that. But if you’d like to know why I've made those conclusions – as somebody who's used both – here's what I think...

Autofocus is an interesting one. The Nikon Z5 II doesn’t feature notably slower autofocus than the Nikon Z6 III, although I haven’t tested the two cameras side-by-side. I did spend limited time testing its eye-detection AF alongside my Nikon Z8. Maybe the Z8 was a hair faster and more accurate, but I couldn’t say whether that was down to human error or bias – I’ve got to justify that Z8 outlay somehow, right?

In all seriousness, it stands to reason that the Nikon Z6 III’s partially stacked sensor makes it more capable of faster AF than the Nikon Z5 II, should it receive an AF update in the future. And I haven’t tested the Nikon Z5 II in a sports or wildlife setting, but if the absolute pinnacle of AF speed is a requirement, then the Z6 III is technically the better camera here. And while it doesn’t have bird-detection AF like the Z5 II, @NikonUSA replied to a comment on X (formerly Twitter) and all but confirmed that bird-detection AF will arrive before the year is out.

Otherwise, both cameras are 24.5MP, powered by the EXPEED 7, have impressive IBIS, -8.5 EV, Pre-Release Capture, and Pixel Shift. But, while the Z6 III beats its younger sibling with a max shutter speed of 1/16,000 sec, the big difference is of course, burst shooting. The Nikon Z6 III can capture RAW files at 14fps (mechanical) and 20fps (electronic), with the ability to capture uncropped JPEG images at 60fps and cropped JPEG images at 120fps.

The Nikon Z5 II lags behind with 11fps (mechanical) and 15fps (electronic), with uncropped JPEG images captured at 30fps. But for most photographers, those burst speeds are more than adequate. After all, it wasn’t all that long ago that 14fps was the preserve of the flagship DSLR.

I personally would have no problem shooting with the Nikon Z5 II, even in a sports or wildlife setting. Would I prefer to use the Nikon Z6 III? Yes. Do I think its stills specs warrant the $1,000 price difference? No. But when it comes to video, it’s a very different story.

You see, the Nikon Z6 III really does pull away from the Nikon Z5 II from a video perspective. For starters, it can shoot 6K 60p, while the latter maxes out at 4K 60p. And even then, the Z5 II crops 4K 60p footage, while the Z6 III uses the full width of the sensor. The higher-end camera also has the ability to shoot cropped 4K 120p for super-smooth slow motion, and can shoot full HD up to 240p, contrary to the Z5 II’s 120p. Another video boon is the Z6 III’s ability to house a CFExpress card and SD card, for your choice of storage depending on what you're shooting.

So, there you have it. If I was going to use the Nikon Z6 III’s extensive video upgrades, it’d be a no-brainer. But if I was happy with the Nikon Z5 II’s still decent video capabilities, or only cared about photography, I’d elect to save a dollar or two by picking up the Z5 II and buy a nice lens with my savings.

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Want to listen to more of my ramblings? Here's why I think a crusty old DSLR is still the best cheap camera. How about you buy your first fast lens, and now your camera aperture is fixed at f/1.8 forevermore – sound familiar? And finally, think a good photographer can take a great photo anywhere? Fuhgeddaboudit!