Well, it’s official:
The Nikon D6 is under development, as announced by Nikon earlier this week.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, because the Nikon D6 has been whispered about for months, including a lengthy list of rumored specifications.
But it’s nice to know the D6 is on its way.
Unfortunately, Nikon’s announcement includes no details on the D6, except that it will be the company’s “most advanced DSLR to date.” This may be a reference to the D6’s autofocus system, which is rumored to be better than even the Nikon D5’s incredible system.
Note that the Nikon D5 is famed for its autofocus capabilities. The D5 AF system featured 153 focus points, including 99 cross-type points. Better autofocus capabilities would be an exciting upgrade for action photographers, especially if it includes some form of Live View autofocus to rival Canon’s Dual Pixel system.
The announcement also indicated that the D6 will be a DSLR rather than a mirrorless camera. This puts to rest any speculation about Nikon’s flagship system moving to mirrorless, though rumors suggest the D6 will have several mirrorless-style features.
For instance, the D6 will likely include in-body image stabilization, which Nikon included in its full-frame mirrorless bodies, the Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7. The camera may also have a high-performing silent shooting mode, which will be appreciated by photographers who need to remain discrete at events.
Now, the Nikon D6 is a professional’s camera, competing primarily with the Canon 1DX Mark II (and its likely successor, the Canon 1DX Mark III). The Nikon D6 line is primarily designed with professional sports photographers in mind, hence the incredible autofocus capabilities. It will undoubtedly feature a rugged body and lightning-fast continuous shooting speed, as well.
The Nikon D6 will likely begin shipping in early 2020, which will give professional sports photographers plenty of time to get used to its capabilities before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
So if you’re a professional sports photographer, don’t worry:
The D6 is in the works, and it’s guaranteed to impress.
Are you a Nikon user? Will you be getting the Nikon D6 or are you switching over to mirrorless? Let us know in the comments!
