The Nikon D6 has officially been in the pipeline since early September, when Nikon announced the development of its flagship action snapper.
But now we have a rumored release date:
Whether the D6 will actually come out on February 12 isn’t certain (Nikon Rumors notes that this may be the date of an internal Nikon presentation), but it seems highly likely that the camera will be announced in February.
Note that this puts the D6 announcement close to the expected Canon 1D X Mark III release date (which is sometime in the first few months of 2020), and the potential announcement of the Canon EOS Rs (which is also in February of 2020).
While the D6 won’t be competing against any Rs-type camera, the Canon 1D X Mark III will be the D6’s direct competitor, forcing sports and action photographers across the world to make a tough choice between the Canon and Nikon flagships.
We already know that the Canon 1D X Mark III will feature 20 fps continuous shooting in Live View and 16 fps when using the viewfinder. Canon has also promised an upgraded autofocus system that sports enhanced tracking and improved low light AF capabilities.
As for the D6, while nothing official has been announced, we do have some updated specification rumors:
- Upgraded IBIS from the Z-system
- Upgraded silent shooting
- Dual CFExpress card slots
- 4K video at 60p
- A 24 MP sensor
- Enhanced dynamic range
- Better autofocus, but with the same point count as the Nikon D5 (153 points, 99 cross-type)
While there is no official information on the Canon 1D X Mark III megapixel count, it’s likely that it will be close to 24 MP (and some rumors suggest it could be even higher), so Nikon D6 may not surpass the 1D X series in that area.
But I’m certainly looking forward to learning more about the new Nikon (and Canon) AF system, and equally excited about the continuous shooting speeds on the Nikon D6. Will it be able to match Canon’s 16 fps/20 fps combo? Or could it possibly surpass it?
If you’re a sports, action, or even wildlife shooter, I recommend you keep your eyes peeled for more news.
The Nikon D6 will almost certainly be here soon, hopefully with the features we all want to see!
What do you think? How will the Nikon D6 compare to the Canon 1D X Mark III? Are you excited about the Nikon D6 release? Share your thoughts in the comments!
