Nikon Z6 Mirrorless Review - A Great Value Mirrorless Camera? | Uncommon Sense with Mike Kovaliv

Is the Nikon Z6 still worth buying in 2026? In this honest review, I share why this original full-frame mirrorless camera remains an excellent choice — especially as a second body or affordable entry into the Nikon Z system — even years after its release.

Whether you're a DSLR shooter (like me with my Nikon D750) thinking about adding mirrorless, or a beginner looking for a pro-level full-frame camera on a budget, the Z6 delivers superb image quality, in-body stabilization, silent shooting, and solid ergonomics that feel right at home for Nikon users.

Support the channel: https://buymeacoffee.com/mikekovaliv ☕

### What I cover in this video:
- Real-world ergonomics: How the Z6 compares to the D750 in hand feel, button layout, grip, and dials
- IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) benefits for stills and video
- Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) vs optical viewfinder — the pros and cons
- Nikon Z mount + FTZ adapter: Using your existing F-mount DSLR lenses seamlessly
- Why I love adapting Leica M-mount lenses on the Z6
- Silent shutter for events, weddings, church gigs, and discreet photography
- Autofocus performance for everyday shooting (portraits, events, travel)
- Image quality, low-light performance, and how it stacks up against newer Z6 II / Z6 III models
- Current used market value in 2026 — why it's still a fantastic deal

The Nikon Z6 (first generation) offers 24.5MP full-frame goodness with image quality very close to my D750. It's compact yet built like a tank, with excellent color science and that classic Nikon handling. While newer models bring faster AF and more video features, the core experience hasn't changed dramatically — making this a smart buy if you're not chasing the latest specs.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Why I still shoot DSLR but added mirrorless
01:05 - Introducing the Nikon Z6 in my kit
02:01 - Ergonomics & build quality comparison (vs D750)
05:45 - In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) advantages
07:08 - Electronic Viewfinder experience
08:45 - Z mount, FTZ adapter & adapted lenses (including Leica M)
10:57 - Silent shooting for events & professional work
11:58 - Is the Nikon Z6 worth it in 2026? Value & pricing
14:59 - Final thoughts & using both DSLR + mirrorless together

If you're a Nikon photographer transitioning from DSLR or hunting for a capable used full-frame mirrorless under $1,000–$1,200, this video will help you decide.

👍 Like if you're team DSLR, mirrorless, or both!
🔔 Subscribe for more real-world Nikon photography gear reviews, tips, and comparisons.

Support the channel: Join as a member or use YouTube's "Thanks" feature — every bit helps keep these videos coming!

Gear mentioned: Nikon D750, Nikon Z6, FTZ adapter, various F-mount and adapted lenses.

#NikonZ6 #NikonZ6Review #MirrorlessVsDSLR #NikonPhotography #FullFrameMirrorless #UsedCamera2026 #NikonZMount #PhotographyGear

Chapters/Timestamps above help you jump to the sections you care about most.

Thanks for listening — see you in the next one!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Whether you're a beginning photographer or a seasoned professional, there's no denying that mirrorless cameras are all the rage and have been for a number of years. What I did a number of years ago is after trying mirrorless and many DSLR systems, I went back to DSLR as my main and kind of primary system. I shoot with the Nikon D750. But there does come times where a mirrorless does make sense. There's certain jobs, there's certain projects that I do where having a silent shutter or having some of the benefits of a mirrorless camera certainly is a good thing to do. So after uh you know spending the last number of years mainly focusing on the DSLR system, I thought it might be a good time to talk about integrating a mirrorless camera into the setup. And in my case, the camera that I've been uh then using uh along with my D750 has been the Nikon Z6, the original Z6 that came out their first full-frame mirrorless camera. I don't think it's necessary, uh at least in my case, to specifically say I have to be a DSLR shooter or I have to be a mirrorless shooter. Nowadays, with used cameras and the way that the market is, um, you know, it's it's very inexpensive to get into uh professional level cameras, full-frame cameras if that's something you're into. Um so there's lots of choices out there, and I think you can put together a system that works for you. Is the Nikon Z6 a good choice in 2026? At the time of recording this video, this camera is quite a few years old. They're on the Z6 version 3 now. So, you know, a couple of major upgrades since this camera has come out. Um and I have looked at those cameras, and there's a lot of software and a lot of speed increases. Um, but the actual camera itself is is not very different, uh, specifically when it comes to the first point. And one of the things that I like about this camera, which is the ergonomics. Um, Nikon to me has always uh worked in my hand, it's always felt really comfortable. Um I like the way they've always placed the buttons, the way that the the shape of the grips have been on Nikon cameras. Uh I find them just to be something that I work with and connect with very easily. The camera feels really solid. It definitely feels like it's uh a solid piece of metal. Uh, it's got a good weight to it, and there's no flex, there's no play. It certainly feels extremely well made. Comparatively to the D750 that I'm used to shooting with, it definitely is a smaller camera. Uh, as you see here side by side, you know, it's definitely shorter, it's definitely narrower, it's not as tall, it's a more compact system, um, but it definitely feels solid. It has that nice, just kind of confidence-inspiring weight to it, where it's not too heavy, um, but it's not light, it doesn't feel like a toy, it definitely feels like a professional camera. The fact that it is smaller can also be a little bit challenging. Um, when I use it side by side with my D750, it's definitely noticeable when I switch bodies. The D750 to me is a more comfortable camera, uh, especially with somewhat larger lenses, it does feel a little bit more comfortable. My fingers don't hang off, you know, on the grip a little bit. This one I felt like I feel like I have to be a little bit more careful about where I place my fingers, my pinky's not falling off, but I do have to just keep a little bit, you know, tighter grip on it. Um, and that's okay. You get comfortable with it, but switching between the two, you know, on a chute, um, I definitely every time I picked it up, it it has a you know, the Z6 has a different feel to it than the the DSLRs. And if you were using one or the other as your you know only camera, you get used to it and it's you'll adapt to it. And it's certainly uh it's not a bad thing, it's just different. Buttons are all pretty much in the same place as other Nikon cameras, so it's very easy to uh operate the camera. And the Z6 has you know your standard layouts for you know your mode selection dial on top. Um, you know, there's a dial or you know, up here uh with your thumb. Some people have talked about that being in a strange spot. I I get that, but I don't I don't find it to be a problem. It's very comfortable and easy to get to, and it's certainly nice and solid. Um, you know, it's not you know, I've never knocked it or bumped it. Um, so to me it works fine. Um, the one thing that is a little strange is the front dial. I find that the front dial is a little bit more compact than on a DSLR, and therefore it seems a little bit more recessed into the body. And I think you just have to be a little bit more deliberate when you go to turn the front dial than you do on a DSLR. The actual dial itself is a different material, it's a little bit more rubbery on a DSLR, has bigger kind of notches cut into it, so it feels a little uh more grippy when you grab it on a DSLR, a little bit easier to turn. This one is a little bit more compact, a little bit finer. So you've definitely got to, you know, kind of just be a little bit more deliberate. The things that I think uh I like about it ergonomically as well is it does have the tilt you know screen, just like the D750 has. So, you know, that's nice and consistent for me. I I can you know use them same for the same way for shooting low or from you know shooting up above, um, you know, or from doing you know any video work, it's nice to be able to flip that down and be able to see what's going on. Definitely one of the biggest features about the mirrorless cameras that I think is very useful is the fact that the camera has this built-in image stabilization at the sensor level. Um, you know, that's something that traditionally as a photographer, you you you know, a lot of people like myself grew up, you know, learning without image stabilization in the camera body. So if you're using prime lenses and all of that, you you you learn to take that into consideration and use your shutter speeds accordingly and make sure that you're holding the camera solid, those kind of things. Um, so having the stabilization built in is definitely uh a bit of a safety net in some cases. Um, but I think it it also offers some big advantages for uh if you're using prime lenses or adapted manual focus lenses. It's nice to be able to shoot at lower shutter speeds and know that you're you know you can get two, three, four stops of handheld ability and low light, so a little bit cleaner images. And of course, if you're shooting video uh with a prime lens or a non-stabilized lens, it becomes stabilized because it's on the camera with stabilization. So it's super nice for video to be able to do you know some basic handheld work and uh know you're going to get relatively stable footage. Certainly, one of the biggest changes from SLR style cameras to mirrorless cameras is the move from an optical viewfinder to an electronic viewfinder. One of the biggest reasons why I went back to a DSLR for my main camera is the optical viewfinder. I like seeing the real world through glass and mirrors. To me, it's just a much more engaging system, it's more responsive. I like the stability and the predictability of it. Uh, and to me, it's a little bit less distracting. Um, so that's one of the big reasons why I went back to uh you know SLR style cameras for my main camera. But there's no denying that there are certain advantages and certain niceties of having an electronic viewfinder. And there are certain situations where they certainly can help, and certain situations where they're nice to use. And when it comes to the Z6, Nikon has certainly done an excellent job with their EVFs. They're certainly one of the best ones out there that I've seen. And I think that it, interestingly enough, has to do more with the optics, with the glass, and how they have designed the system to allow you to see the EVF and what you're looking through before you even get to the EVF. One of the other big benefits is if you're shooting video, it's nice to be able to look through the EVF, you know, to see the stabilization, to see the focusing, you know, to see what you're going to get as far as color balance, you know, and perhaps even your picture style or the you know the kind of hue and saturation that you've got on your video. It's nice to be able to see that, you know, through the EVF. So it's certainly a benefit that way. The other big change from you know DSLRs, particularly with the Nikon system, is the change to the Z mount. Um, you know, it is a whole different lens mount on the Z cameras. Um, I'm I have mixed feelings about it. I'm a fan in some ways, but not a fan in others. I've I've talked about it in my other videos that I find the mirrorless lenses to be expensive, I find them to be much longer, potentially bigger, um, a little bit less discreet than you know the comparable DSLR lenses. Um, and for that reason, I I've not invested in you know the mirrorless lenses. I I'm not convinced that um you know that's something that I enjoy using. I I've owned a number of them and I've always ended up selling them. And I nowadays I tend to stick to using the FTZ adapter with my DSLR lenses. Um I prefer that. I just find that number one, being able to use the same lens on both cameras and not having a mirrorless lens that I can't put on my DSLR you know is is more convenient for me. One of the things that I do like a lot about the Z mount is its short flange distance. That lets you mount just about any other brand of lens on the camera with an adapter very easily. And the one that has me interested the most is the uh Z mount to like a M-mount adapter. The ability to use the classic rangefinder style M-mount lenses on the Z camera is really nice for a number of reasons for me. Number one, I think they're just really excellently built optically, beautiful character lenses. Uh, I like the uh fast aperture, I like the compactness, and generally the build quality on those lenses are excellent. So having the Z2M adapter uh lets me kind of grow into that system uh of lenses at least, whether you know you want to get into the bodies or not is another story. I think definitely the um other benefit and the main reason why I have uh a mirrorless camera, particularly the Z6, is for situations where I want to be more quiet, a little bit more discreet. I photograph you know music events, um, you know, church events, things where it's nice to be a little bit more discreet, and having a quieter camera certainly can be a benefit. There are a number of jobs that I do where they are now requiring and actually are starting to ask in the writer, you know, that you're using a silent camera. Um, and that's that's something that, you know, has only started to come around in the last you know a few years. Um, but it's certainly something that's there. And having that, you know, as a professional, you're not gonna say, I'm sorry, I can't do the job, I only shoot DSLR. Um, you know, it's not necessarily the wisest choice financially, or uh, you know, as far as you know, growing your career to turn down jobs because you can't, you know, you can't shoot silently. So having a mirrorless camera is certainly a nice thing in that situation. So the Nikon Z6 in 2026, uh, I think it's an excellent camera to look at if you're interested in pursuing mirrorless without perhaps the cost of some of the new cameras that are three, four, five thousand dollars. I've looked online and you can, you know, here in Canada see Z6s for anywhere from probably$800 to$1,100 seems to be about the going price, which I think is an excellent value for a full frame camera. It is 24 megapixels, it has an excellent sensor. Uh, image quality is just superb out of this, very, very similar to what I'm getting out of the D750. That is one of the things I like about it, that the megapixels are about the same. So using them together uh works really nicely. Um, so you know, an excellent uh EVF as far as EVFs go. Uh really nice image stabilization, excellent image quality, um, ergonomics that if you've used Nikon cameras before, I think you're really gonna enjoy. Uh, it's very easy to use, very comfortable to hold. I don't really see uh any downsides. Auto focus is, I would say it's fine. It's not, you know, gonna uh I think be a great sports or action photography camera. It's not um gonna compete with some of the faster processing that's going on these days. But for what I would consider your regular photography for photographing, you know, people, for photographing places, uh, I use it for event work a lot. Um, you know, the the autofocusing is certainly fine. Um you do have to, I think, just be a little bit more attentive to it. Um, I don't use a lot of the fancy um, you know, eye tracking and bird tracking and all those kind of features. Uh, as I've mentioned, I I tend to use the center focus uh and recompose method just so I'm not bouncing around a lot and trying to chase the focus. I tend to just focus very quickly and move around a little bit. Um so to me it works you know very, very close to what the D750 is. As the light gets lower, though, uh the D750 does a better job, and I will use that one you know most of the time in that situation. But I think an excellent choice, the the Z6 in today's world. Uh a great value, really nice camera to use. Uh, and with the FTZ adapter, the ability to use the lenses that I currently use on the DSLR cameras, uh, make it a nice addition to the system. And again, you know, the benefits of the silent shooting, the stabilization, you know, the benefits that a mirrorless camera can have are nice to have. Um, so, you know, very recommended. I think it's a great camera to have. Uh, there's definitely a lot of people using them, and a lot of people that, you know, have owned it since it came out a number of years ago and are haven't upgraded to the newer models because perhaps there isn't enough difference to them to do that. And I can see that uh the cameras haven't changed that much in future in future versions. So I think this is still a great choice for a lot of reasons, uh, you know, particularly when you take the value uh proposition into account. So you will be seeing a little bit more of mirrorless camera on the channel. Um the DSLR is still my my primary camera, still what I, you know, where my heart is, what I enjoy using the most. But I do think that there's nothing wrong with using both systems if you can make them work together nicely. Uh, you know, in the case of the Z6 and Nikon, it shares the same batteries with the FTZ adapter, the same lenses, the same flash. So it integrates very, very easily into the system. Um, you know, there's just some slight differences while you're using it that you have to take into consideration, um, which you get used to. And um, you know, I think it's an excellent camera to have. My name is Mike Kovaliv. Thanks very much for watching. If you enjoyed the video, please give it a like and subscribe. I have the ability to join now if you'd like to help uh support the channel. And I think YouTube has a new thing where you can actually click and help promote with points the video as well. So if you'd like to do that, that'd be much appreciated. Thanks again, and I'll see you in the next one.