Canon and Nikon have been pitted against one another since their beginnings. Over the decades, the companies have produced some spectacular cameras, and now, during the mirrorless age, they are striving to best each other. With both having great 24MP camera offerings, we have picked out two options, one older and one newer, to help any beginner make a choice between them. Here is a look at what these cameras can do, and which one will win.

Autofocus

The Canon R6 II was launched in 2023, but despite being two years old, it excels at nailing the focus. The camera is capable of tracking people, animals, birds, and vehicles. In fact, its tracking, eye AF, and single focus points are also excellent in various situations. If you are shooting manual focus, then you will not have an issue, thanks to focus peaking. The AI focus is another addition that allows you that helps one get the best from the device.

The Nikon Z6 III excels at tracking in low light and works well with the scene modes. For instance, photographing a dog becomes really easy. While the camera was good in many scenes, it was a bit frustrating in others, such as still phtoography. The Z6 III lagged behind the other higher models from Nikon. In this regard, it’s best to use the camera in good lighting.

Specs

– Canon R6 II has 1,053 AF points and comes with Human, Animal, Vehicle, plus auto subject detection

– Nikon Z6 III has 493 focus points, and it also has Animal, People, Vehicle, and Airplane, and auto subject detection

Image Quality and High ISO

The Canon R6 Mk II offers accurate white balance, fantastic skin tones, and a great dynamic range with plenty of details. Even the quality of the JEPGs is phenomenal. If you like to shoot in low light, then you will also be happy to hear that the images shot at ISO 12,800 were even perfect for digital reproduction. For RAW users, you will appreciate the extra flexibility and versatility of the files. If the picture is improperly exposed, you can easily correct it too. While shadow recovery isn’t as good as Sony’s, the Canon performs pretty well.

The Nikon Z6 III was just as great with image quality. The camera produces photographs that appear like they were shot with a Nikon camera, which is great considering the price. There is also clean low-light image quality; however, it is not exactly out of this world. If you want a camera that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, but also produces good images, then the Z6 III is what many beginners will reach for.

Specs

– Canon R6 Mk II also has ISO up to 204,800 and a continuous shooting speed of 40fps in electronic mode

– Nikon Z6 III has an ISO of up to 204,800, and a continuous shooting speed of 20fps with RAW. If you want more, you get 60fps, albeit only in JPEG, and 120fps, with a 1.5x crop.

Build/Ergonomics

The Canon R6 II has a lengthy but organised menu, and the dials make it easy to navigate through the system. After the firmware 1.1.2, the touch screen navigation also improved, and the other bugs were fixed. The camera is also very well weather sealed, allowing one to work in even a -20 degree environment. Size-wise, it fits in your hands well, and you can also shoot at a slow shutter speed without the assistance of a tripod.

The Z6 III shares some characteristics with the Z6 II and Z8. It lacks some controls and is not as tall as the Z8. However, in your hand, it will feel like a Nikon camera, and it is suitable for someone who wants something smaller than the Z8. Those who prefer DSLR-style cameras will also like it. The camera also doesn’t have a shutter to shield the sensor due to the electronic shutter. The new viewfinder is bright, and the camera has a faster readout speed.

Specs:

– Canon R6 Mk II has a 3.68m-dot EVF, 1.62 M-dot LCD, and 5-axis image stabilisation

– Nikon Z6 III has 5,760,000-dot EVF, 3.2-inch 2,100,000-dot LCD, and 5-axis image stabilisation

Conclusion

The Nikon Z6 III costs over $2349, while the Canon R6 II costs about $2000. Between the two, the Canon R6 II performed better in various situations, including autofocusing for street photography. However, if you want a Z8 but do not want to carry around that size, the Z6 III is the option for you. However, if you are generally new to photography and want to purchase your first full-frame camera, then the R6 II can be worth the money for you.