Why the Nikon D6 is better for stills than the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

The online photography community has thrown another massive tantrum after the Nikon D6 turned out to be more of an iterative update instead of a major jump. Lead by airheads running Youtube clickbait farms like Fro Knowns Photo, Tony Northrup as well as self-proclaimed Fuji Ambassador and donations beggar Ken Wheeler, the camera was proclaimed an utter failure and the competing Canon EOS-1D X Mark III the clear winner. We live in a bipolar world where it's all about winning and losing based on arbitrary spec jumps. These channels are making their advertisement and sponsorship money by dividing photography hobbyists into tribes, and then stirring up controversy whenever there's a new major camera release by a large and important brand.

The Truth about the Nikon D6

Aside from 20 fps silent shooting, 120 fps video, and 5.5k RAW recording, the 1D X Mark III is toe to toe with the D6. New AF system? Both have it. New AF group modes? Both have it. GPS and Wi-Fi built in? Both have it. Illuminated buttons? Nikon has had that for a decade. The new touchscreen notation and rating that works with Photo Mechanic and Lightroom, priority transfer and advanced starring are great updates. Nikon heavily focused on work-flow improvements instead of adding advanced video features, and that's probably a decision they made after researching their professional customer base.

Here's an opinion by Patrick Smith, who is a professional photographer (a photo journalist) and shoots with both Canon and Nikon:

Actually as someone who uses both Nikon and Canon single digit cameras, the Nikon is better in a few key ways. The D5 is slightly better in AF, High ISO detail retention and dynamic range above ISO 800! Also Nikon has slightly better long lenses. I use the 1Dx and 1Dx Mark IIs for sports photography through my work. However I own and use 2 Nikon D4s’s and a D500. The D500 has pretty much the same AF as the D5 and it’s by far the best AF I’ve ever used. Not that the 1Dx Mark II is bad, it’s just not as good as the D5/D500! Canon is definitely not as good at High ISO or dynamic range. What people are forgetting is that cameras are not sensors, they are image processors. There have been improvements in SNR, AD converters, the new processor, etc. All of these other things including a new micro lens array will contribute to improved image quality. The D6 does not suffer at low ISO dynamic range, like the D5 did, yet it’s still great at high ISO! Sure we’re all disappointed by the D6, but as far as stills go, this will be the best DSLR ever made, at least by Nikon. The Canon 1Dx Mark III is not way ahead of the D6, unless you do only video.

Here's his reply to people who say the Canon smokes the Nikon:

The Canon on paper and for video, yes may appear or does in the case of video, beat the D6. The truth is either camera is extraordinary, but Nikon's are known for having a stop or two better dynamic range and a half-stop to stop better detail retention at high-ISO, also due to having better sensor and image processing technology! I also would argue the Nikon's have better ergonomics, are slightly better build quality and have better battery life too. I get to use both systems all of the time, I own Nikon D4s's and a D500, but I use Canon 1Dx and 1Dx Mark II's for work, when I'm shooting sports. Overall I prefer the Nikons, but I'd be lying if I said that one "smokes" the other, because in reality they are both more than capable and each has their strengths and weaknesses.

Here's Patrick's response to people who ridicule Nikon and their professional cameras:

Anyone who owns a D4s and D500, who calls Nikon a "joke" is actually joking themselves! I too have both of those camera's, actually two D4s's and one D500 and both are the greatest camera's by far that I've ever used. I can tell you the grass isn't greener on the other side and I have been back and forth between Canon and Nikon 3 times over the past 20 years and I regret switching now. You lose too much money on the gear and Nikon has better long glass and better dynamic range, with the ladder being quite a bit better, maybe by two stops! Also a Nikon 500mm f4 VR is only about $3700 used right now, but it's equal to the Canon 500mm IS II lens, in both weight and 4 stop image stabilization, but the Canon version II lens is more like $5500! So if you're a wildlife shooter, you really should just stick with Nikon and give them a chance to come out with an updated D500.

Patrick also explains why the D6 technically isn't the same sensor as the D5, and what kind of advancements Nikon actually made here:

The D6 does have better dynamic range than the D5 at base ISO and YES there have been improvements in the past five years. Just like from the D3 to D3s or even D4 to D4s, this is not technically the same sensor. This will have a different micro lens array, better SNR and AD converter's and newer better processor. It will only have a half-stop or so better high ISO, but it appeared to have about almost two full stops of dynamic range improvement at base ISO 100. A camera is not a sensor, it's an image processor and there is much more to overall sensor performance and image output. The image output of the D6 is closer to the D4s than the D5, because it's really good at both high and low ISO, where as the D5 was only great at any ISO above 2,000 and poor at low ISO's. So the long answer to your question is, it's not the same as the D5, technically or in practice, it's new and greatly improved.

You can read more about Patrick's thoughts on the issue here.

Don't be a sheep

I pride myself on being a maverick. I don't follow trends, I don't follow online opinion leaders, I'm making up my own mind based on what I see, and based on the opinion of people who are actually experts in a certain field. Nikon D6 is a great camera, and a solid jump from the D5. Very few need this kind of camera, and very few who complain about this camera right now actually shoot with a camera in that segment of cameras worth over 5000 USD. Remember how the Nikon Z6 and Z7 were initially destroyed by the very same airheads? A few months later after independent reviews came out by people who actually used the cameras the Z7 and Z6 suddenly got a lot of praise, and especially the cheaper Z6 coupled with the excellent Z lenses became a kind of a fan favorite for hobbyists who like hybrid cameras. I believe something similar will happen to the Nikon D6. Give the actual camera to pros to test it out, and I pretty sure their customer satisfaction will be through the roof, because Nikon made the overall solid and proven D5 a lot better.