Nikon D6 User Manual

LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE

• Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR • Exposure: [M] mode, 1/8000 s, f/4.5 • White balance: Auto 0 • Sensitivity: ISO 100 • Picture Control: Standard © Clive Mason

• Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED • Exposure: [M] mode, 1/1250 s, f/2.8 • White balance: Auto 0 • Sensitivity: ISO 12800 • Picture Control: Auto © Matthias Hangst

DECISIVE POWER. FASTER WORKFLOW.
ABSOLUTE RELIABILITY.

What do professional sports photographers need to succeed? A fast frame rate and

uncompromising autofocus are only part of the equation. They need a camera that can capture

high-quality images of decisive moments reliably, in almost any situation. And they need to be

able to select and deliver those images to the market faster than anyone else. Nikon’s new D6

flagship FX-format D-SLR camera gives them exactly that, combining a new, higher-density AF

system and EXPEED 6 image-processing engine with improved post-shooting workflow and the

proven ruggedness of the D5. Wherever the game takes you, the D6 will keep you in the lead.

• Nikon’s most powerful, higher-density AF system with 105 all-cross-type focus points

• Faster 1000BASE-T, and wireless communication via built-in Wi-Fi and WT-6/A/B/C Wireless
Transmitter

• Simultaneous JPEG + JPEG recording for JPEG shooters

• Flick operation to prioritize important images to transfer, for faster delivery

• Clear optical viewfinder and newly developed mirror drive structure oer a stable view for sports
scenes with 14-fps* shooting

• EXPEED 6 delivers standard ISO up to 102400 with high image quality even in extremely low light

• Compatibility with Kensington® anti-theft locks

• Diverse selection of NIKKOR telephoto lenses up to 800 mm helps achieve superb images

* Depending on lens, aperture, etc.

pp.

612

pp.

1314

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

pp.

1518

ENHANCED POSTSHOOTING WORKFLOW
FOR FASTER DELIVERY

HIGHERSPEED CONTINUOUS SHOOTING
PERFORMANCE

pp.

1921

SUPERB, READYTOPUBLISH IMAGE QUALITY

pp.

2226

NIKON’S PROFESSIONAL RELIABILITY AND OPERABILITY

p. 30 SYSTEM CHART p. 31 NOMENCLATURE p. 32 SPECIFICATIONS

pp.

2729

PROFESSIONAL SYSTEM AND SUPPORT

[ 5 ]

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

Approx. 1.6× higher-density AF coverage with 105
selectable cross-type focus points for more reliable
performance even with complicated subject movements
and in dicult lighting

Surpassing the phenomenal

dependability of the D5, the D6 sets a

new benchmark for AF performance.

Its newly designed Multi-CAM 37K

autofocus sensor module features 105

1

focus points*

selectable — which allows users to focus where they want without

adjusting their composition. The use of a triple-sensor arrangement

for each focus point and the new focus point layout reduce non-AF-

sensitive areas, and achieve approx. 1.6× higher-density AF coverage

compared to the D5, enabling even more accurate subject acquisition.

Moreover, the center focus point works down to -4.5 EV*

others to -4 EV*

with low-contrast subjects.

*1 All 105 focus points are compatible with AF NIKKOR F lenses with apertures of f/5.6 or

faster, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR and the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70­300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR. The 15 central points work with an eective aperture of f/8.

*2 At ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F.

— all cross-type, all

2

and the

2

, making autofocus possible even in dark situations or

Triple-sensor

arrangement (D6)

© Matthias Hangst

D6

D5

Double-sensor

arrangement (D5)

[ 6 ]

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

17 custom group-area AF mode variations help achieve intended
focus results in various shooting situations

Professional sports photographers often have a specific composition in mind

when capturing the decisive moments in each game or race. The D5’s group-

1

area AF HL*

the conventional cross arrangement, the D6 further expands the group-area AF

layout variations with 17 custom arrangements, which you can select according

to your intended composition and obstacles in the frame. For instance, if you

want to shoot a table tennis player across the net, you can use custom group-

area AF 11 × 3 or 15 × 3 to keep focusing on the player moving laterally. In

critical situations, this becomes a powerful tool for sports shooters.

*1 Horizontal Line. *2 Vertical Line.

and VL*2 modes are known to excel in such scenes. In addition to

AF-area mode: Group-area AF 15 × 1 © Matthias Hangst

AF-area mode: Group-area AF 15 × 3 © Clive Mason

Note: Each pattern of focus points can be moved up, down, to the left or right. All focus points enclosed by the rectangle are also eective.

[ 7 ]

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

Dedicated new AF engine processes approx.

1.6× more defocus information simultaneously for
enhanced AF tracking of moving subjects

The D6’s autofocus improvements don’t stop at the new

AF module. Its dedicated AF engine has also been newly

developed. By simultaneously calculating approx. 1.6× more

defocus information compared to the D5, the D6 is able to

distinguish the intended area of focus from its surroundings

and reliably maintain focus on it, even as it moves, during

approx. 14-fps high-speed continuous shooting*. The benefit

is especially clear when AF lock-on strength is increased. For

example, even in scenes where a runner’s hand or a table

tennis racket obscures the focused face, you can keep your

focus on the intended subject.

* Depending on lens, aperture, etc.

AF-area mode: Single-point AF © Clive Mason

Dedicated AF engine

[ 8 ]

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

Advanced Scene Recognition
System improved to further
enhance AF performance

AF performance is enhanced even

further by improvements in the

Advanced Scene Recognition System,

which works together with the D6’s

dedicated AF and EXPEED 6 image-

processing engines. Face and upper

body information, defocus information

and motion detection information

improve the camera’s ability to maintain

focus on laterally moving subjects in

3D-tracking and auto-area AF modes.

In a first for optical viewfinder shooting*,

the D6 also prioritizes focus point

selection based on the positions of

the subject’s eyes. This makes it easier

to keep the subject’s eye in focus for

portrait opportunities.

* When autofocusing using AF sensor module.

Picture Control

• Auto

• Auto

• Natural light auto

Autofocus

• Auto-area AF

• 3D-tracking

• Group-area AF

Subject tracking

Motion detection

Upper body

detection

Face/Eye detection

Image sensor 180K-pixel

Flicker detection

Flicker reductionWhite balance

RGB sensor

[ 9 ]

AF-area mode: Auto-area AF
© Matthias Hangst

Exposure control

• Matrix metering

• Highlight-weighted metering

Highlight analysis

Light source

identification

Distance/Defocus

information

• i-TTL balanced fill-flash

Active
D-Lighting

Playback

• Playback zoom of face

POWERFUL, BRAND NEW AF SYSTEM

“Wide” focus point option enables focusing as intended in
sudden, unexpected situations

Photographers sometimes encounter situations where an opportunity arises

so suddenly that it’s hard to capture the intended subject within the chosen

focus points. The D6’s “wide” option expands the detection area for single-

point AF and dynamic-area AF, making it easier to achieve focus on a subject

even if it is slightly outside the focus point. This feature is particularly useful

when assigned to one of the function buttons, allowing it to be accessed

quickly as required.

AF-area mode: Single-point AF © Clive Mason

Single-point AF (Wide)Single-point AF (Normal)

[ 10 ]