By Kalum Carter
Copyright digitalcameraworld
Skip to main content
Close main menu
Digital Camera World
THE HOME OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
View Profile
Search Digital Camera World
Accessories
Buying Guides
The Photography & Video Show
Digital Camera
Australian Camera
Australian ProPhoto
Photography Magazines
Why subscribe?
Issues filled with product reviews, latest updates, expert advice and more
Delivered to your Android or IOS device
Every issue is packed with photo tips, kit reviews and inspiration
From$12Subscribe now
Camera news
Camera rumors
Photography & Video Show
Cheatsheets
Photo mag deals
Prime Day deals
Don’t miss these
Cinema Cameras
Introducing the Nikon ZR: the first-ever Nikon x Red ‘Z Cinema’ camera!
Mirrorless Cameras
Torn between the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z6 III? Here’s which one I’d choose…
Cinema Cameras
The Red V-Raptor XE launches with both Nikon and Canon mounts – only the second time in Red’s 18-year history
Mirrorless Cameras
The Nikon Z9 is the most important Nikon camera of the mirrorless era (so far…)
Cinema Cameras
Sony FX2 review: cine ergonomics at a price to tempt hybrid creators
Mirrorless Cameras
Is the retro Nikon Z fc still a relevant mirrorless camera in 2025? Or has it become a matter of style over substance?
Mirrorless Cameras
Talk of a Nikon Zf II has got me writing my wishlist to jolly old Saint Nikon!
Mirrorless Cameras
Cheap mirrorless cameras are typically plasticky and slow. Cameras like the Nikon Z50 II are an exception
Mirrorless Cameras
If a bear tipped my $3,000 camera into a lake, I know exactly what I’d buy to replace it…
Cinema Cameras
Hands-on Canon EOS C50 review: The FX3 killer is here
Hybrid mirrorless cameras are not all they’re cracked up to be – and here’s why
DSLR Cameras
The Nikon Df doesn’t do video, but still costs US$1,000 used because it’s a beautifully awkward photography gem
Awards and Competitions
Indie filmmaker uses Nikon Z6 III, wins best cinematographer at 48-hour film festival
Cinema Cameras
At just over US$1,000, I think the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is the perfect first cine cam
Cinema Cameras
This is why I’m choosing Blackmagic as my first dedicated cinema camera
Video Cameras
Cinema Cameras
If the Nikon ZR is a rehoused Z6 III, do we really need it?
Kalum Carter
15 September 2025
I’m really excited about the Nikon ZR release – but it does make me question who it is intended for
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Nikon)
When Nikon and Red unveiled their first joint camera, the Nikon ZR, it sounded like a landmark moment. Nikon finally stepping into cinema cameras, Red lending its name to something more accessible; surely this would be the disruptive new tool that filmmakers had been waiting for.
But look a little closer, and the Nikon ZR starts to feel less like a revolution and more like a repackaged Nikon Z6 III.
The parallels with Sony’s FX3 are obvious. That camera was essentially an A7S III in a video-optimized shell, with the same sensor and processor, but it worked. Sony knew exactly who it was for: filmmakers who wanted cinema ergonomics, pro codecs and no stills fluff. The FX3 became a classic because it nailed its audience.
You may like
Introducing the Nikon ZR: the first-ever Nikon x Red ‘Z Cinema’ camera!
Torn between the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z6 III? Here’s which one I’d choose…
The Red V-Raptor XE launches with both Nikon and Canon mounts – only the second time in Red’s 18-year history
The ZR is trying a similar trick, but the execution feels muddier. Yes, it’s cheaper than the Z6 III. Yes, it’s optimized for video. But in stripping away the stills features, Nikon has created a body that’s less hybrid and more video-oriented, without going full cinema. And that leaves a gap.
For Nikon photographers branching into video, the Z6 III remains the better option: you retain stills capabilities and flexibility, and you don’t lose much on the video side. For new shooters looking for their first cinema camera, the question is harsher: why Nikon? Why not the tried-and-tested options from Sony, Canon or Blackmagic, with their mature ecosystems and established workflows?
(Image credit: Nikon)
That’s where the ZR feels caught between worlds. It isn’t the all-out cinema leap that some expected; no radical body redesign, no true cinema sensor, no distinctive Red DNA apart from codecs. And yet it also isn’t the hybrid powerhouse that Nikon users already have in the Z6 III.
I like the release, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one. It signals intent. It proves that Nikon wants to be taken seriously in video. But as the first fruit of a Nikon-Red collaboration, the ZR feels cautious rather than daring. If you’re not aiming to serve the hybrid crowd, why not go all in on cinema? Why not deliver something with a real sense of Red’s heritage and cinema feel?
Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Instead, we’re left with a camera that may struggle to define its audience. Perhaps the ZR will be remembered as Nikon’s FX3 moment, a modest but important first step. Or perhaps it will be seen as a halfway house, neither hybrid nor truly cinema. For now, the lingering question remains: who is this camera really for?
Today’s best Nikon ZR deals
$2,196.95View
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Walmart
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
you may also like
For more video camera options, check out our guides to the best cine cameras and the best hybrid cameras.
Kalum Carter
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer
Kalum is a photographer, filmmaker, creative director, and writer with over 10 years of experience in visual storytelling. With a strong focus on photography books, curation, and photo editing, he blends a deep understanding of both contemporary and historical works.
Alongside his creative projects, Kalum writes about photography and filmmaking, interviewing industry professionals, showcasing emerging talent, and offering in-depth analyses of the art form. His work highlights the power of visual storytelling, fostering an appreciation for the impact of photography.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Introducing the Nikon ZR: the first-ever Nikon x Red ‘Z Cinema’ camera!
Torn between the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z6 III? Here’s which one I’d choose…
The Red V-Raptor XE launches with both Nikon and Canon mounts – only the second time in Red’s 18-year history
The Nikon Z9 is the most important Nikon camera of the mirrorless era (so far…)
Sony FX2 review: cine ergonomics at a price to tempt hybrid creators
Is the retro Nikon Z fc still a relevant mirrorless camera in 2025? Or has it become a matter of style over substance?
Latest in Cinema Cameras
The wait is over! Here are the full specs and price for Fujifilm’s first medium format cinema camera
The Red V-Raptor XE launches with both Nikon and Canon mounts – only the second time in Red’s 18-year history
Nikon ZR hands-on review: a brilliant ‘baby’ Red cinema camera at a barely believable price
Hands-on Canon EOS C50 review: The FX3 killer is here
Introducing the Nikon ZR: the first-ever Nikon x Red ‘Z Cinema’ camera!
Canon goes after Sony with the shrunk-down EOS C50 – an open gate 7K 60p powerhouse
Latest in Features
If the Nikon ZR is a rehoused Z6 III, do we really need it?
This photographer takes scroll-stopping images with creativity, planning… and sometimes, duct tape
iPhone Air? It’s just half of a folding phone – I’ll wait for the other half, thanks!
Are AI and photography making me a worse human?
Is Canon’s new 32MP / 7K sensor coming to the R6 Mark III? I think so
I think I’ve decided on which iPhone 17 I’m going to buy, but am I making the same mistake again?
LATEST ARTICLES
OM System’s world-first lens is so popular, it’s already delayed in Japan
Best lenses for the OM System OM-5 Mark II: This is the glass you need for OM’s compact outdoor camera
Leaked Guardian email reveals anti-“snapper” ethos
iPhone Air? It’s just half of a folding phone – I’ll wait for the other half, thanks!
Are AI and photography making me a worse human?
Digital Camera World is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Terms and conditions
Contact Future’s experts
Privacy policy
Cookies policy
Advertise with us
Accessibility Statement
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street,
Please login or signup to comment
Please wait…
