The countdown clock on Nikon's teaser page made it clear that a 'Z II' generation was coming to the full-frame Z-series line-up in the shape of the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II.

Now official, Nikon's update tactic is clear: both the Z6 and Z7 were great successes for the brand new lens mount and series, so the 'II' - that's "two", not "mark two" by any means, we're told - add yet more speed thanks to a Dual Expeed processing engine.

It's the first time Nikon has put a dual system into its mirrorless cameras, meaning the Z6 II can shoot at up to 14 frames per second (up from 12fps in the original Z6), while the Z7 II can burst shoot at 10fps (up from 9fps in the original Z7).

Not only that, but an increased buffer size means up to 200 JPEG Fine or 112 (Z6 II) / 50 (Z7 II) Raw files. No surprise the Z7 II is fewer, because its 45.7-megapixel sensor is a lot more resolute than the Z6 II's 24.5-megapixel one. If you're familiar with the original Z6 and Z7 cameras you'll spot that's the same resolution - because the respective sensors remain one and the same.

One of the biggest changes to the 'Z II' generation is something you can't see: beneath the side flap are two card slots, one for XQD, one for SD (UHS-II), meaning the choice is yours when it comes to format - or use both should you want automatic back-ups or a JPEG/Raw split, or stills/video split instead.

In addition the newer models feature enhanced autofocus - with low-light shooting to -6EV, which is said to be "quarter moonlight" - to further cement their appeal.

The Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II will arrive 'winter 2020', with no final word on pricing just yet. We see the pair as a sensible step forwards, rather than upgrade models for owners of either original.

Nikon Z6 II

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