Melville, NY—Along with the Nikkor Z 70–180mm f/2.8 lens, Nikon introduced the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR super telephoto lens for the company’s mirrorless Z system cameras. The new lens is compatible with full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras.
Aimed at enthusiasts, the Nikkor Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3 VR combines outstanding zoom capabilities with a lightweight build. The new lens is particularly well suited for capturing wildlife, nature and aviation. 
“Within a relatively short time period, we have built an extensive series of lenses for our mirrorless system with a selection of lenses that differentiates itself with options for all kinds of users,” said Jay Vannatter, executive vice president, Nikon Inc.
“We already have a collection of extremely fast pro-level super telephotos. And with these two new lenses, I firmly believe Nikon builds upon what was already the most appealing collection of telephoto lenses available on the market today for the enthusiast and professionals.”
Nikon Nikkor Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR Key Specs
The Nikkor Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3 VR is a modernized follow-up to the popular F-mount AF-S 200–500mm f/5.6 that won hearts worldwide for its powerful reach and attractive price. Nikon improved on the AF-S 200–500mm lens’s winning formula with its new lightweight super telephoto lens.
The new lens features 25 elements in 17 groups, including six ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements to compensate for chromatic aberration. It also has nine aperture blades to produce a round, natural bokeh effect and an even more versatile focal range. With fast focus, optimized handling and balance that never shifts thanks to internal zooming, the lens enables the capture of up-close shots of fast-moving subjects.
In addition, it features a 4.3-foot minimum focus distance at the wide-angle position and 7.9 feet at the telephoto. As a result, photographers can capture close-up shots of flowers and insects. Moreover, the lens’s focal length range of 180mm to 600mm allows them to enjoy shooting various scenes and subjects with a single lens. What’s more, its range is equivalent to 270–900mm when DX crop is engaged.
Furthermore, Nikon engineered the lightweight lens (4.3 pounds) to be hand holdable. Additionally, Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization system achieves a 5.5-stop-equivalent increase in shutter speed to reduce blurring in dimly lit surroundings and/or with handheld shooting.
The lens also utilizes a stepping motor (STM) for fast, quiet autofocusing. Complementing this is the internal zoom mechanism that maintains balance and increases zooming stability.
Also featured are customizable Fn buttons at the front of its barrel that are easy to use when shooting handheld. Beyond being dust and drip resistant, the lens has an antifouling fluorine coating on the front element to enable easy removal of dust and dirt.
Video-Friendly
For videographers, Nikon included a click-less control ring that supports smooth operation and minimizes operational noise. The lens also features the effective suppression of focus breathing. In addition, it has a short ring throw of 70º to adjust from the widest to longest focal length.
Finally, the new lens maintains resolution when using Nikon’s Z TC-1.4× or Z TC-2.0× teleconverter. They will extend the maximum focal length to as much as 840mm or 1200mm, respectively.
Nikon’s Nikkor Z 180–600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens will reach retail in August 2023. It will have a suggested retail price of $1,699.95.
