Nikon 200-600 Lens

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Abinoone

Abinoone

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Apologies in advance if this has been discussed previously, but are there any details about the planned Nikon 200-600 lens - release date, speed, Z or F-mount, cost? I checked the usual spots (e.g. Nikon Rumors) for information but couldn’t find much, so I figured some of you with better connections than me might know something.
 
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It will soon be FOUR years (I think July 2019) since SONY announced their 200-600 which currently sets the high water mark for long zoom lenses. Nikon's delivery of the Nikon 200-600 will likely happen after SONY's four year anniversary for their lens. Coming out so late with a much needed lens means it had better be superior to the SONY lens: better performance. lighter weight, faster AF performance etc. It also needs to be price competitive
With Sigma announcing upcoming Nikon Z releases I hope an updated version of their 150-600 Sport is among their announcements. Surely Tamron will follow.
Whether it is an S is not important to me. It just has to be better than SONY's, Sigma's and Tamron's which will hopefully may be available around that timeframe.
I currently shoot with the Sigma Sport 150-600 using the FTZ and find the performance very good. I initially bought the Sigma Sport over the Nikon alternative because I felt it produced better results (yes - a personal judgement). My preference would be to buy the Nikon forthcoming Z telephoto zoom even if slightly more expensive provided it's performance is superior.
After waiting so long and getting what I consider excellent results with the Sigma Sport and FTZ on the Z9 buying a replacement will be based on size/weight as well as performance. The Sigma Sport is heavy. If not for the weight, especially shooting from kayak, I probably would not by a replacement zoom.
 
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RockvilleBob said:
means it had better be superior to the SONY lens: better performance. lighter weight, faster AF performance etc. It also needs to be price competitive
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yes and no.

i do think it will be incrementally better across the board (except maybe in price), but it doesn’t really have to be. in general it only has to be in the same league for it to be a win for nikon.

the 200-600 is just one piece of the system and it’s a combination of what the system offers and how that overlaps with the photographer’s needs
 
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This is a lens that I’m really interested in when it is finally released. If Nikon can keep the weight reasonable and if it’s in line with the Sony version RE optics/image quality, it may be another Nikon product you have to stand in line for for a bit.
 
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Not sure why this lens has been delayed so long. Some speculation

1. Waiting for body to pair it with. Perhaps a Z6 III or high end DX Z body
2. Production issue or perhaps limit production capability which is being used by 400 TC, 600 TC, 400 F/4.5, and 800 PF. No idea if this is true.
3. Perhaps Nikon is still working on this lens, with the goal of topping Sony's lens or even rethinking the lens. After all items on the road map could change.
 
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RichF said:
Not sure why this lens has been delayed so long. Some speculation

1. Waiting for body to pair it with. Perhaps a Z6 III or high end DX Z body
2. Production issue or perhaps limit production capability which is being used by 400 TC, 600 TC, 400 F/4.5, and 800 PF. No idea if this is true.
3. Perhaps Nikon is still working on this lens, with the goal of topping Sony's lens or even rethinking the lens. After all items on the road map could change.
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I've heard that the delay is due to this being the first PF zoom to be produced by Nikon. The PF elements take a long time to produce.
 
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Saw that Sigma is expected to release their 60-600mm 4.5-6.3 Sports as a Z lens sometime next year (2023). If Sigma can do a (more than) good job on that lens re: AF, weight (the f version is quite heavy), picture quality and price, it might be a blow to and undermine the Nikon 200-600mm sales. The announcement 'might' encourage Nikon to move a bit faster to beat the Sigma to market as this zoom range is probably going to be a best seller. The flip side of the coin, is that Nikon might just defer this zoom range Z lens to 3rd parties like Sigma. Only time will tell.
 
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John Navitsky said:
imo, no way nikon is going to forgo releasing the 200-600, and imo, the 3rd party versions of these lenses aren't likely to cut into the 200-600 sales that much.
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I dunno. The 200-600 as been on the drawing board for a long time without anything to assure anyone of it coming into reality. A zoom in the 200-600 or even 60-600 (if Sigma can do a good job on it) has been anxiously awaited by many and if Nikon still can't or won't come out with at least something to assure us that it is not just vapor ware, some might go with the Sigma rather than wait for something that may or may not show up.
 
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NWGuy said:
I dunno. The 200-600 as been on the drawing board for a long time without anything to assure anyone of it coming into reality. A zoom in the 200-600 or even 60-600 (if Sigma can do a good job on it) has been anxiously awaited by many and if Nikon still can't or won't come out with at least something to assure us that it is not just vapor ware, some might go with the Sigma rather than wait for something that may or may not show up.
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I don't think Nikon is concerned about their target market going to a 60-600mm lens. The reason they chose the 200-600 range is because 3x1 is the max zoom ratio before IQ begins to be seriously compromised. If you look at the zoom ratio of all of the zoom lenses that have historically been considered professional quality they are 3x or less zoom e.g. 24-70, 70-200, 200(180)-400. One reason they were able to achieve such good results with the budget conscious 200-500 is due to the low zoom ratio. The Sigma 60-600 is not in competition with Nikon's 200-600.
 
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NWGuy said:
Saw that Sigma is expected to release their 60-600mm 4.5-6.3 Sports as a Z lens sometime next year (2023). If Sigma can do a (more than) good job on that lens re: AF, weight (the f version is quite heavy), picture quality and price, it might be a blow to and undermine the Nikon 200-600mm sales. The announcement 'might' encourage Nikon to move a bit faster to beat the Sigma to market as this zoom range is probably going to be a best seller. The flip side of the coin, is that Nikon might just defer this zoom range Z lens to 3rd parties like Sigma. Only time will tell.
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Just because if can be done,, does not mean it will have sufficient IQ. Anyone who opts for a 60-600 lens probably is not very concerned by IQ and if a photographer is concerned about IQ, unless the 60-600 is much better than expected, I don't think many serious photographers will buy it.

Just my $0.02, now worthless with inflation.
 
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RichF said:
Not sure why this lens has been delayed so long. Some speculation

1. Waiting for body to pair it with. Perhaps a Z6 III or high end DX Z body
2. Production issue or perhaps limit production capability which is being used by 400 TC, 600 TC, 400 F/4.5, and 800 PF. No idea if this is true.
3. Perhaps Nikon is still working on this lens, with the goal of topping Sony's lens or even rethinking the lens. After all items on the road map could change.
Click to expand...
I too think this lens will come out close to the release of a new body with better AF, in a price range that goes along with the lens price/market. Like a Z6III or, let's dream, a mirrorless D500/APS-C Z9
 
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