So what's the rumor mill on the Nikon Z200-600?

[RecalcitrantRon]

In particular, are we expecting a match to the Sony f/5.6-6.3, going the way of Canon at f/11 (which I would never buy) or pushing the envelope at f/5.6? My guess is 6.3 (hopefully not 7.1) as 5.6 would make the lens too expensive for its target market and 11...well I just don't understand that at all.

 

[abc123brian]

I think most are expecting it to be like Sony. I would love to see it be a 5.6, but I think it might be too big. It’s difficult to tell from the silhouette but it’s not a small lens.

 

[FB101]

Please, not f:11, please! I don't get DPR infatuation with the f:11 lenses. I get the low price and compact design but they are optically terrible based on all the samples I have seen - not speaking of needing ISO 1800+ in full sun. Nobody shooting an 800mm lens wants a coke bottle level of optical performance.

 

[Steve]

I'd guess it'll match the Sony. I too would love to see F/5.6, but the front element probably has to be another 1/3rd larger to let in 1/3rd more light (I think that's how it works, I'm no optical engineer though).

 

[wild-pics]

I guess Nikon will stick with F/6.3 to keep the front element at 95mm which is relatively standard with Tamron, Sigma, Sony. F/5.6 will need a 110mm element making it large, heavy and double the cost. For the Nikon 200-600 to win, Nikon needs to match Sony's price point and make it an internal zoom lens.

 

[Venkatesh VT]

Would it be possible to make a 200 600 PF 5.6 lens .?
Then it would be win win for Nikon and us since more people would buy Z bodies and win for us with a better quality and a much lighter lens

 

[Thern]

Would it be possible to make a 200 600 PF 5.6 lens .?
Then it would be win win for Nikon and us since more people would buy Z bodies and win for us with a better quality and a much lighter lens

IIRC Nikon patented a 70-300PF for the Nikon-1 system, so it should be possible.
However the cost of such 200-600 F/5.6 PF would be (way) beyond a lot of people are willing (and maybe able) to pay.
So in short I think they would shoot themselves in the foot by producing such lens.
An affordable 200-600 F/6.3 (be it IF or not) with specs/props on par or a tad better with the Sony offering would suffise for most photogs in that targetgroup.

 

[jeffnles1]

Please, not f:11, please! I don't get DPR infatuation with the f:11 lenses. I get the low price and compact design but they are optically terrible based on all the samples I have seen - not speaking of needing ISO 1800+ in full sun. Nobody shooting an 800mm lens wants a coke bottle level of optical performance.

I tend to agree with you however one of my photography friends has the 800mm F11 that he's been shooting on an R6 that have been looking pretty darn good. For sure better than a coke bottle.

I had serious doubts and still do. Will have to see what his images from the outfit look like over time but the first few images I've seen were pretty impressive.

 

[DRwyoming]

Would it be possible to make a 200 600 PF 5.6 lens .?

It would, but physics dictates that the front element would be at least 107mm in diameter and practically high quality lenses are built with slightly larger front elements than the theoretical minimum of: focal_length/aperture. For instance the typical 500mm f/5.6 lenses need a minimum front element diameter of 89.3mm but they're typically built with 95mm front elements. If Nikon took a similar oversize approach to a 600mm f/5.6 lens the front element would be around 113 to 115mm which is getting pretty big.

For reference the Nikon 200-400mm f/4 lens could have theoretically gotten away with a 100mm front element (400mm/4) but the lens was designed with a 112mm front element which is pretty typical oversizing to maintain high image quality, minimum vignetting, etc in a professional quality lens.

So yeah, it's certainly possible to build a 200-600mm f/5.6 lens but it likely wouldn't be a hand holding kind of lens. But if they built a lens like that and it didn't cost a fortune and especially if they built it as an internal focus lens I'd complete the jump to Nikon mirrorless for that combo. But personally I'd be happy with a 200-600mm f/6.3 internal focus version Z mount lens.

 

[Kenny88]

The Canon 800mm f11 is a lens with a phenomenal reach and at a super low cost it's great for Canon shooters, but even if I was, I can't see myself using it much due to hte t constant f11: Lighting must be really well to make good use of that lens, and at such aperture one can't get the nice blurred backgrounds.

 

[SeanT]

Rumors? Well, nothing beyond that silhouette they gave us. I can't imagine it'll be f5.6 but I'll be surprised if it's a f/7.1 like a certain rival lens.

 

[Ad Astra]

The Nikon Z 200-600 is not labelled as an S-line lens in the road map so I would expect the specs to be in the lower end with a variable apperture.

 

[Roaring 40s]

The Sony version has sold like hot cakes and no wonder at the price.

I got one to use with their 1.4 TC but that proved to be a compromise too far.