Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Photography
  3. News

Nikon’s new 800mm lens for Z-mount cameras lightens the load

Trevor Mogg
By

Nikon has announced the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens aimed primarily at sports and wildlife photographers,

At 5.3 pounds and 15.2 inches, the lens is notable for being half the weight and 16% shorter than the equivalent 800mm f/5.6 lens for Nikon’s long-established F-mount SLR cameras, making it much easier to lug around, and also to shoot with if you’re working sans tripod.

Recommended Videos

Nikon has released a couple of short videos (below) showing professional photographers using the new lens out in the field, with the footage offering a clearer idea of the size and shape of the new lens and how it looks up against a camera body.

Testing the new NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S in the Arctic with Tom Mason and Konsta Punkka
NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S | Nikon mirrorless lens

Nikon says the new lens was built with optimal balance in mind, a consideration that prompted it to place the lens’ center of gravity closer to the photographer’s body to help with smooth panning when tracking a fast-moving moving subject.

Related

For handheld work, the 800mm lens also features an optical vibration reduction (VR) function offering compensation that Nikon claims is equivalent to shooting at a shutter speed up to 5.0 stops faster.

Nikon's new 800mm lens for Z-mount cameras.
Nikon

“This 800mm lens is smaller and lighter than ever imagined, which is a true testament to Nikon’s advanced optical expertise as well as the next-generation technology that’s at the core of the Nikon Z system,” Nikon executive vice president Jay Vannatter said in a release. “This latest Nikkor Z lens is not only surprisingly easy to carry, but also gives photographers the fast focus response, intense sharpness, and beautiful color reproduction they need to create amazing images from extreme distances.”

Nikon’s new super-telephoto prime becomes the longest lens for its Z-mount mirrorless system, which it introduced in 2018. Eight Z cameras have so far been released by the company, most of them full-frame devices. The line-up of lenses has been gradually expanding, too, with nearly 30 having been released to date, 14 of them prime lenses.

The Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lens will be available for purchase later this month for $6,500.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Nikon Z series expands with budget-friendly 24-200mm and a high-end 20mm prime
nikon nikkor 24 200mm 24mm s announced z24 200 4 6 3 angle1

Nikon is continuing to push forward with the Z series, adding two new lenses to the rapidly growing lineup of mirrorless optics. On Tuesday, February 11, Nikon unveiled the Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR and the Nikkor Z 20mm f/1.8 S lenses. Both are full-frame lenses but can be used with the crop-sensor Z 50 with a crop factor applied to the focal length.

The Z 24-200mm is one of the more budget-friendly options in the now thirteen lens Z family, packing 8.3x zoom in a $900 lens. The f/4-6.3 aperture is part of that price point, offering a bit less light for a bit less cash. The aperture is the narrowest full-frame lens so far in the Z family that also includes optics like the f/.95 Noct.

Read more
Nikon’s new Z mount 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is not quite ready for prime time
nikon delays launch of its new z mount 70 200mm f28 lens nikkor

In January, Nikon unveiled the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S mirrorless lens at CES in Las Vegas. But the Japanese camera company has announced it's been forced to delay the launch of the new lens, citing “production reasons.”

The $2,600 telephoto zoom lens was originally slated to hit stores on February 14 -- perfect timing for devoted Nikon togs with a strong affection for their kit. But an update from the company issued in recent days means the date will slip. A new launch date is yet to be announced, but Nikon said it will offer more information as soon as it becomes available.

Read more
The Best Nikon Z lenses for the Z 6, Z 7, and Z 50
Nikkor-Z-24-70mm-f2.8-S-review-

The Nikon Z series is in its infancy, yet the mirrorless line already has nearly a dozen native lenses. While you can also use F-mount DSLR lenses via an adapter, the Z-mount lenses are one of the biggest perks to the new mirrorless system. Thanks to a wider mount, shorter flange distance, and improved optical designs, every Z lens that we've tested has been exceptionally sharp.

While any Z lens will mount to any Z camera, watch out for lenses with a DX in the name. DX lenses are built specifically for the smaller APS-C sensor of the entry-level Nikon Z 50 and will not fill the frame of the larger Z 6 and Z 7. By contrast, full-frame Z lenses can be used on the Z 50, although the image will be cropped compared to how those lenses look on the Z 6 or Z 7.

Read more