Nikon’s relentless pursuit of optical excellence and innovation has created the NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens. In this article, we’ll delve into the intricate specifications of this remarkable lens, designed to redefine super-telephoto photography.
Mount Type: NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3
The NIKKOR Z 600mm lens features Nikon’s proprietary Z mount, ensuring seamless compatibility with Nikon Z-series full-frame (FX) cameras. This design choice guarantees optimal communication between the lens and camera for exceptional autofocus performance.
Focal Length: 600mm
The lens’s focal length of 600mm places it in the super-telephoto category, making it an ideal choice for capturing distant subjects with precision and detail. Whether you’re photographing wildlife, motorsports, or aviation, this lens has the reach to bring your subjects closer to you.
Aperture Range: f/6.3 to f/32
With a maximum aperture of f/6.3, the lens offers excellent light-gathering capabilities, allowing you to capture sharp and vivid images even in challenging lighting conditions. The minimum aperture of f/32 ensures versatility in controlling depth of field.
Optical Configuration: 21 Elements in 14 Groups
The NIKKOR Z 600mm lens boasts a sophisticated optical structure. It features 21 lens elements arranged in 14 groups, meticulously designed to deliver top-notch image quality. These elements work harmoniously to minimize aberrations, distortions, and flare, resulting in tack-sharp images.
Special Optical Elements:
- Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) Elements (x2): These elements effectively correct chromatic aberrations, ensuring accurate color reproduction and minimizing color fringing.
- Short-Wavelength Refractive (SR) Element (x1): The SR element controls short-wavelength light, addressing challenges that are typically hard to correct, ultimately achieving highly precise chromatic aberration compensation.
- Phase Fresnel (PF) Lens Element (x1): The PF lens element is at the heart of this lens’s compact design. By compensating for chromatic aberration and ghosting in conjunction with traditional glass elements, it enables the lens to be significantly more lightweight and compact.
Coating Technologies:
- Nano Crystal Coat: This anti-reflective coating effectively eliminates internal lens element reflections across a wide range of wavelengths. It mitigates ghosting and flare, ensuring image clarity, even in bright and challenging lighting situations.
- Fluorine Coat: The lens’s front element is treated with a Fluorine Coat. This coating repels oil, moisture, and smudges, making cleaning and maintaining the lens’s pristine condition easy.
Vibration Reduction (VR): Up to 6.0 Stops
One of the lens’s standout features is its built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) system. This technology compensates for camera shake, allowing for handheld shooting at extended focal lengths. The NIKKOR Z 600mm lens offers up to 6.0 stops of stabilization, ensuring sharp images even in challenging conditions.
• VR Modes:
• Normal VR Mode: Achieves 5.5-stop stabilization.
• Sport VR Mode: Stabilizes the viewfinder display during continuous shooting, facilitating the tracking of fast-moving subjects
Autofocus System: Stepper Motor (STM)
The NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens is powered by a Stepper Motor (STM), known for its accuracy and near-silent operation. This autofocus system ensures fast and precise focusing, making it ideal for capturing fast and erratic subjects.
Minimum Focus Distance: 4.00 meters (157.48 inches)
The lens’s minimum focus distance of 4.00 meters allows you to get reasonably close to your subjects while retaining the ability to capture distant scenes.
Filter Thread: 95mm (Screw-In Type)
The lens is compatible with standard 95mm threaded circular filters, providing options for creative photography and further image manipulation.
Dimensions:
- Diameter: 107mm (4.21 inches)
- Length: 278mm (10.94 inches)
Weight:
- Approximately 1,390 grams (excluding tripod collar)
- Approximately 1,470 grams (including the tripod collar)
Tripod Collar: Yes
The lens includes a tripod collar to ensure stability during prolonged shooting sessions, enabling effortless transitions between landscape and portrait orientations.
Memory Set Button:
The lens features a Memory Set button that allows you to store a focus position in advance. This function is handy when your subject is approaching a decisive moment, enabling you to instantly return to the saved focus position with a simple button press.
Price and Availability:
The NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens is expected to be available in late October 2023 at a suggested retail price of $4,800.
Conclusion:
The NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S lens is a testament to Nikon’s dedication to innovation and quality. With a remarkable blend of compact design, optical excellence, and advanced technologies such as Vibration Reduction (VR) and the Phase Fresnel (PF) lens element, this lens opens up exciting possibilities for photographers. It promises to be a game-changer for those who demand exceptional image quality and mobility in their super-telephoto photography.
Our website contains affiliate links in our product reviews, where we can earn the affiliate commission. However, our opinions remain independent and impartial.
