LENS TEST
EXPERT OPINION ON THE LATEST KIT
This lens packs powerful telephoto reach and mighty performance into an unfeasibly lightweight package
www.nikon.co.uk £4,999/$4,797
The Nikkor Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S follows in the footsteps of a couple of impressive Nikon super-telephoto lenses. It has the same kind of design as the Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S, based on the use of a Phase Fresnel element in the optical path, which is used in lighthouse beams and theatrical stage lights to enable a smaller, more lightweight design. The Z 600mm is smaller and lighter than the Z 800mm, weighing 1.47g, compared with 2.38g. It has a regular 95mm filter attachment thread at the front, whereas the Z 800mm takes 46mm drop-in filters at the rear.
A more recent comparable lens is the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR, which has the advantage of zoom versatility, although it’s not a top-flight S-line lens and is heavier than the Z 600mm, at 2.14g. Cost-wise, the Z 600mm is over £1,000 / $1,000 cheaper than the Z 800mm, but is three times the price of the Z 180- 600mm zoom.
Key features
The 600mm focal length of this lens makes it ideal for action, sports and wildlife photography, when you need distance between where you’re standing and the subject you’re shooting. In these scenarios, it’s generally a better fit than the Z 800mm prime, whereas the latter is better for small subjects, such as bird photography. Another upside of the super-telephoto focal length is that you can compress the effect of perspective, giving a different look to landscape images.
The inclusion of a Phase Fresnel element enables a comparatively downsized design. For a 600mm prime, the dimensions of 106.5 x 278mm and front-mounted 95mm filter attachment thread make the lens manageable. That’s even more true of the overall weight, which shrinks from 1,470g to just 1,390g if you remove the tripod mount. By way of comparison, the lens is barely any heavier than the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S trinity zoom.
Other optical highlights include two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and an SR (Short-wavelength Refractive) element, to enhance clarity and colour accuracy while minimising chromatic aberrations. Nano Crystal Coat is applied to guard against ghosting and flare, while a fluorine coating on the front element helps to repel moisture and greasy finger marks
