NIKON UNVEILS TWO NEW Z-SERIES TELEPHOTOS

A monster 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3, and an affordable 70-180mm f/2.8

Nikon has announced two new Z-series telephoto zooms, the Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR super-telephoto and the Z 70-180mm f/2.8, a fast all-purpose telephoto zoom.

Starting with the Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR, this lens had actually been listed as a 200-600mm lens on the Z-series lens roadmap - so the official announcement offers a bonus 20mm reach at the wide end.

Nikon sees this lens as the Z-mount successor to its popular AF-S 200500mm f/5.6E ED VR F-mount super-telephoto for DSLRs. It's aimed at, and priced for, enthusiast wildlife, aviation and motorsports photographers. It offers Vibration Reduction rated at 5.5 stops to keep shots pin-sharp even when shooting handheld, and a Sport mode stabilizes the viewfinder image making it easier for you to capture unpredictable or fast-moving subjects.

The lens is constructed from 25 elements arranged in 17 groups including six ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, one aspherical element and a fluorine-coated front element to repel moisture and make dust and smudges easier to clean.

The high-speed Stepping Motor (STM) is whisper-quiet during focusing making the lens as useful for shooting video as for stills. Tracking is said to be rock-steady when used in conjunction with Z-series mirrorless cameras with animal or vehicle subject detection.