NIKKOR Z 600MM F/6.3 VR S

This lens packs powerful telephoto reach and mighty performance into an unfeasibly lightweight package

- Matthew Richards

www.nikon.co.uk £4,999/$4,797

1 The inclusion of a Phase Fresnel element enables a relatively compact and manageable design.

2 With a relatively lightweight build, the lens has been engineered to make handheld telephoto shooting a breeze.

3 Handling exotica includes one customisable L-fn (Lens-function) button at the rear and four towards the front.

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 180600mm zoom.

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