Nikon’s Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR is an inexpensive monster of a lens

Jun 21, 2023 by John Aldred Add Comment

For a lens with a focal length of 180-600mm, one would expect to spend a lot money. Especially so with a lens that happens to feature built-in stabilisation. Sure, lots of cameras have IBIS now, but IBIS combined with lens stabilisation is almost always going to provide the best final result. But Nikon’s new Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens (buy here), while still not cheap, by any means, is much less expensive than I was anticipating.

Aimed at wildlife, sports and aircraft photographers, the lens $1,699. That’s pretty reasonable. And while the shortest end of the focal length range might be a little longer, it’s $300 cheaper than Sigma’s 60-600mm f/4.5-6/3 DG DN OS Sports lens (buy here). Given that Nikon isn’t even really competing with Sigma, this is a pleasantly surprising price from Nikon.

With a focal length of 180-600mm, it starts off already quite telephoto at the short end. But as you rack that focal length from 180mm up to 600mm, the lens never changes length thanks to an internal zoom mechanism. It offers up to 5.5 stops of optical image stabilisation or “Vibration Reduction” (VR), as Nikon calls it. You only seem to get this when using a full-frame Nikon body, however.

Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras all feature IBIS. Their APS-C mirrorless cameras, on the other hand, don’t. You can, of course, use this lens on APS-C bodies, but without the advantage of IBIS, the stabilising power will be diminished somewhat. Nikon doesn’t specify how much wobble-stopping power you use without a body containing IBIS.

Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Specs

Focal Length	180-600mm
Max aperture	f/5.6-6.3
Mount	Nikon Z
Format	Full-Frame
Focus Type	Autofocus
Minimum Focus Distance	1.3m @ 180mm to 2.4m @ 600mm
Stabilisation	Nikon VR (5.5 stops on full-frame)
Filter Diameter	95mm
Dimensions	110 x 315.5mm
Weight	1,955g

Price and Availability

The Nikon Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens is available to pre-order now for $1,699 and is starts shipping in mid-July.

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

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Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.