Nikon has announced a new Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 lens (buy here) targeted towards those who can’t quite justify the expense of the Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR (buy here). It’s actually around half the price of its higher-end sibling (slightly higher or lower depending on current deals), but it loses one or two features in the process.
For a start the focal length isn’t quite as long, topping out at 180mm instead of 200mm. So, you do miss out on a little bit of reach. It also doesn’t feature any kind of built-in image stabilisation or Vibration Reduction (VR). This means that you’ll get no stabilisation at all on APS-C bodies and you’ll be relying on IBIS with full-frame bodies.
Announced today alongside the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR, the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 rounds out Nikon’s low-budget trilogy quite nicely. It adds to the Z 17-28mm f/2.8 (buy here) and Z 28-75mm f/2.8 (buy here) to create a cheaper alternative to the holy trinity of lenses. Right now, all three of those lenses together would cost around $3,140. This sounds like a lot, but it’s a small price compared to the $6,790 you’d need for the Z 14-24mm f/2.8 (buy here), Z 28-70mm f/2.8 (buy here) and Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR zoom lens trio.
Aside from being less expensive, another benefit to this lens (assuming you don’t need VR in the lens) is that it’s smaller and lighter than the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR. Weighing only 795g, that’s significantly lighter than the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR’s 1,360g. It’s almost a whole other lens or a small camera body. If you want to keep that longer focal length but pack lightweight, it sounds like a good option.
Nikon says it’s optimised for video with suppressed focus breathing, a customisable control ring, and a linear focus ring option for manual focus control. Of course, it’s going to be pretty great for stills, too. It offers a fast autofocus system, with a dust and drip-resistant design to keep your optics clean.
Nikon Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 Specs
| Focal Length | 70-180mm |
| Max aperture | f/2.8 |
| Mount | Nikon Z |
| Format | Full-Frame |
| Focus Type | Autofocus |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 27cm @ 70mm to 85cm @ 180mm |
| Stabilisation | None |
| Filter Diameter | 67mm |
| Dimensions | 83.5 x 151mm |
| Weight | 795g |
Price and Availability
The Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 lens is available to pre-order now for $1,246.95 and begins shipping mid-July.
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