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Announced in June and originally scheduled for release in mid-July, not a single Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens (buy here) appears to have shipped yet. Except, of course, the review samples sent out to websites and YouTubers around the world.
Now, though, Nikon has announced when the lens will finally be released. If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on one, they begin shipping at the end of this month. Well, assuming they don’t delay it again.
A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that a handful of users had experienced the strap lugs falling out of their shiny new Z8 cameras. Now, it appears that the issue is not only a little more of a problem than we thought, but it may be worldwide.
Nikon has now added the strap lugs to its Z8 advisory, offering free repairs, including the cost of shipping. And this offer will continue even when your warranty runs out.
Amidst talk of an impending Nikon announcement for a full-frame retro-styled body – a mirrorless refresh of the Df – Nikon has released a firmware update for their APS-C Nikon Zfc (buy here).
The new v1.41 firmware does not change much and adds no functionality to the camera. But it does address an autofocus failure issue that users may have been experiencing.
The last thing you want to happen when you’re wandering around with your camera strap on your shoulder is for your camera to go crashing to the ground. It seems, though, that might (but equally might not) be an issue if you shoot a Nikon Z8 (buy here).
Some users are reporting that their strap lugs have completely come out of their Nikon Z8 bodies. Fortunately, no cameras appear to have died yet as the result of a fall, but users say they’re not confident using them.
It’s no secret that Nikon’s been struggling. Ever since Sony went full-on into their Alpha mirrorless system, both Nikon and Canon saw some serious competition. It hit Nikon a lot more than it hit Canon, but that might be changing.
According to a new report from BCN Retail on lens sales covering the first six months of 2023, Nikon Z mount takes the number two spot and finally escaping its single-digit market share. Not surprisingly, Sony still has a massive lead.
The Nikon Z8 (buy here) has only recently started shipping, and already Nikon is offering free repairs over a defect. In a statement issued on the Nikon website, the company says that the Z8 is having an issue where lenses cannot be locked into position on the mount. Nikon admits the circumstances in which it happens are rare, but it obviously does happen.
Nikon says they’ve investigated the cause and believe they’ve narrowed it down to a serial number range. For those affected, Nikon will not only repair the issue for free (even if you’re lazy and you do it after your warranty expires), but they’ll even cover the return shipping costs.
The recently announced Nikon Z8 (buy here) has proven extremely popular, with a great number of people pre-ordering it around the world. Sales of the Nikon Z8 are even allowing Nikon to claw back some market share in some areas. Some early pre-orders are now starting to arrive, but is it really worth upgrading if you already own a Nikon Z7 or Z7 II (buy here)?
Well, the answer is, it depends. If you’re a video shooter, then the Nikon Z8 offers many advantages over the Z7/Z7II. But for stills photographers… In this video, Nigel Danson discusses that topic. He’s adding the Z8 into a kit that already contains a Nikon Z7. He discusses some of the pros and cons of each and why certain things might sway an individual in one direction or another to help you decide for yourself.
After yesterday’s announcement of the Nikkor Z 70-180mm f/2.8 (buy here) and Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5-6.6.3 VR (buy here) lenses, two new lenses have popped up on Nikon’s latest lens roadmap. Both lenses are primes, with one offering a 35mm focal length, perhaps an f/1.2, given its position in the layout. The other is more telephoto, at 135mm, possibly with an f/1.8 or f/2 aperture.
Nikon did have a 135mm f/2 prime lens (buy here) in its F-mount DSLR lineup. It was a lens that proved very popular, particularly amongst location portrait and event shooters. Canon also had an EF mount 135mm f/2 (buy here). Since Sigma’s 2017 release, the 135mm f/1.8 Art (buy here), Nikon might be looking to open up that aperture a bit more this time around.
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.
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.
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
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.
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.
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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