Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S

While the roster of Z-series lenses has been growing, there have been notable gaps in the super-telephoto range on the Nikon Z lens road map. But with the recent release of the Nikon Z 9 aimed at sports and wildlife photographers, it’s a gap that Nikon needs to fill. And now, joining the recently announced Z 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 VR S and Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, Nikon has revealed (admittedly scant) details of an absolutely gargantuan Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S. The Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S is an S-line lens, denoting Nikon’s top optical quality, and promises to deliver powerful rendering with outstanding resolution while thoroughly reducing colour bleeding in shots. It will also employ PF (Phase Fresnel – specially shaped lens elements that work rather like a lighthouse lens to focus light in a compact space) lens tech for the first time in a Nikon Z model, enabling a compact and lightweight body to be realized, making it highly portable despite being a super-telephoto lens. PF technology has also been used previously on Nikon’s AF-S 500mm f/5.6e PF ED VR and AF-S 300mm f/4e PF ED VR lenses for DSLRS. This is a development announcement, meaning that it’s still very much early days and the final specs are yet to be decided, and the final product won’t likely be with us for many months. That said, it’s likely to be a pricey lens only within reach of the most dedicated pros with the deepest of pockets. By comparison, Nikon’s F-mount AF-S 800mm f/5.6e FL ED VR costs around £16,650/$16,300! FIRST IMPRESSIONS An 800mm lens sounds like it’ll be a real monster, but PF tech should keep things manageable, and it’ll be sought after by sports and wildlife shooters alike.