200-600

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

Click to expand...

If AF isn't the primary factor, have you considered adapting the Sony 200-600 to the Z series. I know of at least a few people on here that claim to have done this with good results. Obviously adapted lenses is not ideal and most pro's won't do this, but for casual/enthusiast shooting and trips, I would think it would be worth a shot.

For me, if Nikon doesn't come up with a competitive wildlife body, I may pick up an R6 and a long lens for wildlife purposes (but still keep my Z system for everything else) although I have considered a D500 and the 200-500 (despite the 200-500 being a "old" lens but still one that many people use and love).

--
NOTE: If I don't reply to a direct comment in the forums, it's likely I unsubscribed from the thread/article..

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

The 200-600 is likely to be announced when a high(er) end DX camera or the Z8 (or the Z III's) are released.... But yes otherwise agree it makes no sense really to release the 200-600 without a suitable body to put behind it (although some Z9 shooters might use the 200-600 too).

But I think the point is that all of the lenses you listed exceed $2000 by a good amount (minus the TCs obvious), which will be the target (most likely) for the 200-600 (so it can compete with Sony's version).

Personally, I would say for the OP to wait until the end of the year and see what happens. If nothing comes by the end of the year, then we have a good idea about Nikon's priorities and how it feels about the long-term vision of the Z system, as that will mark 3 years since the last major pro-sumer body update. But part of me thinks that now that NIkon has the professional long teles announced and shipping, they are going to circle back on the pro-sumer market and get the 200-600 and Z8 (or Z III's with improved functionality) out. At this point, it doesn't matter if it's a Z8 or a Z III body as long as it performs.

The other thing that occured to me is that Nikon may be overhauling their Z6 and Z7 line with the Expeed 7, and perhaps a new sensor for the Z6 (for faster read-out and better AF integration) and the Z7 might still get it's same existing sensor, but that might be one reason we haven't seen any updates yet on any front). The Z8 and a high-end APSC body would likely be something from the ground up (for the most part, minus the body/shell itself perhaps).

--
NOTE: If I don't reply to a direct comment in the forums, it's likely I unsubscribed from the thread/article..

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

Click to expand...

This line up is unmatched. (Note the 400 f2.8 and 600 f4 pack a built-in bespoke TC14 - so 2 best quality primes in one)As importantly all the above are S Line telephotos, and the Z TCs are superior to the F mount TC's.

And no other system gets anywhere near in ergonomics and all round quality. Then there are the E and G telephotos.... including 500 PF, which personally I find beats the 200-500 in all aspects except the zoom feature. A Used 500 PF is a bargain

The 200-600 is an unknown entity, and non S-line according to the Z Roadmaps

ericbowles said:

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

Click to expand...

Yes this makes sound sense

ericbowles said:

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

There is definitely a release of new Nikon Z products pending.... The 12-28 looks like it's due soon.

https://nikonrumors.com/2023/04/08/...pz-vr-lens-specifications-leaked-online.aspx/

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

Click to expand...

Quitting a brand because they haven’t released one specific lens in your timeline is silly, in my opinion. I too have the 200-600; I have been using Nikon gear for almost 50 years; I have been frustrated at the 200-600 delay; but I’m not about to throw away the other five Z lenses and my Z7 just because that lens is not yet out.

If you move to another brand there will be things about it that will frustrate you a lot more than the weight of the 200-500, at least in the near turn.

Eric has one idea: get the Sony and appropriate adapter. Then, assuming Sony is a serious consideration, you have the lens for your new system already. However, know that that lens is 75 ounces to the Nikon 200-500’s 81 so you are not saving a lot of weight.

If I were you - and in a very real sense I (metaphorically) am - I would stay the course. Take the 200-500 to Yellowstone as the venerable, reliable, familiar tool you are already comfortable with. Pre-order the 200-600 from your local dealer the day it is announced so you will be first to get it.

You are about to make a long-term decision over a short-term problem. That is not wise.

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

Is funny how they haven't release or announce a 500 mm f/4--f/5.6

Hurakami Mambo said:

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

Is funny how they haven't release or announce a 500 mm f/4--f/5.6

Click to expand...

They probably don’t want to cannibalize sales of the F-mount 500mm PF.

Note: for a fixed-focal length lens, you wouldn’t have two maximum apertures. It would be a 500mm f/4, or 500mm f/5.6, or 500mm f/2.8, or … variable maximum aperture is for zoom lenses.

Suggestion, since you are new here: this place is on life support right now and will shut down at any time. Set up an account on dprevived.com, dp-forum.com, or both so you can continue to learn and contribute.

The non S lens designation of the 200-600 gives me the greatest pause in blindly preordering and/or desiring to have the lens.

I have owned four different S lenses. The 70-200, 100-400 (sold), and 400 f/4.5 all seemed noticeably superior to the 24-70 f/4 “S” kit lens to me. To me that lens is an appropriate kit lens with its ridiculous lock and zoom features. There’s good reason you can buy that S lens for around $300 in like new condition.

I think there’s a good chance the 200-600, being a non S lens, falls short of the 24-70 f/4 S lens in design and user friendly features, or at best equals it. To me no S designation shows the lens will be heavier than wanted, slower than wanted, lack function rings and function buttons, and shift weight balance with the zoom, of which the zoom throw might be longer than desired. If Nikon does the opposite of all I have listed above, making a light, fast, short throw, weather sealed, zoom with function buttons and function rings and have expectedly high IQ then why wouldn’t it too receive the S lens designation when a lesser lens like the 24-70 f/4 got the S designation? Lesser meaning lesser than the mythical full featured high performance 200-600.

I would like to be wrong, but I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed when the lens actually gets here as many seem to expect S line features in a non S lens.

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

Click to expand...

OR you could just rent a 100-400 with a 1.4TC (in addition to some recommendations above). It’s silly to switch to an entire different brand just because you don’t have a lens for your trip while there are many temporary equivalents out there

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around.

Click to expand...

Do you think the 200-600 will be smaller or lighter weight?

nergsrof said:

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months.

Click to expand...

Of course you are free to do whatever. But what are you expecting from the 200-600, other than another 100 mm of reach?

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

Click to expand...

Nikon has actually come out with a number of expensive telephoto primes and lenses like the 100mm-400mm. Although I have not had the benefit of sitting in on their marketing meetings, my guess is they are looking to maximize revenue as much as possible and have made an effort to put out many of the expensive lenses first. My guess is the 200mm-600mm will come in at around $2,000, less expensive than lenses like the Z telephoto or telephoto prime lenses.

I think the 200mm-600mm lens will be here soon, but I doubt you will get one before this summer. One option would be to rent one of the existing Z telephoto lenses for your trip, or even rent a lens like the Nikon or Sigma/Tamron 100mm-400mm for Yellowstone, along with a teleconverter.

With my luck, if I took the plunge and changed systems, Nikon would come out with the lens I was looking for the following week.

Z9 for competitive wildlife body, upcoming Z8 with very good Z APS mode (20mp) (if rumors are true) could be an alternative

PLShutterbug said:

Hurakami Mambo said:

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

Is funny how they haven't release or announce a 500 mm f/4--f/5.6

Click to expand...

They probably don’t want to cannibalize sales of the F-mount 500mm PF.

Click to expand...

The 500mm PF is in the F mount and is also max f5.6. There wouldn't be much overlap between a Z 500mm/f4, and an F 500mm/f5.6, which has been out since 2018. Whoever wants one already has one. There is not much further sales to be cannibalized.

The fact of the matter is that any 500mm f4 is now out of favor. Everybody (i.e. Canon and Sony) has a 400mm/f2.8 and a 600mm/f4 for mirrorless, but nobody has any 500mm/f4. When Canon updated the EF-mount super teles in 2018, they updated the 400 and 600 and left out the 500mm/f4.

There used to be a market for the 500mm/f4 because a 600mm/f4 used to be really heavy. E.g. mine from 2007 weights 11 pounds. However, modern 600mm/f4 are only like 6, 7 pounds so that a smaller 500mm/f4 is no longer in demand.

PLShutterbug said:

They probably don’t want to cannibalize sales of the F-mount 500mm PF.

Click to expand...

That's ridiculous. The 500mm PF has been out for well over 4 years now. So have the Z mount Z6 and Z7 for all that matters.

Cannibalize sales? I hardly think so .

archerscreek said:

The non S lens designation of the 200-600 gives me the greatest pause in blindly preordering and/or desiring to have the lens.

Click to expand...

I own the 24-200 and except for its slow long-end aperture I think it is exceptional. Better than any similar Nikkor I have ever owned. I base my expectations for the 200-600 performance on my experience with that lens and the 200-500, not on the 24-70/4 ( which I find excellent, too).

archerscreek said:

I have owned four different S lenses. The 70-200, 100-400 (sold), and 400 f/4.5 all seemed noticeably superior to the 24-70 f/4 “S” kit lens to me. To me that lens is an appropriate kit lens with its ridiculous lock and zoom features. There’s good reason you can buy that S lens for around $300 in like new condition.

I would like to be wrong, but I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed when the lens actually gets here as many seem to expect S line features in a non S lens.

Click to expand...

People with unreasonable expectations are invariably disappointed when those unreasonable expectations are, reasonably, not met.

michaeladawson said:

PLShutterbug said:

They probably don’t want to cannibalize sales of the F-mount 500mm PF.

Click to expand...

That's ridiculous. The 500mm PF has been out for well over 4 years now. So have the Z mount Z6 and Z7 for all that matters.

Cannibalize sales? I hardly think so .

Click to expand...

Hmm. If you are thinking about a 500mm lens, have a Z mount body, suddenly have the choice of a $3,500 F-mount lens requiring the FTZ or a $3,500 Z-mount lens, and you don’t have a compelling reason to buy the F-mount lens, you’re going to buy the Z-mount lens instead. That is the very definition of cannibalizing sales of another product. If you’re Nikon you re going to prioritize other non-competing or more-mainstream products first, as they have to date. Part of the rationale for that is faster adoption, but part is that you want to continue to capitalize on your prior R&D investment.

That’s not ridiculous, it’s a rational product management decision.

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. ...

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer ...

Click to expand...

I run the TC 1.4x with my Z 100-400mm on my Z9, and I'm not sure what using a 200-600 would really add to that. The 560mm effective long end is close enough to 600mm, the 140mm short end is wider, and I can easily change to 100-400 by taking off the TC 1.4, without needing to carry another lens around.

Image quality of the 1.4x+100-400mm is very good, as moist reviewers agree. Plus it's all S-line, so if I get caught in the rain, I'm not worried.

The point is, Nikon does offer a near-equivalent to a 200-600. And picking the 100-400 and the 1.4xTC may be a wiser use of money than switching to another maker.

I speculate that the positive reception of the 1.4x+100-400mm combo might be a reason Nikon is not in a rush to release the 200-600.

ericbowles said:

For the record, they have released:

• Z 800mm PF
• Z 400mm f/4.5
• Z 400mm f/2.8
• Z 600mm f/4
• Z 100-400
• Z 70-200 f/2.8
• Z 1.4 and 2.0 TC

What they have not released - and is expected - is the camera to go with the 200-600. It could be FX or DX - but an action camera beyond the Z9 is required for the 200-600. It's pointless to announce an enthusiast 200-600 without a camera.

I'm expecting to see the new camera announcement within 30 days.

Click to expand...

Folks use the Sony 200 600mm on their cropped Sony Cameras. And that series is hardly what I would call any type of real action cameras. So the current crop of Nikon Camera are more than enough to have already release the Z mount, Nikon, 200 600mm. In fact, many Sony users use the Sony 200 600 on some of the Older, drearily Slow, FF Sony cameras. With great results I might add also.

LT2412 said:

nergsrof said:

I love shooting wildlife but my 200-500 is starting to show its age and I'm getting a bit tired lugging it around. I have a Z6 and have been waiting for the Nikon 200-600 to come out. To be honest, I really don't understand Nikon's lens release strategy. Why spend so much effort developing so many short focal prime lenses, some that seem to be redundant?

Anyhow, about to leave Nikon after being a customer for 40 years. Plan a trip to Yellowstone this summer and I know, even if Nikon announces the 200-600 it won't be available for many months. Anyone have experience with e Sony 200-600 or the Canon?

Please note, I love Nikon reliability, function, and quality but this is getting ridiculous.

Click to expand...

OR you could just rent a 100-400 with a 1.4TC (in addition to some recommendations above). It’s silly to switch to an entire different brand just because you don’t have a lens for your trip while there are many temporary equivalents out there

Click to expand...

Agreed.