Summary
In this big telephoto lens comparison test, you had the opportunity to see the performance of almost every Nikon Z supertelephoto lens, as well as a couple of popular Nikon F-mount lenses. Rarely do you get the chance to compare so many lenses in a real scene. If you’ve ever wondered if your photography would benefit from a more expensive or faster lens, this test may have helped you find the answer.
Do I have any recommendations based on the examples above? Well, if your budget allows, the two top performers were the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 and Nikon Z 600mm f/4. If you want to save a bit of money, and you shoot mostly small birds or shy, distant animals, the 800mm f/6.3 PF will serve you wonderfully. (However, of all the lenses tested, it is the most specialized because of the huge focal length.)
A much more versatile choice is the 180-600mm zoom. What about the proven F-mount 200-500mm? Its optical performance proves that it’s not a bad choice, even years later. However, there are a number of other qualities for which I would prefer the newer 180-600mm without blinking an eye. You can read a comparison of the two lenses here. Meanwhile, the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 doesn’t handle the teleconverters especially well, but if you want a lens with near-macro capabilities and don’t need extreme focal lengths, it’s a great choice.
Then there are two lenses that have a lot in common. The Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF and 400mm f/4.5 are both lightweight, relatively compact super-telephoto lenses with great optical performance. Both are excellent without teleconverters, and they also tolerate 1.4x teleconverters very well. The difference is that with a 1.4x TC, you’re now looking at a 700mm f/8 versus a 560mm f/6.3. Speed or range? That’s the question. The ability to avoid the FTZ adapter would ultimately convince me to buy the 400mm f/4.5 – which is exactly what I did. However, it will depend upon what you shoot.
Finally, the one lens that I didn’t test in this comparison is the new Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S. I just recently got my hands on it, and it has better sharpness than the 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 while also being much more portable – but at more than double the price ($4800 vs $1700), I find it harder to recommend. I’ll share more of my impressions of the 600mm f/6.3 VR S within a week or so.
If you found our super-telephoto comparison helpful in deciding which lens to buy, you can reward our energy and effort by using one of the following affiliate links to B&H to buy any of your photography equipment (not just these particular lenses).
Lenses:
- Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S
- Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
- Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
- Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S
- Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S
- Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
- Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S
- Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S
Teleconverters:
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!
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