Verdict
Each of the “big three” – Canon, Nikon, and Sony – makes great telephoto lenses today. But in the case of Canon and Sony, your choice is mainly between affordable low-quality telephotos or super-fast exotics for super-big bucks. Not much in between.
That’s where I see lenses like the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 PF being so appealing. If you don’t want to spend $16,000 on a 600mm f/4, this could be your lens. (Likewise, if you can’t stomach buying a 400mm f/2.8, there’s always the Nikon Z 400mm f/4.5.)
It’s not that the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 is inexpensive. To say that about a $4800 lens would be an expression of snobbery. But it represents a good middle option for photographers who want something better than a slow zoom but cheaper than an exotic supertelephoto.
Which brings me to Nikon’s most affordable option for wildlife photographers, the Nikon 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3. On paper, the two lenses look very similar – both reach 600mm at f/6.3, and both are portable, even though the prime is lighter and smaller. Which one to choose? Well, I bought one of them for my own photography… can you guess which one?
I’ve shown in this review that the Nikon 600mm f/6.3 is a high-end lens whose sharpness is uncompromising. It is optically flawless, lighter than the 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3, and excellent all-around. If the $4800 price of the lens is acceptable, and you don’t need to shoot at distances shorter than 4 meters, it is the perfect choice for handheld wildlife photography.
However, it is actually the Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 that I added to my bag. It’s not quite as sharp, it has more limited controls, and it weighs more. However, the price of $1700 is simply a remarkable value. It also has the benefits of a variable focal length and a shorter focusing distance. Ultimately, those factors outweighed the optical brilliance and lighter weight of the prime lens when I was making my decision.
It wasn’t easy to pick between them, though. I’m glad that Nikon has both lenses to choose from.
Price and Availability
The Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S currently has a retail price of $4800. Lenses like this are usually produced in small quantities and run into availability issues. However, at least when I’m publishing this article, there are some copies of the 600mm f/6.3 in stock. You can check current prices and availability at the links below:
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The next page of this review has some more sample photos from the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3, followed by reader comments on the final page. Click the menu below to jump to the section you want:
Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S
- Build Quality and Handling
- Size and Weight
- Sharpness Performance
- Other Image Quality
- Value
Photography Life Overall Rating
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