Nikon’s mirrorless technology has really helped sports photographers cut down on their physical load. Not only have the Z9 and Z8 packed a lot of fast technology into smaller cameras, but Nikon’s telephoto lenses have also been getting smaller and lighter. What’s incredibly fantastic on Nikon’s part is that they have been bringing out the same focal length telephotos in various apertures and price ranges. This is hugely useful for those who can’t afford the crème de la crème of the sports lenses but still need the reach of powerful zooms. And the Nikon 600mm f6.3 is just the latest addition to this.
Nikon’s Z 400mm f2.8 And Z 600mm F4 Are Excellent But Massive & Pricey
Offering exceptional image and build quality and housing built-in teleconverters, Nikon’s Z series 400mm f2.8 and 600mm f4 lenses are champions at what they do. And unlike what I’ve experienced with F-mount lenses, the teleconverters don’t reduce sharpness noticeably. In fact, to the untrained eye, you really can’t tell if a teleconverter was used on them. Such is the performance of these lenses, which Nikon often attributes to the short flange distance of their Z-mount system. Because of the inbuilt teleconverter, the 400mm is around an inch longer than the F-mount AF-S 400mm f2.8 lens. However, it’s almost as heavy as its F-mount counterpart. The same goes for the 600mm f4 lenses. They are almost identical in length, while the Z-mount version is 20oz lighter.
As good as the F-mount lenses were, I’ve noticed that the S-line of Z-mount lenses is far superior in sharpness and autofocusing. Many are free of chromatic aberration. All these benefits come at a significantly hefty price tag too – USD 13,999.95 and 15,499.95 for the 400mm and 600mm, respectively. It’s not something that would entice existing F-mount lens owners to easily switch over, even if they did own bodies like the Z8 and Z9. Due to this, I’ve seen many sports photographers opt to get these bodies and continue to use their F-mount telephoto lenses.
Affordable Telephoto Options
When the 400mm f4.5 was released in June 2022, my eyes lit up. Here was a super telephoto lens that was a mere 9 inches long and weighed only 2.5 lbs. It was almost too good to be true. Yes, you sacrificed a little over a stop of light compared to the f2.8, but you gained a lot of portability. And most importantly, you could handhold this lens for long periods. No more having to drag that monopod around everywhere at sporting events. And I could probably leave my bazooka 200-400mm f4 lens at home since I tend to shoot more at 400mm at sporting events.
It worked great for some tennis matches I tested it on. The AF tracked the players’ eyes very well. The results were sharp and accurate. For someone like me, who owns some fast F-mount telephoto lenses, but doesn’t want to spend big bucks on getting Z-mount lenses yet, this kind of lens was a good option.
Will the Z 600mm f6.3 Be A Sellout?
I’m curious to see the Nikon Z 600mm f6.3 lens be so close in terms of size, compared to their Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 lens. The former is 11 inches long while the latter is just 1.5 inch longer. As they both have a max f6.3 aperture at 600mm, it will be interesting to see how many sports photographers opt for the more expensive prime. The 180-600mm isn’t an S lens so the 600mm f6.3 will definitely be sharper. But will the 600mm f6.3 lens be able to justify a price tag that’s nearly 3 times as much as the zoom?
If it was even an f5.6 aperture lens, I know of many who would buy it without much hesitation. It would be like an upgrade to the AF-S 500mm f5.6 lens. That lens was fantastic during the days I used it for professional sports work. When news of this lens was floating around, I hoped it would be a 600mm f5.6 lens. But then, after Nikon released their 35mm and 50mm f1.8 S lenses, I never felt the need to have a 1.4 version of them. Maybe f6.3 is the new f5.6 for Nikon’s Z-mount.
A Great Choice For Amateurs And Part-Timers
I feel this lens will be a fantastic option for part-time sports photographers, or photographers who are starting out in their careers. Those who cover their local league games or support their child’s college and university games. It could be a great option for press and media agencies who need sports coverage done but don’t want to shell out on a 600mm f4 lens. Often these folk end up buying shorter focal length lenses like 70-200 f2.8 models which don’t always give them the necessary reach for a lot of sports. Images taken with such a lens will definitely help you stand out from the amateurs and make your work instantly noticed. No amount of cropping your photo after shooting them with a wider lens will give you good results.
Pair the Nikon 600mm f6.3 lens with a camera like the Z6 II, and now you have a pretty capable sports photography setup with a high burst rate of 14fps. Such a combination would be quite portable to use anywhere. It’s 8fps more than I had when I was starting out back in 2008. If you can’t get a decent shot with a 14fps camera, then it’s not the gear that’s making bad sports pictures. I’ve used both the Z6 and Z6 II for sports photography; while they aren’t quite up there with the Z8 and Z9, they aren’t slouches either.
600mm Is A Great Focal Length For Many Kinds Of Sports
Professionals who demand only the best optical performance will probably want to add one of these to their arsenal. Motorsports, horse racing, and even track and field photographers would make good use of this lens. It’s a great alternative to the expensive 600mm f4 lens, a stellar performer nevertheless, but one that’s priced out of the reach of many photographers.
It will also be a lens that would give older sports photographers a lot more comfort and mobility, thanks to the weight and size factor. I’ve seen some photographers on the track struggle with having to lug around large 600mm lenses on monopods, while precariously juggling two or more cameras hanging around their neck. A setup like the Nikon 600mm f6.3 lens on a Z9 would be a useful option for those wanting to get tight sports photos without having to be weighed down constantly. And with the low light, high ISO performance of modern mirrorless cameras, the narrower aperture wouldn’t be too much of a tradeoff.
I’m very seriously considering getting this lens and the Nikon 400mm f4.5 for myself once I get a Z9 for myself. The AF benefits especially of the Nikon Z cameras trump that of any DSLR system I’ve tried and these lenses would pair with it perfectly
The lead image of this article is from Nikonusa.com