Nikon as a Supertele System Just Got Interesting

Nikon’s Nikkor Z 800m f/6.3 VR PF S lens will cost only about $6,000 and weigh only five pounds, according to Nikon Rumors.

The lens is expected to be announced in about a week.

Being a PF lens – Nikon’s term for a shortened, Fresnel lens – with a length that appears to be similar to a “normal” 500mm f/4 supertelephoto lens.

In the firm’s 2022 CP+ presentation, they indicated the lens will be a corker for image quality, at least according to the Nikon reps.

Both Nikon and Canon have zigged from their normal patterns in releasing their 800 designs. Nikon adopted the PF architecture to save weight and length, while Canon adopted a pre-existing lens design, and built in a sort of teleconverter to bring a 400mm f/2.8 design to an 800 f/5.6 spec. With those choices, one could reasonably expect the Nikon lens to be much more expensive, despite having a 1/3rd stop darker aperture, but Canon’s RF 800mm f/5.6 offering is slated to cost $17,000, almost three times the price.