What Z lenses are you looking forward to or hoping for

photobunny

Hopefully I am placing this in the right place, these forms are a bit arcane.

As a new user to Nikon and the Z system there are a number of lenses I want and hope will come to exist and it would be curious to know what everyone else is into.

For me I am after a 20mm Tilt shift, 85mm f/1.8, 100/135mm macro (brownie points for tile shift), 200mm f/2.8, 300mm f/2.8, and something 200-400mm f/4 TC. This covers architecture, humans, and wildlife(inc. bugs)

WestEndFoto

19mm PC, 28mm PC, 14mm Noct, 28mm Noct, 105mm Noct, 200mm 1.8

15mm, 20mm, 85mm small compact (along with the 28, 40, 60)

Ton14

40mm f/2.8 pancake - 70-200mm f/2.8 VR 100mm f/2.8 macro.
In addision to my 24-70mm, 50mm, 24mm, 85mm and (70-200mm f/4G VR).

With this € 10.000.- equipment I have all I need and think I can make all the photo's I want, if not it's not the gear.

Learning video now, so a pair of "cine" lenses perhaps, but that's for next year.

photobunny

WestEndFoto said:

19mm PC, 28mm PC, 14mm Noct, 28mm Noct, 105mm Noct, 200mm 1.8

15mm, 20mm, 85mm small compact (along with the 28, 40, 60)

PC is Nikon lingo for TS?

Pistnbroke

This is putting the cart before the horse ....we need a Z camera that works first.
Ok OK I will take a 14mm FX pancake f2.8 for $300

photobunny

Pistnbroke said:

This is putting the cart before the horse ....we need a Z camera that works first.

We are not talking about bodies, we are going to be using the Z mount for decades to come.

Ton14

The Nikon Z6 is the best Nikon I ever had. The settings which are possible now after the 3.0 firmware version are beyond all other Nikon camera's in the past.

The IQ that the Nikon Z lenses produce is a big step forward, due to dynamic range, noise, CA etc. also the use of the buttons on the lenses, which you can customize as you want, it is a great total system, which needs practise. Also IBIS.

photobunny

@Ton14 I too have become a big fan of the Z6 but before it have had little practice with Nikon bodies as I have mostly been using a Canon 5dII attached to a 300mm f/2.8. for the last decade. Some things I am loving on the Z6, but others I switched off(Bumped the sleep to 5m, turned off the screen, turned off the WYSIWYG which has improved focus speed).

I look forward to a gripped Z and the lenses I mentioned before, especially something fast over 200mm. Any lenses yourself you are looking forward to?

Searcy

The Z mount lenses I have are the 24-70 2.8s which is amazing and the 35mm 1.8s. What I think I want to get next is an 85mm. I have never had one but I think it would be a good range for me. I would love to grab the 70-200 2.8s if they ever manage to release it but money is tight these days.

Ton14

@photobunny Yeah, that was one thing I didn't like at all, like the EVF, if I leave out all the curses I didn't say anything the first month. Now that I'm used to the EVF, I don't want anything else.

As far as that "hibernation" is concerned, I solved as follows. I don't switch off the camera, which is also an advantage when I use Snapchat (spare battery standard in my pocket). I always use the "AF-ON button" and when I grab my camera, I press the shutter halfway, then the camera is ready when I look through the EVF, after some practice this is now fully automatic.

This system also prevents hunting of the lens. I have put the lenses I use and want in the other topic, but it should have fast AF, as the 70-200mm on the Nikon D810.

My camera is on M most of the time, now even more, because the ring on the lens can be used to set ISO.

Always had Nikon, from Canon I only had the Canon G9 and G10 as a perfect walkaround camera, here I now sometimes use the Z6 with the 16-50mm S-DX lens on it until the pancake becomes available, I bought this lens cheap as a "bulk" version.

Symphotic

I've got a pretty good selection now, but I'm standing by for the 70-200. After that, I'd like to see a 40 mm (or so) f/2.8 pancake lens. If that comes out, I might buy a Z6 with a pancake lens as a camera I keep with me all the time.

photobunny

Symphotic said:

I've got a pretty good selection now, but I'm standing by for the 70-200. After that, I'd like to see a 40 mm (or so) f/2.8 pancake lens. If that comes out, I might buy a Z6 with a pancake lens as a camera I keep with me all the time.

I've been using the Z6 with the 50mm f/1.8 S and it is a really light weight combo. But this is from a guy that also keeps a 300mm f/2.8 all the time, but still, the 50mm is small and compact enough to keep in a messenger bag attached to the camera or I just wear it on my Peak Design leash so it is always at the ready.

Symphotic

photobunny said:

...
I've been using the Z6 with the 50mm f/1.8 S and it is a really light weight combo. But this is from a guy that also keeps a 300mm f/2.8 all the time, but still, the 50mm is small and compact enough to keep in a messenger bag attached to the camera or I just wear it on my Peak Design leash so it is always at the ready.

I agree with you. I have the 50 mm on my Z7 and am very pleased with the size and weight.

mhedges

I'm looking forward to the 100-400. Depending on the price.

Pistnbroke said:

This is putting the cart before the horse ....we need a Z camera that works first.

Come on stop it

snakebunk

I want to see long prime lenses, 400/2.8 and 600/4, that don't weigh more than the ones from Sony and Canon.

photobunny

snakebunk said:

I want to see long prime lenses, 400/2.8 and 600/4, that don't weigh more than the ones from Sony and Canon.

Lighter than Sony is a definite. But Canon have been showing of a little fat DO 600mm for years. I think Nikon might go for the safer route and produce a more traditional but optically excellent Z 600.

PB_PM

It seems likely that the F-mount PF 300mm F4E and PF 500mm F5.6E could have been test beds for what Nikon will do with Z-mount telephotos. Using PF designs they could lighten the weight of 400 F2.8, 500 F4 and 600mm F4 glass significantly.

WestEndFoto

Using more fluorite elements would also reduce weight and improve optical quality.

snakebunk

Sorry, I wasn't clear, but I am not talking about PF (or DO) lenses.

Canon EF 600/4L IS III USM: 3050 g
Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS: 3040 g
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4E FL ED VR: 3810 g

Canon EF 400mm f/2,8L IS III USM: 2840 g
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS: 2895 g
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 400mm f/2,8E FL ED VR: 3800 g

How Canon and Sony make their long prime lenses so light? One way is that they move the lens elements closer to the mount, thereby making them smaller.

It is not all about weight of course, but all of these lenses are mostly perfect when it comes to anything else.

In general I would be very happy to see Nikon get back into the game of long prime lenses, and in particular I want to see long prime lenses for the Z mount.

photobunny

snakebunk said:

How Canon and Sony make their long prime lenses so light? One way is that they move the lens elements closer to the mount, thereby making them smaller..

I have read over the years from various people I consider credible that it isn’t just moving the glass further back. But making the front element lighter which Canon and Sony have been able to do quicker with the white paint so the lens stays cooler and doesn’t expand and contract as much. Though the new 500 5.6 suggests they can remain black and use the more exotic elements.

Personally I would like the Nikkor Z super teles to go white but only for superficial reasons and I live in Scotland so there is no extreme heat issues here.

Purely speculation without digging out years of internet history, I am not a lens engineer.

PB_PM

snakebunk said:

Sorry, I wasn't clear, but I am not talking about PF (or DO) lenses.

I would not be at all surprised if all the big primes use PF designs to keep them small and lighter weight for the Z-mount. The PF design does not preclude using larger apertures, and that would be a huge selling point for the Nikon Z bodies, because right now there isn't anything compelling about the lineup unless you are a pixel peeper.

snakebunk

@PB_PM: You could be right, but the pf lenses must be really great to convince nature and sports photographers to let go of their classic super tele lenses. I have the 300/4 pf and think it is a handy complement to my 500/4, but I still think there is a clear difference. In particular I've had problems with the 300/4 and the one way glass used in many professional hides.

DaveyJ

I use the DX Nikons only. I used to own too many large and medium format cameras to chase ultra high res any more. I use and admire the Z50 and two awesome kit lens, the 16-50 and the 50-250. I have looked really close at adding the Z6 and especially the 24-70 but the initial reports I saw on the 24-200 look really good. I'm not sure though if I go FX in Nikon Z I'd want to go to a very wide zoom range. The Z50 16-50 is amazing. And I guess the very highly rated 24-70 is a complete must own lens.

But I'd sure like to add a 250-500 maybe non- S lens to get a lightweight field carry to use on long arduous hikes as I have found the Nikon 200-500 F5.6 with even the D7500 is a pretty heavy rig. If I wasn't using the Black Rapid Strap and Arca Swiss mount light Oben tripod it would be a real chore to carry. Having seen how impressive the Z50 and 50-250 is, a 250-500 for that long tele lightweight might be feasible.

My belief is that Nikon would sell a lot of them. The 0.58 Noct prices are fine for only a very few. The 200-500 F5.6 is widely regarded as one of Nikon's best lens, although again, that lens seems to have considerable variation. I know mine is superb, but HEAVY! And to those who suggest the 500 PF I recall many times being at Yellowstone or Alaska and finding great shots at closer distances and needing that wider field so primes don't meet my requirements. A 500PF Nikon now exists and is lighter than the 200-500 F5.6 but I can't take chances on a lens suited to take a Brown Bear's teeth only. I need a lightweight long zoom. I have traveled with a Senior Travel Agent and she now uses mostly The new Nikon Coolpix just for that versatile zoom. I can't feature myself owning a Coolpix, but the Z50 250-500 or even 250-600??? Seems like a winner!

KnockKnock

Still lusting for a Z body. I like to travel light. So in addition to the 24-70 f/4:

18mm f/2.8 compact
100-300 variable f zoom.
Maybe an even more compact f/3.5-5.6 24-85.
Then I’d pick up the 50 f/1.8 for artistic work.

Maybe I’m more a candidate for DX, am holding out for an IBIS body there with improved viewfinder, existing 2 lens kit. Then a super-wide 10-16, and again the 50 f/1.8 for artistic work.

WestEndFoto

You might see that 18. Or maybe a 20.

photobunny

@KnockKnock perhaps a 70-300 f/4 to f/5.6, the one on Canon side is really nice as a walk about or day at the Zoo lens. Really small and compact. And if you are wanting DX perhaps the 35 1.8 S instead of the 50mm. Though I have to say that the z6 is really compact and could not imagine being comfortable with a smaller body.