Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S Lens

The NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S lens by Nikon is a remarkable super-telephoto prime lens specifically designed to excel in sports and wildlife photography. With its impressive reach, speed, and versatility, this lens delivers outstanding performance. Notably, it features a built-in 1.4x teleconverter that allows for instant switching to an effective 840mm f/5.6, enhancing its reach when needed.

The integrated design of the teleconverter within the lens housing ensures optimal optical matching and maintains the lens’s weather sealing. This design also reduces the risk of attracting dust or dirt to the lens’s optical or sensor surfaces, saving time when changing focal lengths. When the teleconverter is engaged, the lens transforms into an effective 840mm f/5.6.

The lens incorporates S-Line Optics, featuring a fast f/4 maximum aperture that excels in various lighting conditions and offers excellent control over depth of field. It boasts advanced elements such as ED (extra-low dispersion) and Super ED glass elements, lightweight fluorite elements, and an SR (short-wavelength refractive) element. These elements effectively eliminate chromatic aberrations, color fringing, and comatic aberrations. The SR element, with its specialized high-dispersion design, refracts shorter wavelengths, resulting in accurate color rendering and a more compact lens design.

The lens employs refined anti-glare coatings, including the newly developed Meso Amorphous Coat, which delivers superior anti-reflective performance compared to previous NIKKOR lenses. It outperforms the Nano Crystal Coat in terms of diagonal incident light and matches the performance of the ARNEO Coat for vertical incident light. The combination of ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coats provides comprehensive anti-glare protection from all angles, effectively suppressing ghosting, reflections, and flare, resulting in higher contrast and accurate color reproduction, particularly in strong lighting and backlit conditions.

The Silky Swift VCM Autofocus system utilizes magnets instead of gears to achieve higher initial speeds, greater accuracy, and smoothness when moving the focusing groups. A guide bar is also implemented to minimize focusing vibrations and improve continuous focusing speeds. The lens incorporates a high-precision sensor and an optical ABS encoder for precise and fast autofocus performance. It offers quiet operation and reduced focus breathing, enhancing compositional accuracy during focus adjustments. Full-time manual focus override is available, and the lens’s internal focusing design maintains its overall length and enables faster focusing speeds.

Vibration Reduction image stabilization reduces the effects of camera shake by approximately 5 stops, allowing for handheld shooting in low-light situations. When used with compatible cameras featuring sensor-shift VR, it supports Synchro VR, combining in-body VR with optical VR for improved performance and 5.5 stops of shake control.

The lens is built with professional durability and intuitive handling in mind. It is 14% lighter than its F-mount counterpart, weighing 7.2 lb. The center of gravity is focused around the tripod mount, enabling smoother panning, especially when using a tripod or monopod. The tripod mount is rotatable for easy switching between vertical and horizontal shooting orientations. The lens features advanced weather sealing with rubber gaskets to prevent dust and moisture ingress. Its magnesium alloy body ensures a lightweight yet durable construction, while the fluorine coating on the front and rear elements repels dirt, moisture, and oils, making it easier to clean.

Additionally, the lens is compatible with optional Z-Teleconverter TC-1.4x and TC-2x, further extending its reach. It offers an intuitive control layout with conveniently placed buttons and dials, allowing easy access without taking your eye off the viewfinder. The Memory Set button stores a focusing position, which can be instantly recalled by rotating the

Fn ring, ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects. Customizable L-Fn buttons provide flexibility for configuring subject tracking, AF lock, image playback, and other modes. The L-Fn2 button is accessible from four different locations on the barrel for easy reach. The programmable Control Ring can be used to control aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation. Lastly, the lens supports Kensington lock for securing it in place during remote shooting sessions.