You can order your Nikon Z 180-600mm lens here on Amazon... tinyurl.com/Nikon-Z180-600 Please note this is an affilaite link and I might get a slight commission from any sales made but this helps me to make UA-cam videos like this one.
Hello Kieran. Have been o the waiting list here in Alaska for 8 months and finally my turn came up. Been watching reviews of it since it came out. Really enjoyed your review and it more than confirmed what I’m hearing from other photographers. Thanks again and I’ll be following you, now that I’ve found your channel!
Thanks a million, really glad it helped and I think you won't regret it for a second unless of course you go hiking up a mountain then I think you might :-) It's a pure beast of a lens in every way.
A really good review of this lens. Straightforward and to the point. No bogging the reader down with unnecessary science. A practical summary from the eyes and the hands of a photographer simply using this lens for his desired tasks. Well done...10/10 from me. Thank you.
Hi Philip, thanks a million and glad you liked it. I am always one to try and keep things simple if I can, in saying that I have a more technical review of this lens on the way over the next few weeks also as some people have requested it. Thanks again.
Brilliant! The more detailed technical review will be great for those who have 90% decided to go for this lens. I very much look forward to seeing this. Thanks again.
Hi Michael, thanks a lot for the kind feedback and really glad you enjoyed the video. I will be putting up another more detailed review in a few weeks on sharpness, vignetting, distortion etc... Thanks again for watching 👍
My copy just came in today, so I picked it up. Today was a work day for me, so I haven’t shot with this lens a lot, just some test shots of my dog in the backyard. I watched your review 3 or 4 times before purchasing. With the little time I spent with the lens so far, I’ve noticed a decline in image quality when using the 2x teleconverter with the 180-600. The images are of better quality when I don’t use the teleconverter and crop them afterwards. However, when I use the 2x teleconverter with my 70-200 lens, the quality drop is not as noticeable. This difference might be due to the 70-200 being an S-Line lens, while the 180-600 is not. From what little I’ve seen so far, I think I’m just going to shoot this lens normally and crop later. No TC, no DX crop. 👍
Traded in the 200-500mm on this lens a couple of months ago. Absolutely no regrets, the 200-500mm was quite slow when using the F2Z adapter on the Z7ii compared to its performance on a f mount camera.
It really is a big step up from the 200-500mm lens for a lot of little reasons but they all stack up to create a far better lens. Enjoy every minute of it.
Kieran. I used the Nikon 200-500 with my Nikon D500 for years, then used the 200-500 with my Z6ii. Now I have the 180-600mm and use it with my Z8 and Z6ii. It's HANDS-DOWN better, all around, than the 200-500. I love the results I get and will be using it for many years to come.
Hi Richard, I couldn't agree more with you. It has more reach on the top and bottom end, better sealing, shorter throw on the zoom ring which I love and slightly sharper also. It's a knock out for Nikon. Now if only you could fold it in half and carry a load of other gear with it 👍
I have this lens and it has replaced my 200-500 Nikon and my 150-600 Tamron, I know it is big and heavy but it is way ahead of my other lenses for wildlife photography. Thanks for the review.
It really is a beautiful lens and especially for the price it's criminally good. I am no wildlife photographer really I spent most of my time doing commercial work or landscape so for me it's a very big change from my day to day setup :-)
I have been using this lens for 4 months now, and it has won me over. Mounted to my Z9 the total weight really put me off initially. Oddly, the weight/mass issue turned out to primarily be a "hiking to and from" issue. After I started to rely on hand holding exclusively, it became a joy to use. Weight seems a non issue for shooting, except for transit and quick acquisition of moving objects. I just can't swing it into action as well as my 500mm pf with adaptor. That said, the VR and overall image rendering are amazing. I am incredibly pleased with the versatility, reach, AF speed and sharpness. I am literally amazed to get this much performance FOR under $2K USD. I have only managed to travel with it by car so far. Packing for a flight will likely be a challenge.
Hi, firstly thanks for watching and secondly I totally agree with you. We are lucky enough to be living in an age where you can buy a lens this good for so little money. It's hands down the best lens I have value for money wise. It's a personal thing for me when I say I don't like the weight as I am primarily a landscape photographer and hiking with a lens that size is a consideration. I always like to keep my bag as light as possible, yet my bag still ends out around 17-20 kgs 😂. Enjoy the lens it's a pure beast.
Great review! I totally agree with your assessment of this lens. Regarding it's size and transporting my gear in the field; I typically use an older Think Tank Airport. I can carry a Z8, this lens, and a 24-70mm 4S lens when I am away from my vehicle. I also carry one or both of my teleconverters. If I feel I might need a "back-up" camera I may put the 24 to 70mm on a Z6II and use a shoulder strap to carry one of the two camera/lens combinations with it.
Thanks a million James, appreciate the kind words and you watching the video. Like you I have a big camera bag I can easily pop it all into, I call it my kitchen sink bag it's an f-stop Sukha 70L camera bag. I am in a fortune position to have 6 different camera bags atm. Yes it seems I have a camera bag problem :-). While it will fit in my standard bag the Ajna, the bag is all about the lens then. From years of carrying heavy gear around I try to keep it all as light as possible and hence my hesitancy to leave it in the bag. Great to hear I am not alone on that one and thanks again.
I have only had the lens for a week. Your comments are very much appreciated. It does fit nicely in my Think Tank Glass Limo bag with the lens cap o and the Z9 attached. There is also room for 2 other lenses and a spare battery. I am finding that it is the flexibility of the lens as a whole that I am enjoying. I like hand holding the lens because the VR seems to work so nicely. I am not concerned about the weight. I have been relying on my long serving 500 F4G for many years now and that is not a lens you can manage without at least a monopod. The extra freedom of the 180-600 is adequate compensation for the small reduction in sharpness I have noticed. I will not be giving up the 500 F4 but as far as I am concerned the 180-600 is not really a heavy lens.
Hi Martin, thanks for the feedback and for watching. I am lucky enough to have several different camera bags and while the 180-600 also fits easily in f-stop Sukha bag. I really like travelling light. I am more of a people and landscape photographer at heart but I do enjoy wildlife photography and this lens has certainly brought the joy back to that. If I were you I wouldn't sell the 500 either 👍. Fairplay to Nikon for producing an exceptional lens for the price. I know it's not really heavy but for someone who has to think twice if he will bring his 70-200 with him then it's a beast 😂 Enjoy the lens and have a great week 👍
@@kieranhayesphotography I definitely agree about that the 70-200. I sold my F-mount F2.8 G version recently. I can see how great the Z mount Nikkor is but it would not be something I want to be part of my current line up. The 70-180 F 2.8 version looks much more likely to be my choice in that focal length.
@@MGriff-q1i that lens is going to be amazing for a lot of people also. It all comes down to how much use you will make of a lens I guess. I am going to seriously enjoy playing around with the 180-600 over spring though 👍
Hi Kieran I agree with your review whole heartedly, I purchased my 180 - 600 and started using it with my Z8 since October 2023, and have absolutely no regret. I do own the 70 - 200 F2.8 Z lens , but no convertor. I'm relatively new to wildlife photography and I do believe that if you can afford good glass at an affordable price, then go for it. Looking forward to your next review.
Hi Brian, thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, good glass is always going to be a great investment. Like you I have no regrets buying this lens and there is so much I love about it. I just wish you could fold it in half :-)
I plan to use it a lot more once the weather settles down here a small bit and I will post a more technical review then with a good few more pictures also. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
I agree with your comments with one small caveat: You view this lens as the best value lens in the Nikon Z lineup, and I'll admit that it is a wonderful value and I'm happy to have purchased it. But, for me, the Nikon 24-120 mm f4 S is the best value Nikon lens, probably for its wonderful image quality, light weight, flexibility and very reasonable (these days...) price. But then, I haven't had a complaint about any of the Nikon Z lenses that I own.
Hi John, thanks for watching and for the feedback. The 24-120 F4 is an incredible lens, you are dead right there, not going to argue with that at all. What I really meant is when you look at the size of the 180-600 and what you actually get for it, there is an awful lot of lens for not an awful lot of money. Thanks again and enjoy the lens, it's a cracker.
I believe you are right. While I'm too cheap to buy a Nikon 600mm f4 TC VR A or a Nikon 400mm f2.8 TC VR S, I think you get great resolution, sharpness, and flexibility with the 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR and it gives you 90% of the performance of those lenses for a fraction of the cost. @@kieranhayesphotography
@@johnforbes4795 That's it exactly John, not everyone can justify buying a serious prime lens like those ones. It all comes down to use and how often you will use it.
Nice review, I am a lucky owner of this lens for 2 weeks already. Agree with your every word. This lens is fantastic, I decided whether this lens or Tamron 150-500 to buy, spent a bit more money and not a single regret. Very sharp lens and outstanding VR when doing video. The lens obviously becomes weaker in low light , but it's the nature of non big aperture lenses.
Thanks for watching and for the kind words. Yes, it's the only draw back to using this lens you are really going to need to bump up your ISO if you are shooting birds in flight around sunset or sunrise. Other then that it's a fantastic all rounder.
It's an awesome lens Leon. I am sure you will love it. It really surprised me with its focus speed and lack of focus breathing. It's some lens, fairplay to Nikon.
And just FYI, the BlackRapid RS-4 sling works well with this lens! The security strap can tie into the lens strap lug, and the other clips to a carabiner attached to the metal loop on the sling, providing a bit of extra security when carrying it off your tripod or monopod. An awesome lens for sure!
Thanks a lot for that, I must look into it :-) I forgot to mention in the other comment that I Have another video on the Z180-600 and it's more sharpness orientated and how sharp it is at different focal lengths and f stops here ... ua-cam.com/video/JUvSSFeoxS4/v-deo.html
Excellent review, had my lens for around 3 months now and although not always in my camera bag, it always travels with me in the car so never too far out of reach should I decide to find myself needing it. Some amazing images on every usage and as you say is it Value for £ - Most certainly.
Hi Alex, thanks for watching and for the kind feedback. Yes, it's an amazing lens alright, a real joy to use it. Funnily I do that too, I usually leave my backup gear in the car if I am on a commercial shoot, it's close if anything goes wrong but you also don't have to carry everything including the kitchen sink with you on the day. So I have that lens with me a lot of the time now also when I head out. It might be big but it's so worth it at the same time.
Hi and thanks for the video! This is an amazing lens, but still extremely expensive for most people. For example I recently spent all my savings to buy the Z5 and the 24-200 lens and can't even start to dream at buying this lens. Maybe sometime in the future.
I've ran the 200-500mm predecessor for 7 years, normally hanging off my rucksack on a blackrapid strap, in all and any locations and weathers. That lens has been outstanding and faultless. This lens completely outclasses and outreaches it so can definitely be trusted to do the job. The ability to zoom negates the need for switching lenses constantly.
Exactly, it's a great lens and the extra reach is much appreciated. Also the short throw ratio of the zoom is great, makes it super easy to refind your subject if you lose it while zoomed in. Best value for money lens Nikon have made in my mind.
I agree with your review totally. I’ve been using the 180-600mm for just over a year now and have been very impressed with its performance and cost. First zoom I’ve had since the 200-500mm some years ago, primes since then. The internal zoom and zoom throw did it for me as the 200-500 had a crazy throw for the zoom and extended. The image quality is not on par with my primes but not that far away. I carry it attached to a Z9 or Z6ii in a Lowepro Trekker 600. It fits with the hood attached and leaves a bit of room above for accessories. This bag also allows my 800pf to be attached to camera also so it’s a bag I would recommend. I’m not convinced about the tripod collar as I feel that the versions on my other Z primes perform better.
Hi Jim, thanks for the feedback and for watching. It's a great lens in fairness, I totally agree on the tripod foot. It works, it's functional but I can't help but feeling Nikon cut a corner or two there. Then again I suppose they had to cut corners somewhere. On the bag side of things I am lucky enough to have 6 different camera bags and they all have their uses. The bag I can see myself using with this lens going forward is the f-stop Sukha 70l bag. It's a huge bag, the only thing is after years of walking around carrying heavy weights I am trying to lighten my bag, hense the massive dilemma this lens caused me. I do love it to bits though. Thanks again and enjoy the lens 👍
Fantastic lens! I’ve had it for 5 weeks and would sleep with it if it wouldn’t tick off my wife! I love everything about it on my Z8, which I also love! Thanks for the review that confirmed my thoughts!
Thanks for watching and the kind feedback also. The Z8 and the 180-600 really is a great combo. Let's just say my wife might be getting a little jealous of it :-)
I have mine paired with a Z8 also. Took delivery just a couple of days ago. I took a few random shots of various birds on rooftops etc and WOW. Pin sharp images, great colour rendition, and fast AF. Very happy!
Thanks Mark, I hope you get your copy soon. Crazily, I just ordered mine in early December and got it two days later via a camera store here in Ireland. The shortages seems to vary depending on where you are in the world.
@@tomhesse2015 Hi Tom, that's what everyone seems to be saying alright. I just checked there now and my local camera store has stock for sale. Fingers crossed you get your copy soon.
Thanks for this excellent review. Yes, a detailed review on its image quality will be valuable! Also, if you can possibly compare its image quality with that of Sony 200-600 will be great. Thanks.
Thanks and glad you like it, I will get around to a far more detailed review and post more images from the 180-600 also. I don't have a Sony camera or the even the 200 to 600 lens on sadly. So, I don't think I will ever get around to doing that review.
I remember when I had a coffee mug of probably 12oz based on an older lens model. I'm glad the updated the lens to mimic the 40oz tumblers everybody is using nowadays.
Great review! One thing I’ve been wondering is how much of the soft focus can be recovered using Topaz or a similar SW? As these SWs evolve, the performance gap between the $16K and $1.8K 600mm lenses becomes smaller. I thought this would be an interesting image quality evaluation.
Yes, thankfully AI software is now starting to really give us a new edge to our images and seriously helping to kill off some of the differences between these lenses. There is still a difference but it's certainly getting less.
A great review, I just ordered the lens and it was shipped today. I got it mainly because I didn't have a good zoom lens, I mostly shoot birds with a Nikon 400mm f4.5 Z and an 800mm f6.3 PF lens and this lens will really complement the lenses that I have. I just found your channel and I subscribed and look forward to more of your video. Thanks very much.
Hi Keith, thanks for watching and subscribing. I think you will love it, now it might not be as long or as sharp but it's one of those jack of every trade lenses that actually performs away better then it should. Interested to hear how you get on with it and thanks again.
It's an amazing lens, even the day I used it in extreme wind conditions it work really well, that focal range is fanatastic for wildlife photography. I like you love it I just wish you could fold it in half :-)
@kieranhayesphotography I live in Wellington, New Zealand, a city renowned for it's wind. The lens consistently performs brilliantly in windy conditions. I've also used it on both a Zfc, and a Z8, and it's a joy. Though yes, there is a bit of weight involved. I have a camera strap attached to the lugs on the lens, and that certainly helps.
@@JohnRichards-o9t I live on the south west coast of Ireland and when people ask is it windy there I tell them to look at a map of Ireland and you will see how jagged the coastline is, that's down to all the wind and waves. It does make for exceptional photography conditions at times though.
Jesus Christ .. English is my first language and fml it took intent listening to figure out what you’re saying. I LOVE your accent lol. Thanks for the video! Torn between this and the tamron z 150-500.
I get that a lot :-) Luck you don't have to speak to me in real life, I talk faster then :-) Personally I would go for the 180-600 over the Tamron, the extra reach is very nice when you need it. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
@@kieranhayesphotography I hope I didn’t come off rude, I thoroughly enjoyed the video, and am looking at your other stuff too! Yeah I think it’s the inclusion of being able to use a teleconverter that’s pushing me towards the behemoth that the 180-600 is. I live in brazil and often go into the Atlantic forests to picture birds thus lugging around a big lens is something that warrants consideration. Either way, Cheers!
@@saopaulosoul8714 you are good, I took it in a friendly way and I know I have a thick Irish accent which a lot of people find a bit difficult to understand 😉 Sounds like you have a great spot to go too. I was never in Bravil, the closest I got was Tobago and the rain forests there had loads of birds, amazing experience walking through them. Enjoy the 180-600 if you go for it.
@@kieranhayesphotographymy father is from Shetland. That is more dialect than accent and took me took weeks to figure out what my uncle and cousins were saying when I visited there as a teen. Your Irish sounds like our (Canadian) Newfoundlander’s accent. Easy peasy.
Thank you for your excellent introduction and review of this lens! I use it on my Z8 for landscape and occasionally bird photography, with good results in terms of sharpness and detail (shooting on a monopod or tripod 99% of the time). I would like to see an image comparison between this lens and the Nikkor S 100-400, particularly sharpness at f8 and 400mm. Thanks!
I am looking to do that video soon but it could be a month or two before I get that recorded as I am fairly busy with shoots atm. Thanks for watching and enjoy that amazing combo.
Great video. I plan on buying this lens when it's stock is replenished. My is what is distortion? Can you show examples? How does it look? How do you fix it? How does it look after post? Thanks.
Thanks for watching, so the distortion I am talking about is only very slight pincushion distortion and in all honesty barely noticable. In your editing software if you click on "enable profile corrections" it should automatically correct any minor distortion in the lens. I normally wouldn't mention it as nearly every lens has some level of distortion. I will be popping up a more detail review when I get a chance but it could be a few weeks time as I heading away on trip for two weeks. All I can say is I wouldn't worry about it at all.
"Will I bring it with me" is the tough question to ask for me. I love the value this lens offers but I just can see myself hesitating to bring this on long trips where I'll be doing lots of walking/hiking and need to pack light. That's why I'm leaning towards the 100-400. Used price is not much more than what you can find the 180-600 for these days (if you can find it at all) and you save a lot in weight and size. But I would like to have this lens too if I could for special circumstances.
Like you I was torn between the 100-400 and 180-600 but I decided to go for the 180-600 and use my 70-200mm and teleconvertor when I wanted to pack light, which is most of the time :-) The 180-600 is exceptional and while I won't use it every day there are definitely going to be days when I will be happy it's with me. Thanks for watching and good luck with whichever one you go for. There really is no wrong move there I think.
@@kieranhayesphotography that definitely makes sense. I have the 24-120 as my other lens but not the 70-200. If I did I may do similar to you, but I think for me the 24-120 + 100-400 is the best combo for me given my circumstances. But it's hard to pass up on the 180-600!
@@nickcarneyphotography In fairness that's going to be a great combination to have in your bag, you can always do a bit of cropping in post to get a bit more reach out of the 400 if you really need it.
That lens was the smaller brother of a bazooka :-). Great lens though but the 180-600mm is as you say so much easier to use and carry around. It's a nice upgrade congrats.
Exactly, I loved that, it's great if you loose your subject you can zoom out quickly and find them again and zoom back in with the flic of a wrist. Cracking lens.
First of all thanks for the review. I personally work with the Sigma 150-600 contemporary f mount with ftz on my Nikon Z6. The lens works nice, but it lacks in lowlight conditions. I‘d love to know if an upgrade is worth it or if the z 600 f 4 would be the dream to never reach (because it is obviously that much more expensive, and I can afford it maybe in 5 years second hand). Thanks and greetings from Germany.
Hello, Thanks for watching and for the feedback. The Sigma 150-600 is a nice lens, the Z 180-600 would be a bit of an upgrade from that lens though. The 600mm would of course be the best option for sharpness but you loos the flexibilty of the zoom then in certain conditions. I suppose it all depends on what you use the lens :-) Thanks again and have a great week.
Very interesting material. I would like to ask you to discuss the comparison with the Sigma 150-600. Are the pictures from S180-600 sharper? Does it focus faster on moving subjects, like athletes in sports? Does the faster sharpening also mean accurate sharpening? Thank you very much in advance.
Hi, thanks for watching, regarding the Sigma Lens, while I have used it I haven't had them side by side and compared shots on them but from what I can remember the Sigma would have been slightly slower in focusing. For accuracy I always thought the Sigma was good enough (I only had it for a day though) but I am very happy with the Z 180-600, it seems to be very accurate and I have been shooting fast moving birds with it. If you really want super fast focusing and accuracy then sadly you can't beat a prime lens there. I hope that helps a bit.
Your last comment is the one that has given me pause on this lens. I’ve been considering this or the Tamron 150-500 to go on a Z8. This lens beats the Tamron in every way but price size and weight, but at the end of the day, I have to ask myself would I be inclined to pack it or leave it at home. The Tamron based on reviews I’ve read is close enough and good enough as a substitute, and it beats the Nikon in price, weight and for me most importantly in packable size. Those factors make me inclined to seriously consider the Tamron instead
The Tamron 150-500 performs well, is fairly sharp and as you say costs less so it is a serious consideration alright. In all honest apart from looking at it and holding it I have never used it so I am only going by what I have heard about it. My main aim of recent years is to try and lighten my camera bag and a 180-600 is not something I would use every time I go out in fact for me personally I would probably only use it one in 10 times, I struggled away with the 70-200 and 2x teleconvertor for a good bit as I always put them in my bag so I might be the wrong person to ask about pack weight and lens size and weight :-) All I know is the times I have packed it and needed it it really delivered the results. Good luck with whichever one you go with and thanks for watching.
Mine is on the way to me right now and all your praise for it doesn't make waiting for it any easier! Having tried it at a store a couple months ago though, I think the Nikon engineers outdid themselves when it comes to the build quailty. It is as close to an S line lens as it could be without actually being one. And I think they did that on purpose to have a lens with an incredible value proposition for the Z mount cameras. Sure, they do have sharper lenses with the same reach. But they are all much more expensive and they are all primes. Personally I favor the flexibility of a zoom lens over the sharpness of a prime. Especially today because zoom lenses have come a long way.
Congratulations on the purchase and enjoy every minute of it. The build quality as you say is way above the price point of this lens it's a pure beauty in an awful lot of ways. I love a good zoom, it gives you so much more flexibility than a prime but as you say you can't beat primes for sharpness but for me I am very happy making that trad of :-) Have a great weekend and enjoy the new lens.
@@kieranhayesphotography Three months later and I did not regret buying it. Very fun lens! However, it seems like I have to correct myself on one thing I said in my original post... Looking at the patent documents it appears the *Tamron* engineers did a great job, not the Nikon engineers! Though I am not mad about it, my 70-200/2.8 is a Tamron lens as well and if outsourcing the lens design to Tamron allowed them to reduce the costs then that is fine with me 😁
@@MattisProbably Now that's something I have not heard, I thought it was designed and made by Nikon. I also didn't know the 70-200 F2.8 was designed by Tamron. You learn something new everyday I guess. I know Nikon and Tamron have a close working relationship but I never knew they out sourced the design of those two lenses.
@@kieranhayesphotography Oh no, I use the F mount Tamron 70-200/2.8 G2. Not the Z mount Nikon lens. But yeah there are patents from Tamron that match the optical design of the 180-600.
Thanks for watching and I am working on a detailed review on sharpness, vignetting and distortion on different focal lengths at the moment so I should have that one up next week. Fingers crossed I can get the 100-400 and 1.4tc fairly soon and directly compare them. Have a great weekend.
Hi, Nikon just sent me out some a camera body and lens for testing. The 100-400 was not available but in two weeks time I hope to have it here and run it through it's paces and also compare it to the 180-600. Fingers crossed I can get the 1.4tc at the same time. So that review is coming very soon.
With the focus breathing I'm curious if the speed is based on the camera? The Z8 has amazing autofocus. I wonder how it would perform with a z7/6 mark II.
Hi Eddie, I just tried them side by side there now and there appears to be little to no difference in focus speed, in saying that the Z8 is a monster when it comes to focusing power in extreme situations but for static images the focus speed is nearly identical from what I can see. Please don't take this the wrong way but focus breathing is a slightly different thing, I was always told the day you learn something new is a good day. Focus breathing is about the picture appearing to shift or zoom in and out as the camera focuses and its more important for video then photography. Some lenses tend to zoom or shift the perspective a good bit when zooming but the 180-600 is really good that way. Thanks again for watching and please don't take that as a lecture is was meant in a positive way.
Hi, very good helpful reviews based on your experience with this lens. I owned this lens for 3 days using with Z5. I was abit of weight problem when my arm can't hold longer then 15 min of uses. Also using with z5 it auto focus seen abit slow from short to long distance zooming. So I returned the lens to seller shop and exchanged for the Nikon 100-400mm lens with additional money .I suspected it might be my camera Z5 system. Once I got this lens 100-400mm I feel amazing light and easy to shoot. But still there are other issues . I went to shoot osprey in Thailand trip for few days with borrow TC1.4 . This is the regret I made a big mistakes returning the 180-600mm. Using the 100-400 with TC1.4 it bring the combo to f8. At f8, the morning shooting the ISO bumped up to 10k to 20k easily. WHY? For Osprey diving we need the speed of 1/3200 to 1/4000 sec if I want to get tack sharp diving. If I used the 180-600mm without TC I get f6.3 with better auto focusing and less ISO. In my cases of shooting eagle diving, 180-600 f6.3 ISO will stay below 8K win easily despite my complain was more heavier. Not so really heavier. To me both lens are sharp, the main difference is use with TC for bird shooting then option have to choose 180-600mm . The 100-400mm will be better for landscape and sport.
Hi Graeme, firstly thanks for watching and glad the review helped a bit. The 100-400 is a truly amazing lens also but there are down sides to everything I guess. For shorter focal lengths it's definitely the one to go for, it's sharper, lighter and smaller so easier to pack which is ideal for landscapes as who wants a heavy bag while trecking around looking for shots. When you do need the reach the 180-600 is hard to beat though and especially when you don't have to pop on and off teleconvertor a lot with it. Interesting about the slow focus on the Z5, I haven't used that combo yet but I have tried the 180-600 on a few different camera bodies and it always seem to be quick enough. I was talking to Nikon a few days ago and they said they will be sending me out some more products for review so if I get the Z5 I will try it with the 180-600. Thanks again and enjoy the photography.
Hi George, that's a good question, it's F6.3 from roughly around 500mm up to 600mm from literally just under 500mm it's F6 so not a huge difference there.
Can’t disagree with your comments although wildlife photography so often requires shooting at fast shutter speeds forcing ISO upwards and quickly into the many thousands. Massive dilemma but I went for the much less flexible 400mm f4.5 S (the S being a factor). Cameras and software can do wonders with ISO but equally IQ doesn’t suffer in DX mode. I have 600mm in dx mode and still on f4.5 and I can add my Z1.4 to make it a f6.3 840mm I think for the price this 180-600 lens is amazing and had it been S for a little extra spend I’d have bought it.
Exactly Mark, you can only boost your ISO so far before you start to have issues even with the latest and greatest software. IQ and Aperture aren't quite as good either but it has an awful lot of versatility and the price is incredible. It's a great starter lens for someone looking to get into wildlife and experiment with longer focal lengths. Thanks for watching and have a great weekend.
Hopefully it arrives fairly soon now. It's a beautiful lens. I will be putting up a more in depth review in a few weeks on sharpness, vignetting and distortion. Spoiler alert it does really well 😉
There are a few differences in them, from a sharpness perspective the 180-600 is every bit as sharp or sharper than the 200-500. It has a shorter throw ratio for the zoom ring which is nice if you loose a subject you can quickly zoom back out to 180mm and with about a 80 degree rotation of the zoom ring you are back to 600mm. It also has a longer focal range of course. All in all it's a nice upgrade over the 200-500 but will it set the world on fire? Doubtful.
05:37 I can't recommend the TC-2.0x converter with this lens. Autofocus just doesn't work at 1200mm f/13, even in daylight. As your results show, cropping the 600mm image yields sharper images.
Hi, yes I have have, I have a Z8 and a Z7ii here and the Z7ii works perfectly with it. Was it the auto focus that you were concerned about with that combo or something else?
I will get around to that one fairly soon and I will post a good few more photographs in the next 180-600mm review video also. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
If you are primarily doing wildlife photography and can make do carrying only the 180-600 lens when mounted on a camera body you might look into the Kinesis C850 camera bag. Add a shoulder strap and you’re good to go.
PS to this post. I have a z6ii and it is a tight fit. A larger body might not work. Not sure if the company makes a bigger model. I’m going from a D500 with am200-500 or a 500pf attached which does fit fine.
Hi Jeffrey, I shoot a lot of different genres and I have about 5 or 6 different camera bags here all with ICU's so I can quickly swap them between bags, so thankfully I am ok for a bag but it's more of the size and weight of it that makes me slow to pop it into the camera bag as I usually have three to six lenses with me when I head out. Amazing lens though and I love using it.
I haven't tried that combo as of yet, hope to soon though. The Z100-400 is sharper though, with the 1.4tc it will bring them a lot closer with possibly the z100-400 having a very slight edge in terms of sharpness. Sorry, I can't give you first hand experience as of yet.
I have used it on the Z7ii and Z8 and it worked perfectly on both. I sold my Z6ii last year but I see no reason why it wouldn't work in exactly the same way as it does on the Z7ii. You might be losing a small bit of cropping power but you are gain a bit with high ISO noise performance with the Z6ii.
I have the Z6II and found pictures to be soft but it gets better at F8 and between 400-500mm. I think the Z8 or Z9 is better suited for this lens. @@kieranhayesphotography
My Z 180-600 is way better than my ex DSLR Nikon 500mm f4 VR Exotic Prime image wise >> the 180-600 is lighter Way Cheaper and more versatile >> did I say Image Quality on the 180-600 is a Beast in Image Quality >> I LOVE it on my Z8 for African Wild Life and BIF I pair this 180-600 with my Z 70-200 f2.8 S lens
Hi Peter, it is truly an exceptional lens even at 600mm I have nos erious issues with the image quality which is not what I was expecting. I added it is softer at longer focval lengths as it truly is fractionally softer but there it isn't an issue at all. The 70-200 pairing is the way to go alright.
Enjoy every second of it, it's a truly beautiful lens and for the price an absolute bargain. I am currently recording a more detiled video on Sharpness, Distortion and Vignetting on the 180-600 and hopefully that will be out in the next day or two 👍
I have not had good luck with this lens for some reason. I have it paired with my z8 and I just can't seem to get sharp pictures. i've had so much luck with the 200-500mm with the d850, that this lens is such a let down.
Hi David, sorry to hear that. Have you found the focus is off or it's just not sharp? Have you tried it on a tripod with a still image and checked for focus issues? I haven't had any issues but I have talked to two people who said that adjusting the AF fine tune very fractionally by +-1 made a big difference in their images. I know it's something you shouldn't have to do though. I also know of one person that got it and hated it then returned it and after reading all the positive reviews tried another one and thought it was a lot better? Is there a Quality Control issue with the lens?
I had one on release but it must have been knocked in transit as I could not get sharp images across the focal range, even using a monopod. I sent it back and I'm thinking of picking one up locally.
Hi, do you mean it can rotate slightly in the mount or it's loose so that it rocks up and down on the mount? Mine does rotate slightly and I would presume this is sort of normal, my 70-200 F2.8 also does that.
Hi Richard, that was a great second buy. It's amazing value for money and a great all rounder. I love mine, I have been using it for the last couple of days on the Nikon ZF and it might look a bit funny but it works well.
I envy those who already have this lens! If someone has their used telephoto lens that they dont want to use anymore, i will heartedly accept it 🥺🥰 i only have nikon z50 double kit lenses, i want a telephoto that would help me take pictures of my child in the baseball field🙏
That's why I did the AF speed section in the video to show how quick it is at focusing from one extreme to the other. It's fast enough in all fairness.
Me: "I really want this lens, it's perfect" Kieran: Shows the 180-600 compared to a 70-200 f2.8 Me: Quietly swears about needing a new larger camera bag Kieran: " and the negatives are..." Me: Quietly buys the 180-600 and wonders how he can break the news to his wife....
@@kieranhayesphotography Alas she knows. The Z8, 24-70 f4 S and now the 180-600 plus something like the 7Artesian 35mm f1.4 would be a nice initial setup, and adding the F mount lenses I have is a nice bonus
For the price it would be way better to get a Nikkor 600 f4 IF-ED AI-s or a 800 5.6 IF-ED AI-s and a monopod and gimble. Even a 400 3.5 IF-ED AI-s with a TC-14 b would give you better sharpness and speed. Or a manual focus 500 F4.0 IF-ED P or even a Nikkor 600 5.6 IF-ED AI-s.. If your using a modern body you still get image stabilization and focus peaking.
That all depends what you are using it for I guess. Personally I wouldn't buy any of those lenses but I am sure they would be right for a good few people. I am no wildlife shooter and the varifocal aspect of this lens is what drew me to it. As I always say we all use our gear differently and these are just my thoughts on it.
@@gregoryrogalsky6937 please don't get me wrong, I respect your thoughts on it just explaining why I think it's a great lens. If I were very big into wildlife or sports photography I would probably see it through different eyes. Have a great week 👍
Canon is now Way behind .. No Z8 equivalent and their new 200 -800 is Dark F Midnight in a Coal Mine Dark and a Trombone Zoom action that isa Few full twists long
In fairness the way Nikon are going over the last two years with amazing cameras all being launched one after another and sublime lenses also coming out I think it's only fair to say there is going to be a serious resurgance in Nikon sales for years to come. With the Z6iii and Z7iii only just around the corner and firmware updates for the Z8 coming in March it's a great time to be a Nikon shooter.
So not a nightmare then...Joking apart, you seem confident that the Z f6.3 600mm prime is easily better, yet others are saying it’s a small difference?
Hi Dominic, no not a nightmare at all :-) That sensational headline was me fishing for views :-) Seems like the done thing these days. Every lens is different and also every photogrpher has different standards when it comes to sharpness, so it's easy for me to give my opinion on what I believe sharp is but others may not agree with me. There also seems to be some really good models and some only ok versions of the 180-600 floating around. That was exactly why I posted the second video on the 180-600 where I look at the exact sharpness levels you can expect form this lens across various focal lengths and also which aperture seems to give the best results. I also looked at vignetting and distortion in that video. The title and thumbnail were less dramatic on that and the view count was also a lot lower. Seems like fishing works :-) You can find that video here if you want to watch it... ua-cam.com/video/JUvSSFeoxS4/v-deo.html Thanks again for watching and have a fantastic week.
You can order your Nikon Z 180-600mm lens here on Amazon... tinyurl.com/Nikon-Z180-600 Please note this is an affilaite link and I might get a slight commission from any sales made but this helps me to make UA-cam videos like this one.
Hello Kieran. Have been o the waiting list here in Alaska for 8 months and finally my turn came up. Been watching reviews of it since it came out. Really enjoyed your review and it more than confirmed what I’m hearing from other photographers. Thanks again and I’ll be following you, now that I’ve found your channel!
Hi Tom, thanks a lot, great to hear you finally got your copy and enjoy every minute of it. It's a great lens.
Have a fantastic weekend 👍
The Nikon Z 180-600 is amazing, for the price it can’t be beat for the Nikon Z system. I highly recommend it, you have to get one!
I couldn't agree more with you. It's some lens for the price and the image quality and build are really good.
Probably the best review I've seen on this lens, very helpful. This is next up on my list for 2024! Hopefully in stock soon here in the US. Thanks!
Thanks a million, really glad it helped and I think you won't regret it for a second unless of course you go hiking up a mountain then I think you might :-) It's a pure beast of a lens in every way.
@@kieranhayesphotographyNice review...although the constant clip editing every few seconds became very annoying to watch.
A really good review of this lens. Straightforward and to the point. No bogging the reader down with unnecessary science. A practical summary from the eyes and the hands of a photographer simply using this lens for his desired tasks. Well done...10/10 from me. Thank you.
Hi Philip, thanks a million and glad you liked it. I am always one to try and keep things simple if I can, in saying that I have a more technical review of this lens on the way over the next few weeks also as some people have requested it.
Thanks again.
Brilliant! The more detailed technical review will be great for those who have 90% decided to go for this lens. I very much look forward to seeing this. Thanks again.
I’ve watched a bunch of videos on this lens, and I can say this is easily the best review. Best by far actually.
Hi Michael, thanks a lot for the kind feedback and really glad you enjoyed the video. I will be putting up another more detailed review in a few weeks on sharpness, vignetting, distortion etc...
Thanks again for watching 👍
My copy just came in today, so I picked it up. Today was a work day for me, so I haven’t shot with this lens a lot, just some test shots of my dog in the backyard. I watched your review 3 or 4 times before purchasing.
With the little time I spent with the lens so far, I’ve noticed a decline in image quality when using the 2x teleconverter with the 180-600. The images are of better quality when I don’t use the teleconverter and crop them afterwards. However, when I use the 2x teleconverter with my 70-200 lens, the quality drop is not as noticeable. This difference might be due to the 70-200 being an S-Line lens, while the 180-600 is not. From what little I’ve seen so far, I think I’m just going to shoot this lens normally and crop later. No TC, no DX crop. 👍
Traded in the 200-500mm on this lens a couple of months ago. Absolutely no regrets, the 200-500mm was quite slow when using the F2Z adapter on the Z7ii compared to its performance on a f mount camera.
It really is a big step up from the 200-500mm lens for a lot of little reasons but they all stack up to create a far better lens. Enjoy every minute of it.
Kieran. I used the Nikon 200-500 with my Nikon D500 for years, then used the 200-500 with my Z6ii. Now I have the 180-600mm and use it with my Z8 and Z6ii. It's HANDS-DOWN better, all around, than the 200-500. I love the results I get and will be using it for many years to come.
Hi Richard, I couldn't agree more with you. It has more reach on the top and bottom end, better sealing, shorter throw on the zoom ring which I love and slightly sharper also.
It's a knock out for Nikon. Now if only you could fold it in half and carry a load of other gear with it 👍
I have this lens and it has replaced my 200-500 Nikon and my 150-600 Tamron, I know it is big and heavy but it is way ahead of my other lenses for wildlife photography. Thanks for the review.
It really is a beautiful lens and especially for the price it's criminally good. I am no wildlife photographer really I spent most of my time doing commercial work or landscape so for me it's a very big change from my day to day setup :-)
Just taken delivery of mine and impressed. Great update thank you. 👍👏
Hi Mark and congratulations on the new lens, it's a fantastic bit of glass for the money. Thanks for watching and enjoy the lens.
I have been using this lens for 4 months now, and it has won me over. Mounted to my Z9 the total weight really put me off initially. Oddly, the weight/mass issue turned out to primarily be a "hiking to and from" issue. After I started to rely on hand holding exclusively, it became a joy to use. Weight seems a non issue for shooting, except for transit and quick acquisition of moving objects. I just can't swing it into action as well as my 500mm pf with adaptor. That said, the VR and overall image rendering are amazing. I am incredibly pleased with the versatility, reach, AF speed and sharpness. I am literally amazed to get this much performance FOR under $2K USD. I have only managed to travel with it by car so far. Packing for a flight will likely be a challenge.
Hi, firstly thanks for watching and secondly I totally agree with you. We are lucky enough to be living in an age where you can buy a lens this good for so little money.
It's hands down the best lens I have value for money wise.
It's a personal thing for me when I say I don't like the weight as I am primarily a landscape photographer and hiking with a lens that size is a consideration.
I always like to keep my bag as light as possible, yet my bag still ends out around 17-20 kgs 😂.
Enjoy the lens it's a pure beast.
Great review! I totally agree with your assessment of this lens. Regarding it's size and transporting my gear in the field; I typically use an older Think Tank Airport. I can carry a Z8, this lens, and a 24-70mm 4S lens when I am away from my vehicle. I also carry one or both of my teleconverters. If I feel I might need a "back-up" camera I may put the 24 to 70mm on a Z6II and use a shoulder strap to carry one of the two camera/lens combinations with it.
Thanks a million James, appreciate the kind words and you watching the video. Like you I have a big camera bag I can easily pop it all into, I call it my kitchen sink bag it's an f-stop Sukha 70L camera bag. I am in a fortune position to have 6 different camera bags atm. Yes it seems I have a camera bag problem :-).
While it will fit in my standard bag the Ajna, the bag is all about the lens then. From years of carrying heavy gear around I try to keep it all as light as possible and hence my hesitancy to leave it in the bag. Great to hear I am not alone on that one and thanks again.
I have only had the lens for a week. Your comments are very much appreciated. It does fit nicely in my Think Tank Glass Limo bag with the lens cap o and the Z9 attached. There is also room for 2 other lenses and a spare battery. I am finding that it is the flexibility of the lens as a whole that I am enjoying. I like hand holding the lens because the VR seems to work so nicely. I am not concerned about the weight. I have been relying on my long serving 500 F4G for many years now and that is not a lens you can manage without at least a monopod. The extra freedom of the 180-600 is adequate compensation for the small reduction in sharpness I have noticed. I will not be giving up the 500 F4 but as far as I am concerned the 180-600 is not really a heavy lens.
Hi Martin, thanks for the feedback and for watching.
I am lucky enough to have several different camera bags and while the 180-600 also fits easily in f-stop Sukha bag. I really like travelling light.
I am more of a people and landscape photographer at heart but I do enjoy wildlife photography and this lens has certainly brought the joy back to that.
If I were you I wouldn't sell the 500 either 👍.
Fairplay to Nikon for producing an exceptional lens for the price.
I know it's not really heavy but for someone who has to think twice if he will bring his 70-200 with him then it's a beast 😂
Enjoy the lens and have a great week 👍
@@kieranhayesphotography I definitely agree about that the 70-200. I sold my F-mount F2.8 G version recently. I can see how great the Z mount Nikkor is but it would not be something I want to be part of my current line up. The 70-180 F 2.8 version looks much more likely to be my choice in that focal length.
@@MGriff-q1i that lens is going to be amazing for a lot of people also.
It all comes down to how much use you will make of a lens I guess.
I am going to seriously enjoy playing around with the 180-600 over spring though 👍
Hi Kieran
I agree with your review whole heartedly, I purchased my 180 - 600 and started using it with my Z8 since October 2023, and have absolutely no regret. I do own the 70 - 200 F2.8 Z lens , but no convertor. I'm relatively new to wildlife photography and I do believe that if you can afford good glass at an affordable price, then go for it. Looking forward to your next review.
Hi Brian, thanks for the feedback and for watching. Yes, good glass is always going to be a great investment. Like you I have no regrets buying this lens and there is so much I love about it. I just wish you could fold it in half :-)
My Kit exactly Brian>> African Wild Life
Bought my 180-600 earlier this month. Really happy with it so far. I am still learning its capabilities.
Enjoy it, it's a pure beast of a lens.
I have bought it and love it. It is big though. Would love to see you use it more and post pics
I plan to use it a lot more once the weather settles down here a small bit and I will post a more technical review then with a good few more pictures also. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
I agree with your comments with one small caveat: You view this lens as the best value lens in the Nikon Z lineup, and I'll admit that it is a wonderful value and I'm happy to have purchased it. But, for me, the Nikon 24-120 mm f4 S is the best value Nikon lens, probably for its wonderful image quality, light weight, flexibility and very reasonable (these days...) price. But then, I haven't had a complaint about any of the Nikon Z lenses that I own.
Hi John, thanks for watching and for the feedback. The 24-120 F4 is an incredible lens, you are dead right there, not going to argue with that at all.
What I really meant is when you look at the size of the 180-600 and what you actually get for it, there is an awful lot of lens for not an awful lot of money.
Thanks again and enjoy the lens, it's a cracker.
I believe you are right. While I'm too cheap to buy a Nikon 600mm f4 TC VR A or a Nikon 400mm f2.8 TC VR S, I think you get great resolution, sharpness, and flexibility with the 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR and it gives you 90% of the performance of those lenses for a fraction of the cost. @@kieranhayesphotography
@@johnforbes4795 That's it exactly John, not everyone can justify buying a serious prime lens like those ones. It all comes down to use and how often you will use it.
Nice review, I am a lucky owner of this lens for 2 weeks already. Agree with your every word. This lens is fantastic, I decided whether this lens or Tamron 150-500 to buy, spent a bit more money and not a single regret. Very sharp lens and outstanding VR when doing video. The lens obviously becomes weaker in low light , but it's the nature of non big aperture lenses.
Thanks for watching and for the kind words. Yes, it's the only draw back to using this lens you are really going to need to bump up your ISO if you are shooting birds in flight around sunset or sunrise. Other then that it's a fantastic all rounder.
I've been waiting for this review, well done. (I'm also on the waiting list to get one.)
It's an awesome lens Leon. I am sure you will love it. It really surprised me with its focus speed and lack of focus breathing. It's some lens, fairplay to Nikon.
And just FYI, the BlackRapid RS-4 sling works well with this lens! The security strap can tie into the lens strap lug, and the other clips to a carabiner attached to the metal loop on the sling, providing a bit of extra security when carrying it off your tripod or monopod. An awesome lens for sure!
Thanks a lot for that, I must look into it :-) I forgot to mention in the other comment that I Have another video on the Z180-600 and it's more sharpness orientated and how sharp it is at different focal lengths and f stops here ... ua-cam.com/video/JUvSSFeoxS4/v-deo.html
Excellent review, had my lens for around 3 months now and although not always in my camera bag, it always travels with me in the car so never too far out of reach should I decide to find myself needing it. Some amazing images on every usage and as you say is it Value for £ - Most certainly.
Hi Alex, thanks for watching and for the kind feedback. Yes, it's an amazing lens alright, a real joy to use it.
Funnily I do that too, I usually leave my backup gear in the car if I am on a commercial shoot, it's close if anything goes wrong but you also don't have to carry everything including the kitchen sink with you on the day. So I have that lens with me a lot of the time now also when I head out.
It might be big but it's so worth it at the same time.
Hi and thanks for the video! This is an amazing lens, but still extremely expensive for most people. For example I recently spent all my savings to buy the Z5 and the 24-200 lens and can't even start to dream at buying this lens. Maybe sometime in the future.
Fingers crossed you can get one... You have a nice setup there already. Enjoy taking the photographs and keep at it.
I've ran the 200-500mm predecessor for 7 years, normally hanging off my rucksack on a blackrapid strap, in all and any locations and weathers. That lens has been outstanding and faultless. This lens completely outclasses and outreaches it so can definitely be trusted to do the job. The ability to zoom negates the need for switching lenses constantly.
Exactly, it's a great lens and the extra reach is much appreciated. Also the short throw ratio of the zoom is great, makes it super easy to refind your subject if you lose it while zoomed in. Best value for money lens Nikon have made in my mind.
I agree with your review totally. I’ve been using the 180-600mm for just over a year now and have been very impressed with its performance and cost. First zoom I’ve had since the 200-500mm some years ago, primes since then. The internal zoom and zoom throw did it for me as the 200-500 had a crazy throw for the zoom and extended. The image quality is not on par with my primes but not that far away. I carry it attached to a Z9 or Z6ii in a Lowepro Trekker 600. It fits with the hood attached and leaves a bit of room above for accessories. This bag also allows my 800pf to be attached to camera also so it’s a bag I would recommend. I’m not convinced about the tripod collar as I feel that the versions on my other Z primes perform better.
Hi Jim, thanks for the feedback and for watching.
It's a great lens in fairness, I totally agree on the tripod foot. It works, it's functional but I can't help but feeling Nikon cut a corner or two there.
Then again I suppose they had to cut corners somewhere.
On the bag side of things I am lucky enough to have 6 different camera bags and they all have their uses. The bag I can see myself using with this lens going forward is the f-stop Sukha 70l bag.
It's a huge bag, the only thing is after years of walking around carrying heavy weights I am trying to lighten my bag, hense the massive dilemma this lens caused me.
I do love it to bits though.
Thanks again and enjoy the lens 👍
Thanks for a great review. I'm picking mine up at my local dealer here in Ontario, Canada, tomorrow!
Thank you and congrats on the new arrival... always exciting getting new photography gear. Enjoy every minute of that amazing lens.
6 months later, how do you like it?
Great review. Very thorough and informative.
Thanks a lot James, seriously appreciate the kind feedback.
I would be interested in a more detailed review even though I already have my copy of this lens. Agree with your points in this vid. Thanks.
Thanks and yes, I will get around to doing that fairly soon, once the weather stabalizes here a small bit :-)
Fantastic lens! I’ve had it for 5 weeks and would sleep with it if it wouldn’t tick off my wife! I love everything about it on my Z8, which I also love! Thanks for the review that confirmed my thoughts!
Thanks for watching and the kind feedback also. The Z8 and the 180-600 really is a great combo. Let's just say my wife might be getting a little jealous of it :-)
I have mine paired with a Z8 also. Took delivery just a couple of days ago. I took a few random shots of various birds on rooftops etc and WOW. Pin sharp images, great colour rendition, and fast AF. Very happy!
Good review. I have had this lens on pre-order from late September 2023 in the US and I wonder how many other folks are waiting like myself?
Thanks Mark, I hope you get your copy soon.
Crazily, I just ordered mine in early December and got it two days later via a camera store here in Ireland.
The shortages seems to vary depending on where you are in the world.
Mine has not arrived and ordered in August 2023. Six months and still no word
@@tomhesse2015 Hi Tom, what part of the world are you in? In Ireland I ordered it and had it 3 days later.
@@kieranhayesphotography U.S.A. and it's hard to get here
@@tomhesse2015 Hi Tom, that's what everyone seems to be saying alright. I just checked there now and my local camera store has stock for sale.
Fingers crossed you get your copy soon.
Thanks for this excellent review. Yes, a detailed review on its image quality will be valuable! Also, if you can possibly compare its image quality with that of Sony 200-600 will be great. Thanks.
Thanks and glad you like it, I will get around to a far more detailed review and post more images from the 180-600 also. I don't have a Sony camera or the even the 200 to 600 lens on sadly. So, I don't think I will ever get around to doing that review.
I remember when I had a coffee mug of probably 12oz based on an older lens model. I'm glad the updated the lens to mimic the 40oz tumblers everybody is using nowadays.
Lol... It probably wouldn't fit in your back pocket alright 😂😂😂
Great review! One thing I’ve been wondering is how much of the soft focus can be recovered using Topaz or a similar SW? As these SWs evolve, the performance gap between the $16K and $1.8K 600mm lenses becomes smaller. I thought this would be an interesting image quality evaluation.
Yes, thankfully AI software is now starting to really give us a new edge to our images and seriously helping to kill off some of the differences between these lenses. There is still a difference but it's certainly getting less.
A great review, I just ordered the lens and it was shipped today. I got it mainly because I didn't have a good zoom lens, I mostly shoot birds with a Nikon 400mm f4.5 Z and an 800mm f6.3 PF lens and this lens will really complement the lenses that I have. I just found your channel and I subscribed and look forward to more of your video. Thanks very much.
Hi Keith, thanks for watching and subscribing. I think you will love it, now it might not be as long or as sharp but it's one of those jack of every trade lenses that actually performs away better then it should.
Interested to hear how you get on with it and thanks again.
I have had the lens since September, primarily for bird photography. I love it!
It's an amazing lens, even the day I used it in extreme wind conditions it work really well, that focal range is fanatastic for wildlife photography. I like you love it I just wish you could fold it in half :-)
@kieranhayesphotography I live in Wellington, New Zealand, a city renowned for it's wind. The lens consistently performs brilliantly in windy conditions. I've also used it on both a Zfc, and a Z8, and it's a joy. Though yes, there is a bit of weight involved. I have a camera strap attached to the lugs on the lens, and that certainly helps.
@@JohnRichards-o9t I live on the south west coast of Ireland and when people ask is it windy there I tell them to look at a map of Ireland and you will see how jagged the coastline is, that's down to all the wind and waves.
It does make for exceptional photography conditions at times though.
Jesus Christ .. English is my first language and fml it took intent listening to figure out what you’re saying. I LOVE your accent lol. Thanks for the video! Torn between this and the tamron z 150-500.
I get that a lot :-) Luck you don't have to speak to me in real life, I talk faster then :-) Personally I would go for the 180-600 over the Tamron, the extra reach is very nice when you need it. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
@@kieranhayesphotography I hope I didn’t come off rude, I thoroughly enjoyed the video, and am looking at your other stuff too! Yeah I think it’s the inclusion of being able to use a teleconverter that’s pushing me towards the behemoth that the 180-600 is. I live in brazil and often go into the Atlantic forests to picture birds thus lugging around a big lens is something that warrants consideration. Either way, Cheers!
@@saopaulosoul8714 you are good, I took it in a friendly way and I know I have a thick Irish accent which a lot of people find a bit difficult to understand 😉
Sounds like you have a great spot to go too. I was never in Bravil, the closest I got was Tobago and the rain forests there had loads of birds, amazing experience walking through them.
Enjoy the 180-600 if you go for it.
@@kieranhayesphotographymy father is from Shetland. That is more dialect than accent and took me took weeks to figure out what my uncle and cousins were saying when I visited there as a teen. Your Irish sounds like our (Canadian) Newfoundlander’s accent. Easy peasy.
Hello, just bought the 180-600 . Being 95mm glass you think Nikon used the same lens that the nikkor 200-500 had? That lens was very sharp!!
Are you happy with the 180-600? Mine is very good and I am delighted with it.
Thank you for your excellent introduction and review of this lens! I use it on my Z8 for landscape and occasionally bird photography, with good results in terms of sharpness and detail (shooting on a monopod or tripod 99% of the time). I would like to see an image comparison between this lens and the Nikkor S 100-400, particularly sharpness at f8 and 400mm. Thanks!
I am looking to do that video soon but it could be a month or two before I get that recorded as I am fairly busy with shoots atm. Thanks for watching and enjoy that amazing combo.
Great video. I plan on buying this lens when it's stock is replenished. My is what is distortion? Can you show examples? How does it look? How do you fix it? How does it look after post? Thanks.
Thanks for watching, so the distortion I am talking about is only very slight pincushion distortion and in all honesty barely noticable. In your editing software if you click on "enable profile corrections" it should automatically correct any minor distortion in the lens. I normally wouldn't mention it as nearly every lens has some level of distortion. I will be popping up a more detail review when I get a chance but it could be a few weeks time as I heading away on trip for two weeks. All I can say is I wouldn't worry about it at all.
"Will I bring it with me" is the tough question to ask for me. I love the value this lens offers but I just can see myself hesitating to bring this on long trips where I'll be doing lots of walking/hiking and need to pack light. That's why I'm leaning towards the 100-400. Used price is not much more than what you can find the 180-600 for these days (if you can find it at all) and you save a lot in weight and size. But I would like to have this lens too if I could for special circumstances.
Like you I was torn between the 100-400 and 180-600 but I decided to go for the 180-600 and use my 70-200mm and teleconvertor when I wanted to pack light, which is most of the time :-) The 180-600 is exceptional and while I won't use it every day there are definitely going to be days when I will be happy it's with me. Thanks for watching and good luck with whichever one you go for. There really is no wrong move there I think.
@@kieranhayesphotography that definitely makes sense. I have the 24-120 as my other lens but not the 70-200. If I did I may do similar to you, but I think for me the 24-120 + 100-400 is the best combo for me given my circumstances. But it's hard to pass up on the 180-600!
@@nickcarneyphotography In fairness that's going to be a great combination to have in your bag, you can always do a bit of cropping in post to get a bit more reach out of the 400 if you really need it.
What a great and detailed review, looks like a great bit of kit.
Thank you so very much 👍
Ive had my 180-600 for the last two months and I love it!!!
Hi Eric, in fairness I love mine also... there is a lot to love about it :-)
After owning the massive Sigma 150-600 Sports, the 180-600 is a lightweight in comparison.
That lens was the smaller brother of a bazooka :-). Great lens though but the 180-600mm is as you say so much easier to use and carry around. It's a nice upgrade congrats.
The throw for the zoom is only 1 quarter turn and upgrading from the Fmount 200-500 5.6 is SUCH a massive upgrade for that alone.
Exactly, I loved that, it's great if you loose your subject you can zoom out quickly and find them again and zoom back in with the flic of a wrist. Cracking lens.
First of all thanks for the review.
I personally work with the Sigma 150-600 contemporary f mount with ftz on my Nikon Z6. The lens works nice, but it lacks in lowlight conditions. I‘d love to know if an upgrade is worth it or if the z 600 f 4 would be the dream to never reach (because it is obviously that much more expensive, and I can afford it maybe in 5 years second hand).
Thanks and greetings from Germany.
Hello, Thanks for watching and for the feedback. The Sigma 150-600 is a nice lens, the Z 180-600 would be a bit of an upgrade from that lens though. The 600mm would of course be the best option for sharpness but you loos the flexibilty of the zoom then in certain conditions. I suppose it all depends on what you use the lens :-) Thanks again and have a great week.
Very interesting material. I would like to ask you to discuss the comparison with the Sigma 150-600. Are the pictures from S180-600 sharper? Does it focus faster on moving subjects, like athletes in sports? Does the faster sharpening also mean accurate sharpening? Thank you very much in advance.
Hi, thanks for watching, regarding the Sigma Lens, while I have used it I haven't had them side by side and compared shots on them but from what I can remember the Sigma would have been slightly slower in focusing. For accuracy I always thought the Sigma was good enough (I only had it for a day though) but I am very happy with the Z 180-600, it seems to be very accurate and I have been shooting fast moving birds with it. If you really want super fast focusing and accuracy then sadly you can't beat a prime lens there. I hope that helps a bit.
Your last comment is the one that has given me pause on this lens. I’ve been considering this or the Tamron 150-500 to go on a Z8. This lens beats the Tamron in every way but price size and weight, but at the end of the day, I have to ask myself would I be inclined to pack it or leave it at home. The Tamron based on reviews I’ve read is close enough and good enough as a substitute, and it beats the Nikon in price, weight and for me most importantly in packable size. Those factors make me inclined to seriously consider the Tamron instead
The Tamron 150-500 performs well, is fairly sharp and as you say costs less so it is a serious consideration alright. In all honest apart from looking at it and holding it I have never used it so I am only going by what I have heard about it.
My main aim of recent years is to try and lighten my camera bag and a 180-600 is not something I would use every time I go out in fact for me personally I would probably only use it one in 10 times, I struggled away with the 70-200 and 2x teleconvertor for a good bit as I always put them in my bag so I might be the wrong person to ask about pack weight and lens size and weight :-)
All I know is the times I have packed it and needed it it really delivered the results.
Good luck with whichever one you go with and thanks for watching.
Mine is on the way to me right now and all your praise for it doesn't make waiting for it any easier!
Having tried it at a store a couple months ago though, I think the Nikon engineers outdid themselves when it comes to the build quailty. It is as close to an S line lens as it could be without actually being one. And I think they did that on purpose to have a lens with an incredible value proposition for the Z mount cameras.
Sure, they do have sharper lenses with the same reach. But they are all much more expensive and they are all primes.
Personally I favor the flexibility of a zoom lens over the sharpness of a prime. Especially today because zoom lenses have come a long way.
Congratulations on the purchase and enjoy every minute of it. The build quality as you say is way above the price point of this lens it's a pure beauty in an awful lot of ways. I love a good zoom, it gives you so much more flexibility than a prime but as you say you can't beat primes for sharpness but for me I am very happy making that trad of :-) Have a great weekend and enjoy the new lens.
@@kieranhayesphotography Three months later and I did not regret buying it. Very fun lens!
However, it seems like I have to correct myself on one thing I said in my original post... Looking at the patent documents it appears the *Tamron* engineers did a great job, not the Nikon engineers! Though I am not mad about it, my 70-200/2.8 is a Tamron lens as well and if outsourcing the lens design to Tamron allowed them to reduce the costs then that is fine with me 😁
@@MattisProbably Now that's something I have not heard, I thought it was designed and made by Nikon. I also didn't know the 70-200 F2.8 was designed by Tamron.
You learn something new everyday I guess.
I know Nikon and Tamron have a close working relationship but I never knew they out sourced the design of those two lenses.
@@kieranhayesphotography Oh no, I use the F mount Tamron 70-200/2.8 G2. Not the Z mount Nikon lens.
But yeah there are patents from Tamron that match the optical design of the 180-600.
Great review. Would love to see a detailed one with image quality, sharpness, etc comparing it with 100-400 4.5 with 1.4x tc and with the 600mm pf
Thanks for watching and I am working on a detailed review on sharpness, vignetting and distortion on different focal lengths at the moment so I should have that one up next week. Fingers crossed I can get the 100-400 and 1.4tc fairly soon and directly compare them. Have a great weekend.
Great review, l hope you’re not sponsored by Nikon!😊
I wish I was 😂😂😂 I think Nikon wouldn't entertain me 😂
I would like to see the 70-200mm with tc compared as this is my setup and how they fit the bag
I don't have the 1.4tc at present but when I get my hands on one I will check it out and post an update.
Have you had the chance to compare this lens to the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S?
Hi, Nikon just sent me out some a camera body and lens for testing. The 100-400 was not available but in two weeks time I hope to have it here and run it through it's paces and also compare it to the 180-600.
Fingers crossed I can get the 1.4tc at the same time.
So that review is coming very soon.
With the focus breathing I'm curious if the speed is based on the camera? The Z8 has amazing autofocus. I wonder how it would perform with a z7/6 mark II.
Hi Eddie, I just tried them side by side there now and there appears to be little to no difference in focus speed, in saying that the Z8 is a monster when it comes to focusing power in extreme situations but for static images the focus speed is nearly identical from what I can see.
Please don't take this the wrong way but focus breathing is a slightly different thing, I was always told the day you learn something new is a good day.
Focus breathing is about the picture appearing to shift or zoom in and out as the camera focuses and its more important for video then photography. Some lenses tend to zoom or shift the perspective a good bit when zooming but the 180-600 is really good that way.
Thanks again for watching and please don't take that as a lecture is was meant in a positive way.
Hi, very good helpful reviews based on your experience with this lens. I owned this lens for 3 days using with Z5. I was abit of weight problem when my arm can't hold longer then 15 min of uses. Also using with z5 it auto focus seen abit slow from short to long distance zooming. So I returned the lens to seller shop and exchanged for the Nikon 100-400mm lens with additional money .I suspected it might be my camera Z5 system. Once I got this lens 100-400mm I feel amazing light and easy to shoot. But still there are other issues . I went to shoot osprey in Thailand trip for few days with borrow TC1.4 . This is the regret I made a big mistakes returning the 180-600mm. Using the 100-400 with TC1.4 it bring the combo to f8. At f8, the morning shooting the ISO bumped up to 10k to 20k easily. WHY? For Osprey diving we need the speed of 1/3200 to 1/4000 sec if I want to get tack sharp diving. If I used the 180-600mm without TC I get f6.3 with better auto focusing and less ISO. In my cases of shooting eagle diving, 180-600 f6.3 ISO will stay below 8K win easily despite my complain was more heavier. Not so really heavier. To me both lens are sharp, the main difference is use with TC for bird shooting then option have to choose 180-600mm . The 100-400mm will be better for landscape and sport.
Hi Graeme, firstly thanks for watching and glad the review helped a bit. The 100-400 is a truly amazing lens also but there are down sides to everything I guess.
For shorter focal lengths it's definitely the one to go for, it's sharper, lighter and smaller so easier to pack which is ideal for landscapes as who wants a heavy bag while trecking around looking for shots.
When you do need the reach the 180-600 is hard to beat though and especially when you don't have to pop on and off teleconvertor a lot with it.
Interesting about the slow focus on the Z5, I haven't used that combo yet but I have tried the 180-600 on a few different camera bodies and it always seem to be quick enough.
I was talking to Nikon a few days ago and they said they will be sending me out some more products for review so if I get the Z5 I will try it with the 180-600.
Thanks again and enjoy the photography.
May I ask what aperture value reading @ 500mm? Thank you.
Hi George, that's a good question, it's F6.3 from roughly around 500mm up to 600mm from literally just under 500mm it's F6 so not a huge difference there.
Can’t disagree with your comments although wildlife photography so often requires shooting at fast shutter speeds forcing ISO upwards and quickly into the many thousands. Massive dilemma but I went for the much less flexible 400mm f4.5 S (the S being a factor). Cameras and software can do wonders with ISO but equally IQ doesn’t suffer in DX mode. I have 600mm in dx mode and still on f4.5 and I can add my Z1.4 to make it a f6.3 840mm
I think for the price this 180-600 lens is amazing and had it been S for a little extra spend I’d have bought it.
Exactly Mark, you can only boost your ISO so far before you start to have issues even with the latest and greatest software. IQ and Aperture aren't quite as good either but it has an awful lot of versatility and the price is incredible. It's a great starter lens for someone looking to get into wildlife and experiment with longer focal lengths.
Thanks for watching and have a great weekend.
Ordered in from Adorama. It's on backorder right now. :-( Looking forward to getting it.
Hopefully it arrives fairly soon now. It's a beautiful lens. I will be putting up a more in depth review in a few weeks on sharpness, vignetting and distortion. Spoiler alert it does really well 😉
How's it compare to the 200-500mm though? because that's realistically what it's up against: can it tempt non-Z users to finally switch over?
There are a few differences in them, from a sharpness perspective the 180-600 is every bit as sharp or sharper than the 200-500.
It has a shorter throw ratio for the zoom ring which is nice if you loose a subject you can quickly zoom back out to 180mm and with about a 80 degree rotation of the zoom ring you are back to 600mm.
It also has a longer focal range of course. All in all it's a nice upgrade over the 200-500 but will it set the world on fire? Doubtful.
05:37 I can't recommend the TC-2.0x converter with this lens. Autofocus just doesn't work at 1200mm f/13, even in daylight. As your results show, cropping the 600mm image yields sharper images.
Ya, cropping is the way to go alright, the 1.4 is a good bit better, so that should be a better bet for most people.
I haven't found anyone who's using a nikon z7ii with the 180-600mm lens have you tried it with a z7ii ??
Hi, yes I have have, I have a Z8 and a Z7ii here and the Z7ii works perfectly with it. Was it the auto focus that you were concerned about with that combo or something else?
😁✌Great video man!!! I want to see a in deep review!!!! 🙋♂
I will get around to that one fairly soon and I will post a good few more photographs in the next 180-600mm review video also. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
If you are primarily doing wildlife photography and can make do carrying only the 180-600 lens when mounted on a camera body you might look into the Kinesis C850 camera bag. Add a shoulder strap and you’re good to go.
PS to this post. I have a z6ii and it is a tight fit. A larger body might not work. Not sure if the company makes a bigger model. I’m going from a D500 with am200-500 or a 500pf attached which does fit fine.
Hi Jeffrey, I shoot a lot of different genres and I have about 5 or 6 different camera bags here all with ICU's so I can quickly swap them between bags, so thankfully I am ok for a bag but it's more of the size and weight of it that makes me slow to pop it into the camera bag as I usually have three to six lenses with me when I head out.
Amazing lens though and I love using it.
How does it compare to the 100-400 with a 1.4 converter?
I haven't tried that combo as of yet, hope to soon though. The Z100-400 is sharper though, with the 1.4tc it will bring them a lot closer with possibly the z100-400 having a very slight edge in terms of sharpness. Sorry, I can't give you first hand experience as of yet.
@@kieranhayesphotography Thanks for the response!
what's your opinion on using this lens to Z6ii? I'm very resistant buying it.
I have used it on the Z7ii and Z8 and it worked perfectly on both. I sold my Z6ii last year but I see no reason why it wouldn't work in exactly the same way as it does on the Z7ii. You might be losing a small bit of cropping power but you are gain a bit with high ISO noise performance with the Z6ii.
I have the Z6II and found pictures to be soft but it gets better at F8 and between 400-500mm. I think the Z8 or Z9 is better suited for this lens.
@@kieranhayesphotography
This would look crazy on a Nikon Z F.
Best comment yet and I hadn't even thought of that :-) Probably still give amazing results too.
Please go for a more detailed review as requested
I will get around to that fairly soon, I am going away on a trip soon so it might be after that.
My Z 180-600 is way better than my ex DSLR Nikon 500mm f4 VR Exotic Prime image wise >> the 180-600 is lighter Way Cheaper and more versatile >> did I say Image Quality on the 180-600 is a Beast in Image Quality >> I LOVE it on my Z8 for African Wild Life and BIF I pair this 180-600 with my Z 70-200 f2.8 S lens
Hi Peter, it is truly an exceptional lens even at 600mm I have nos erious issues with the image quality which is not what I was expecting. I added it is softer at longer focval lengths as it truly is fractionally softer but there it isn't an issue at all. The 70-200 pairing is the way to go alright.
You got a good copy. There are some that are not sharp at all @600.
I purchased mine today at Robert camera in stock and ready to rock
Enjoy every second of it, it's a truly beautiful lens and for the price an absolute bargain. I am currently recording a more detiled video on Sharpness, Distortion and Vignetting on the 180-600 and hopefully that will be out in the next day or two 👍
Im wondering how good it would be for landscape or portraits even...I can only afford one lens😅
It might be a wee bit long form r that one 😉, I generally say the 24-70 is a great all rounder. It's my workshorse lens and the F2.8 is pin sharp.
I have not had good luck with this lens for some reason. I have it paired with my z8 and I just can't seem to get sharp pictures. i've had so much luck with the 200-500mm with the d850, that this lens is such a let down.
Hi David, sorry to hear that. Have you found the focus is off or it's just not sharp? Have you tried it on a tripod with a still image and checked for focus issues? I haven't had any issues but I have talked to two people who said that adjusting the AF fine tune very fractionally by +-1 made a big difference in their images. I know it's something you shouldn't have to do though.
I also know of one person that got it and hated it then returned it and after reading all the positive reviews tried another one and thought it was a lot better? Is there a Quality Control issue with the lens?
It mastered you, you can tell :).
Oh totally, I think I am afraid of it 😂😂😂
I had one on release but it must have been knocked in transit as I could not get sharp images across the focal range, even using a monopod. I sent it back and I'm thinking of picking one up locally.
That's a strange one, I haven't heard of anyone else complaining about sharpness. Now it's not a prime lens beater but it's pretty darn good.
Hi just wanted to know if this lens moves a little when locked on your z8 mount??
Hi, do you mean it can rotate slightly in the mount or it's loose so that it rocks up and down on the mount? Mine does rotate slightly and I would presume this is sort of normal, my 70-200 F2.8 also does that.
Actually it was one of the first two lenses I bought for my Z8
Hi Richard, that was a great second buy. It's amazing value for money and a great all rounder.
I love mine, I have been using it for the last couple of days on the Nikon ZF and it might look a bit funny but it works well.
I envy those who already have this lens! If someone has their used telephoto lens that they dont want to use anymore, i will heartedly accept it 🥺🥰 i only have nikon z50 double kit lenses, i want a telephoto that would help me take pictures of my child in the baseball field🙏
It really is a beautiful lens and fingers crossed you get your own copy of it soon :-)
The STM AF motor is slower than those high end linear motors.
That's why I did the AF speed section in the video to show how quick it is at focusing from one extreme to the other.
It's fast enough in all fairness.
Me: "I really want this lens, it's perfect"
Kieran: Shows the 180-600 compared to a 70-200 f2.8
Me: Quietly swears about needing a new larger camera bag
Kieran: " and the negatives are..."
Me: Quietly buys the 180-600 and wonders how he can break the news to his wife....
Best comment ever... We have all been there, I have found denial is great 😂😂😂
@@kieranhayesphotography Alas she knows. The Z8, 24-70 f4 S and now the 180-600 plus something like the 7Artesian 35mm f1.4 would be a nice initial setup, and adding the F mount lenses I have is a nice bonus
@@lithgowlights859 enjoy the new lens and fingers crossed you didn't get into too much trouble 😉
For the price it would be way better to get a Nikkor 600 f4 IF-ED AI-s or a 800 5.6 IF-ED AI-s and a monopod and gimble. Even a 400 3.5 IF-ED AI-s with a TC-14 b would give you better sharpness and speed. Or a manual focus 500 F4.0 IF-ED P or even a Nikkor 600 5.6 IF-ED AI-s.. If your using a modern body you still get image stabilization and focus peaking.
That all depends what you are using it for I guess.
Personally I wouldn't buy any of those lenses but I am sure they would be right for a good few people.
I am no wildlife shooter and the varifocal aspect of this lens is what drew me to it.
As I always say we all use our gear differently and these are just my thoughts on it.
@@kieranhayesphotography Fair enough.
@@gregoryrogalsky6937 please don't get me wrong, I respect your thoughts on it just explaining why I think it's a great lens.
If I were very big into wildlife or sports photography I would probably see it through different eyes.
Have a great week 👍
Canon is now Way behind .. No Z8 equivalent and their new 200 -800 is Dark F Midnight in a Coal Mine Dark and a Trombone Zoom action that isa Few full twists long
In fairness the way Nikon are going over the last two years with amazing cameras all being launched one after another and sublime lenses also coming out I think it's only fair to say there is going to be a serious resurgance in Nikon sales for years to come. With the Z6iii and Z7iii only just around the corner and firmware updates for the Z8 coming in March it's a great time to be a Nikon shooter.
So not a nightmare then...Joking apart, you seem confident that the Z f6.3 600mm prime is easily better, yet others are saying it’s a small difference?
Hi Dominic, no not a nightmare at all :-) That sensational headline was me fishing for views :-) Seems like the done thing these days. Every lens is different and also every photogrpher has different standards when it comes to sharpness, so it's easy for me to give my opinion on what I believe sharp is but others may not agree with me.
There also seems to be some really good models and some only ok versions of the 180-600 floating around.
That was exactly why I posted the second video on the 180-600 where I look at the exact sharpness levels you can expect form this lens across various focal lengths and also which aperture seems to give the best results. I also looked at vignetting and distortion in that video.
The title and thumbnail were less dramatic on that and the view count was also a lot lower. Seems like fishing works :-)
You can find that video here if you want to watch it... ua-cam.com/video/JUvSSFeoxS4/v-deo.html
Thanks again for watching and have a fantastic week.
Nice 👍
Thanks for watching and also for the feedback.
@@kieranhayesphotography 👍
TOLLE WERBUNG 👍
Danke.
👍🏾🙏🏾. 🏴🇸🇪🇹🇹
Thanks for watching.