Super-tele lenses – which one is for you?

Nikon Team •Technology & know-how•13 Feb 2024•4 min read

There are several fantastic NIKKOR Z super-telephoto lenses to choose from – but which one (or more!) is right for your style? Let’s find out

If you’re shooting wildlife or sports, a super-telephoto lens is your best friend. You’ll get super-sharp images, long reach and great subject separation. There are currently seven incredible NIKKOR Z mount super-tele lenses in the line-up (as of time of publication, and, of course, many more F mount lenses available via the FTZ adapter) to satisfy your every long-range need. And with a teleconverter (read more here), you can get even more reach. So let’s take a look at the NIKKOR Z mount super-tele range.

NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR

A full-frame equivalent focal length of 75-375mm, this lens brings super-tele shooting in a DX-friendly package. A fantastic focal range means this is a fantastic to partner with your Z fc, Z 50 or Z 30, alongside the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR (meaning you’d be covered from 16mm to 250mm!). Autofocus is fast, smooth and quiet, and built-in VR means sharp shooting, even in low light, and great video performance. At a budget-friendly price, this is a must-have for DX owners.

There are several fantastic NIKKOR Z super-telephoto lenses to choose from – but which one (or more!) is right for your style? Let’s find out

NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR

Nikon Team

What’s in our kitbag?

Z 8Fast, full-frame hybrid camera

NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VRLightweight super-telephoto

NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR SFor tighter action shots

NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR | Photo: Gabriela Herman

NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S

Incredibly versatile, this lens can go from great close-ups to capturing faraway action. With a minimum focus distance of 0.75m at 100 and less than one metre at 400mm, it’s a great choice for indoor sports action where you can focus right in on an athlete’s face. Outdoors, it’s a fantastic choice for an all-day wildlife lens, with the flexibility to capture animals and birds at distance while also getting in close to textures of foliage and trees.

NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S | Photo: Nikon Ambassador Clive Mason

NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR

The longest reach super-tele zoom in the NIKKOR range, this gives you all the flexibility you’ll need on a wildlife shoot – and at an amazing price. Add a teleconverter and get up to 1200mm of reach. This is an ideal way to start your super-tele journey, testing out a wide range of focal lengths. Built in VR makes for rock-solid images while SPORT mode also stabilises the viewfinder, making it much easier to shoot erratic-moving subjects and create smooth panning shots in video.

NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR | Photo: Nicolas Stettler

NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S

A lightweight, travel-friendly lens that packs a punch. Light enough to be handheld, it gives you the freedom to go where you need to be for the shot. Great for outdoor action sports portraits, wildlife shooting and much more, this is an all-day companion with lots of creative options, beautiful bokeh and super-sharp imaging.

NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S | Photo: Nikon Ambassador Gareth Cattermole

NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S

This is a lens built for the most demanding of environments and the one pros shooting sports and wildlife want in their bags. From shooting polar bears in the Arctic to F1 cars on the track, the superfast autofocus and f/2.8 aperture deliver the sharpest images with incredible subject separation. And with the built-in 1.4x teleconverter, you can get much closer instantly at the flick of a switch.

NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S | Photo: Nikon Ambassador Roie Galitz

NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S

When the moment arrives and you absolutely have to nail the shot, this pro lens gives you all the confidence you’ll need. With an f/4 aperture to give fantastic subject separation at distance and a built-in 1.4x teleconverter to take you even closer, this is the lens that captures moments of sporting greatness and puts the viewer right in the heart of the action.

NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR | Photo: Nikon Ambassador Marsel van Oosten

NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S

Coming in at just 1470g with the tripod collar attached, this is the lightest 600mm lens NIKKOR has ever made. It’s a dream for bird and wildlife photographers who need long reach but also need to be nimble. With up to six stops of VR and amazing autofocus, you’ll get super-sharp stills and video of birds in flight.

NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S | Photo: Ramesh Karmakar

NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S

Light enough to use handheld, NIKKOR’s longest focal length super-tele gives you huge flexibility of motion when chasing fast-moving objects at distance. Birds in flight, cars on a track or planes in the sky – you’ll get closer than ever before, knowing that the VR and autofocus will help you capture the moment in perfect sharpness. Great for video, the lightness of the lens allows smooth, handheld panning shots while suppressed focus breathing means smooth shifts in focus while maintaining framing.