Nikon to Refresh 500mm f/4 VR & 600mm f/4 VR Lenses

[Canon Rumors Guy]

It looks like Nikon’s next announcement will be for new supertelephoto lenses. Expect to see the announcements some time in July/August of this year.</p>
<ul>
<li>Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4E FL ED VR</li>
<li><span class="s1 amzn_view_checked amzn-taggable-text">Nikkor AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR</span></li>
</ul>
<p>The new lenses will get a flourite element (FL) as well as a weight reduction, improved VR and a price bump to match.</p>

 

[neuroanatomist]

The new lenses will get ... improved DR...

How does a lens offer improved DR? ???

Perhaps improved CA?

 

[dolina]

800mm IS II ship in volume by 2020. ;D

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

The new lenses will get ... improved DR...

How does a lens offer improved DR? ???

Perhaps improved CA?

lol! fixed.

 

[neuroanatomist]

The new lenses will get a flourite element (FL) as well as a weight reduction...

Gee, it almost sounds like Nikon it trying to catch up to Canon's innovations.

Check out Nikon's glossary. There's an entry for fluorite (FL) touting it's advantages, but apparently they forgot to update their entry for ED glass, clearly intended to bash Canon's use of fluorite, where they state, "In the past, correcting this problem for telephoto lenses required special optical elements that offer anomalous dispersion characteristics - specifically calcium fluoride crystals. However, fluorite easily cracks and is sensitive to temperature changes that can adversely affect focusing by altering the lens' refractive index." Despite that easy cracking and adverse effects on focusing, they're now saying it's great for their telephoto lenses. Way to innovate, Nikon!

Having said that, this is great for Nikon shooters. A friend picked up my Canon 600/4 II and was very surprised to find it weighed the same as his Nikon 500/4.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

Nice find on the Nikon speak.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I think Nikon is playing price catch-up. They have been way behind in pricing, except for the 800.

 

[psolberg]

The new lenses will get a flourite element (FL) as well as a weight reduction...

Gee, it almost sounds like Nikon it trying to catch up to Canon's innovations.

Check out Nikon's glossary. There's an entry for fluorite (FL) touting it's advantages, but apparently they forgot to update their entry for ED glass, clearly intended to bash Canon's use of fluorite, where they state, "In the past, correcting this problem for telephoto lenses required special optical elements that offer anomalous dispersion characteristics - specifically calcium fluoride crystals. However, fluorite easily cracks and is sensitive to temperature changes that can adversely affect focusing by altering the lens' refractive index." Despite that easy cracking and adverse effects on focusing, they're now saying it's great for their telephoto lenses. Way to innovate, Nikon!

Having said that, this is great for Nikon shooters. A friend picked up my Canon 600/4 II and was very surprised to find it weighed the same as his Nikon 500/4.

so what? are you saying marketing is marketing or what exactly? As you say, this is only good news for nikon system users and therefore bad news for their competitors as it is one less marketing checkbox they missed.

 

[neuroanatomist]

The new lenses will get a flourite element (FL) as well as a weight reduction...

Gee, it almost sounds like Nikon it trying to catch up to Canon's innovations.

Check out Nikon's glossary. There's an entry for fluorite (FL) touting it's advantages, but apparently they forgot to update their entry for ED glass, clearly intended to bash Canon's use of fluorite, where they state, "In the past, correcting this problem for telephoto lenses required special optical elements that offer anomalous dispersion characteristics - specifically calcium fluoride crystals. However, fluorite easily cracks and is sensitive to temperature changes that can adversely affect focusing by altering the lens' refractive index." Despite that easy cracking and adverse effects on focusing, they're now saying it's great for their telephoto lenses. Way to innovate, Nikon!

Having said that, this is great for Nikon shooters. A friend picked up my Canon 600/4 II and was very surprised to find it weighed the same as his Nikon 500/4.

so what? are you saying marketing is marketing or what exactly? As you say, this is only good news for nikon system users and therefore bad news for their competitors as it is one less marketing checkbox they missed.

It's good news for Nikon shooters and likely neutral for everyone else (not much competition in this space, not many switchers at that level and most are 'locked in' by the time a supertele purchase is contemplated; maybe competition at the news/sports service level, but price is a bigger factor there and Nikon is 'winning' the high price war so far).

As for so what... Can the irony be lost on you somehow? It's layered like an onion. Nikon bashes Canon's use of fluorite, then copies it. They're copying diffractive optics, too (although that's so niche there was probably no point in bashing it...or more likely, there was no point in bashing because they had nothing competitive to offer). Locally (here on CR), we have a whole cadre of folks bashing Canon's supposed lack of innovation, claiming Sony and Nikon are much more innovative. Here we have Nikon copying technology Canon has been using for years (DO lenses) or decades (CaF2 elements, although Nikon has incorporated them into microscope objectives for years).

 

[privatebydesign]

I think this means Canon are dead in the water, there is no way they can come back from a Nikon 500-600 refresh and the Sony A7RII, it just isn't happening.

I am chucking all my Canon gear on Craigslist tomorrow and Dilbert and I are going to the Sony store to see if we can get a deal as we will be two more happy customers dumping our mirror slappers and chillaxing in the awesomeness of our new mirrorless purchases, along with the shed loads of other intelligent and open minded people we meet in the store.

 

[bdunbar79]

I just might quit photography guys. Sony's competition is just way too tough.

 

[bdunbar79]

Or Nikon, or whatever...

 

[privatebydesign]

Or Nikon, or whatever...

No, come with Dilbert and I to the Sony store, my mate said you can for sure get a deal for three lens and body kits. You'll regret ever having bought that 400mm f2.8 once you see the files from that Exmor beast and the Sonnar 55mm f1.8 lens.

 

[Click]

;D

 

[bdunbar79]

Or Nikon, or whatever...

No, come with Dilbert and I to the Sony store, my mate said you can for sure get a deal for three lens and body kits. You'll regret ever having bought that 400mm f2.8 once you see the files from that Exmor beast and the Sonnar 55mm f1.8 lens.

Lol