The perfect all-round zoom for wildlife photographers? Nikon Z180-600mm Review

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

You can buy the lenses here (affiliate links): Nikkor Z180-600: adorama.rfvk.net/QyG3D3 Nikkor Z400mm f/4.5: adorama.rfvk.net/vN1DyA

[@m.maclean8911]

I was looking at the Z 600mm, but after seeing the results I bought the 180-600 and the money I saved paid for half of the Z 800mm. Then I upgraded the 180-600 and instead got the 100-400mm. With the two lenses 100-400 and 800mm I can span 100mm-1,600mm with TCs. All in one carry-on bag.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Nice setup! Have fun

[@MichaelSeneschal]

Fantastic review. The review was very well organized and easy to follow, and that’s a hard thing to do! :)

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@naturealbums]

Excellent review Fabian this is becoming a great channel to keep an honest track of the latest offerings. I'm keen to buy the lens, I'm looking at the Z8 at the moment I do wish Nikon did an update on the apsc line Z50 is not great on AF features. A nice stacked sensor like the Fuji XH2s uses will really shake things up like the D500 did. Shame Canon missed the opportunity to be a birders goto with the R7.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! Yes, a D500 successor would be great

[@psoon04286]

Agree with you. I’d like for Nikon to come out with an APS-C Z body in the same class like the D500 with IBIS. I know lots of wildlife photographers like the extra reach that a DX camera gives. Thanks for this well explained review 👍👍😄

[@glennalexon1530]

Excellent reviews. Just the right amount of detail, opinion, and comparison.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@johnforbes4795]

Another fine review and comparison. I've had mine on order since Day 2 of the preorder period. Wildlife is probably #3 priority for me after dog shows and hiking photography. But I certainly plan to test it at my favorite hiking spot, a nearby National Park which has a commendable group of California Condors as residents (Pinnacles National Park). By the way, I've heard that the latest firmware update on the Z9 (firmware 4.10) is a further improvement autofocus performance. Canon is still probably ahead, but the gap continues to narrow in the current iterations.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! Yes, I was chatting with a friend who had the opportunity to use it for several weeks now and he showed me some viewfinder recordings and it really seems much improved.

[@ranjankmsphotography]

Excellent review. The number if subscribers of your channel deserves more❤. I'm subscribing because I found your explanation process very good 👍 I'm using 200-500 with Z9.... confused whether to sell it and upgrade to 180-600 or not !! One issue - Is Autofocus in 180-600 faster than 200-500 , specifically for birds in flight?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! Yes, the AF is definitely faster. However, I was not able to compare BIF

[@tonigenes5816]

Fabian, the video is interesting. Good stuff ! A kind sugestion from my side, when you make sharpness tests, I think the best is to use a puppet-bird, to have exact the same light and angle on all cameras. Then you can make a test at 10 meters (close), and another one at 40-50 meters (far-away) where we can expect problems for the weak lens. It's also nice to see comparisons from real life, but I know here the light and bird shake can compromise the comparison.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@blinkred9183]

Excellent review Fabian. I just started watching your channel and like it 👍. I am currently using 200-500 on Z8 and was wondering should I switch to 180-600 or 600 6.3? My prime focus would be birds. Your suggestion would help my decision factor.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks. Hmm, I could not try the 600/6.3 so far. But I assume it will be sharper and is much lighter. The advantage of the 180-600 is the flexibility of having a zoom lens and the price point

[@garymeredith2441]

Fabian I'm glad you brought up the point that the Mirrorless Cameras can't focus close like a digital SLR Cameras I thought it was just me turns out it wasn't just me this is a problem with the Mirrorless Cameras . This is a big problem with the Mirrorless Cameras and this has got to be addressed .

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Glad to hear that the video helped you 😊

[@uaebifvideo5472]

Excellent work!! Thank you!!.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks 😊

[@Dhruvarorax]

Too good review man.. really exhaustive.. multiple queries resolved.. please keep up the great work.. Just one last question.. i have z8 with 200-500mm .. iam v unsatisfied with the autofocus.. most of my burst shots shift in focus so v few keepers.. Is it worth upgrading to 180 600mm?

[@MrDaveB123]

It's always worth upgrading. It's a far better lens and its new tech and no adapter. sell the one you got Its a no brainer for many reasons

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks a lot! I definitely felt an improvement with the AF. It’s not only the speed, I also felt that it was more consistent

[@srkiphoto]

Great review as always Fabian. Can you please provide download link with toucan pictures. Thank you so much.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! I just added it into the video description. Let me know if it works

[@srkiphoto]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography it works. Thank you so much!

[@yonishperling1531]

Hi, I would like to enter the wildlife. Recently, I've sold my Leica (still hard for me but I will always have the memories and photos). What do you think would be the best move? 180-600mm 100-400mm S or 70-200mm S. All can be mixed with tele-converters. For now, several lenses or primes are out of the budget. For landscape and family time I've got the 24-70mm S. I wish one day the kids will play alone more and budget will allow getting 85mm 1.2

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

As a main lens for wildlife (especially birds) I would go for the 180-600

[@martingrierson1152]

Excellent review! 🎉

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks!

[@yonishperling1531]

3:45 outstanding!!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@popeyesweetpea]

Why not compare the image taken using the TC with the cropped image taken without the TC. Then we will know if it's worth getting the TC or not. In my experience, cropping is usually better, especially when the quality is ISO limited; the improved sharpness of lower ISO and the absence of a TC allows the necessary cropping latitude to make up for the reach. I have not been able to justify the expense and hassle of a TC.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Yes, that would also be an interesting point. I did that test for several other lenses and for all of them the IQ was better when using teleconverters (even on 45MP bodies)

[@badger-kr9nr]

Hi Fabian, do you find the AF motors noisy of the 180 - 600 ? I have just received the lens and noticed it.. I have made a video of the issue on my channel. Do you have the same noise or mine is a lemon ?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I found it much more quiet than the Z800/6.3. but I honestly can’t remember if it was better or the same as in your video. Is there any chance you could check with your dealer if another one has the same noise levels?

[@rjpadbatan669]

I want a zoom lens like this for Canon but the RF 200-800 is plain garbage. What are they thinking in Canon hq?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Why is it plain garbage? I think it’s a very interesting lens. Otherwise there is also the 100-500

[@arpinkus]

It has a programmable control ring.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Well, you can reprogram the focus ring. But how can I then change the focus? Canon does the same on some cheaper lenses. That’s not my understanding of a control ring

[@StephenAkinlami]

I am heading to africa for safari and my longest lens is the nikon z 100-400 do you think this is long enough or would i need a 1.4 teleconverter

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

It depends which kind of Safari and in which Country

[@StephenAkinlami]

@FabianFoppNaturephotography we will be going to Tanzania lake manyara and the Serengeti perhaps the 600 pf would be a good compliment

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I‘ve never been there! But sounds like a nice combo 👍🏻

[@leod1671]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the new 600PF

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Yes, I hope I can try one soon!

[@yonishperling1531]

2:50 given the delimiter size, does it gets more light compared to smaller one?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

That is determined by the f-stop (which is often correlated with the diameter of the lens). So at 500mm the old one is actually slightly brighter, but in my opinion the difference is negligible

[@vyezhov]

За три месяца владения, могу сказать, что у линзы есть серьезный недостаток - сильное падение резкости при сьемках в контровой свете. 99% снимков в таком режиме получаются мыльными. При этом, фикс 400f4.5 показывает отличные результаты.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Interesting! I would be curious to see how the Z600/6.3 performs in backlit

[@vyezhov]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography согласен, тоже интересен результат при сьемках в контре у 600 f6.3

[@vyezhov]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography справедливости ради, надо сказать, что немногие линзы могут выдавать качественный результат при сьемка в контровом свете. Даже 500 afs f4 не всегда выдавал нужное качество.

[@muhamadmizanngateni5859]

good

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@drarnabkundu2768]

to me 180-600 is a dull lens.. most dissapointing lens for bird photography in hills. you don't know which image will be sharp.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Why is it problematic in hills?

[@OmarFadul]

Just keep the 200-500 F/5.6 lens. No need at all to upgrade. If you want to upgrade, then, I believe it is much better to buy the 500 F/5.6 F mount lens, or the 600mm F/6.3 Z lens. I have my 200-500 F/5.6 lens, and there is no way it is so soft at 300mm. Impossible. Your copy has a problem, for sure! Or maybe, by accident, you used a shaky picture as an example.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I took several pictures and used the sharpest. But of course (both for the 200-500 and 180-600) I don’t know if it is sharper or softer than average

[@fazlisubhan2041]

It's not good at all and so disappointed why u didn't feild test on birds for auto focus on 200-500mm. So bad man

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

As I mentioned, I felt that the Z180-600 was faster and more reliable in autofocus when taking pictures of birds