Nikon has been in the groove for the past few years. Kickstarted by the Z9 a couple of years ago, and seeing several major announcements since then, the brand has really gained traction with its Z system, entering a period dedicated to rounding out the lens lineup and introducing new, more specialized camera models to the Nikon portfolio. Let’s recap the company’s major camera and lens announcements from 2023.
Cameras
Despite only having two camera releases in 2023, Nikon made the most of this pair of announcements. Both cameras are full-frame, Z-system mirrorless bodies with the latest processing capabilities—and the similarities nearly end there.
The Z8 was released in May and would have been a shoo-in for camera of the year if it weren’t for a certain global shutter-imbued model’s late release. However, the Z8 is a true hit of a camera and something that much of the public can finally agree is the first true spiritual mirrorless successor to the D850 (or maybe even the mythical D700?). It takes a majority of the Z9’s capabilities, including the 45.7MP stacked sensor and EXPEED 7 processor, and crams this into a much smaller, more portable camera body. This is the aspirational camera that has everything photographers and hybrid shooters are looking for, without some of the bells, whistles, and other workflow and networking-oriented assets of the Z9.
On the other end of the camera side, Nikon also released the Zf—a contemporary full-frame mirrorless with strong retro flair. Modeled on Nikon’s storied FM2 film SLR, this camera performs just like a Z6 II but with classic angular design and more emphasis on tactile settings control. Whereas something like the Z8 or Z9 is for professionals and working photographers, the Zf is styled more toward the casual-but-serious photographer looking for an everyday or travel camera. It’s stylish, very fun to use, and still a very capable camera.
Lenses
Balancing the pair of camera announcements, Nikon had a very productive year in the optics department with eight (!) lens releases. Beyond the sheer number of new lenses, the variety and quality of releases is also striking.
A lens that sits at the top of the mountain is the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena; announced in September. This portrait-length prime emphasizes rendering, bokeh quality, and smoothness. It’s only the second Nikon Z lens to be given a specific name—the first being the coveted Noct—and is, again, an aspirational product that is meant to highlight what Nikon is capable of when pushing the boundaries of optical design. On a similar strata, Nikon also released the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens in February. While this lens didn’t get a cool name like “Plena,” it’s similarly groundbreaking in its design and performance. Choosing between these two pinnacles of portraiture really comes down to which focal length you prefer: 135mm or 85mm.
Appealing to a very different crowd, but announced at the same time as the 85mm f/1.2, is the NIKKOR Z 26mm f/2.8. This perfect little pancake prime is among the thinnest and lightest lenses you can have on your full-frame Z body. It’s a versatile wide-angle, deliberately offering modest speed to be the highly portable carry-everywhere lens for day-to-day shooting.
The big lens of the year, despite not actually being that physically big, is the NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S. Introduced in October, this is Nikon’s super-telephoto prime of the year and is a unique option due to its inclusion of a Phase Fresnel element that greatly reduces its size for handheld use. The other notable super-telephoto announcement of the year was for the NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR; this is a go-to versatile option for sports, wildlife, and bird photographers due to the zoom flexibility and highly portable design. Also, both of these lenses were featured in our guide of this year’s lenses for wildlife photography.
Announced alongside the 180-600mm, a similarly versatile zoom was released in June, the NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8. This is a sleek alternative to the conventional 70-200mm f/2.8; by shaving a bit off the long end of the range, this tele-zoom manages to be quite a bit lighter and smaller for easier everyday carry and casual shooting applications, and it still maintains the bright, constant f/2.8 maximum aperture.
Finally, here are two more sleeper hits of 2023: the NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR and the NIKKOR DX 24mm f/1.7. These are both wide-angle options dedicated to DX shooters, which offer smaller, lighter measurements to match the smaller APS-C sensor format. The 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 has the standout inclusion of Power Zoom, allowing for camera-based control of the zoom position. The 24mm f/1.7, on the other hand, is just a solid, fast 36mm equivalent prime lens that’s perfect for Zfc, Z50, or Z30 users interested in street or travel subjects. The key to both of these lenses is that they are purpose-built for DX cameras; for those dedicated to the smaller sensor size, it’s a boon not to have to use larger, heavier, and typically more expensive FX lens equivalents on the smaller camera bodies.
What are your thoughts on Nikon’s releases for 2023? Which was your favorite camera or lens? And what are you hoping to see next year from Nikon? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section, below.
3 Comments
If the Nikon 600 mm 6.3 had been a 5.6 instead it would seem to be an upgrade from my venerable 500mmpf. I want neither the weight nor the price of the non pf 600. Additionally, I was considering the Z8 as a second body for my Z9 but some reports say the autofocus is not as fast as the Z9 and since I do a lot of bird photography I wonder if this is significant. I don't claim to be anything but an amateur but the autofocus is critical to my hobby
You might want to checkout the Back Country Gallery review of the Z8/Z9 autofocus. It seems that the hardware platforms are identical with the exception of the power supply, GPS, and network. I'm just starting with birds in flight, but am having good results with the Z8/500mm PF on the converter. It looks like Nikon have given the Z9 some additional subject recognition capabilities with the latest firmware, but the Z8 finds the bird's eye reliably. It looks like the autofocus speed is more a function of the lens than the body, with the F-mount lenses and converter being somewhat slower than the Z mounts.
Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8: if you are a glass snob, since this does not have an “S” after the name, you may overlook it. My advice, don’t ignore this small, lightweight, convenient focal length, fairly fast, super compact lens. I travel a lot and often just want a minimalist kit to walk about in a market, or around a resort campus. When you do not really need that bigger zoom, or almost as large and heavy prime, THIS is the perfect, IMO, lens to bayonet onto your Z camera body.