Nikon’s New Lens Roadmap Reveals Power Zoom and Budget ‘Holy Trinity’

Nikon’s most up-to-date lens roadmap reveals it’s engaged on a brand new energy zoom optic in addition to hints at a funds “holy trinity” f/2.8 zoom collection.

Nikon’s up to date roadmap — under — consists of some lenses that the corporate has talked about earlier than, corresponding to an S-series 600mm, 135mm, 85mm, and 35mm, however provides a few newcomers that is likely to be missed by these not paying shut consideration.

Firstly, the corporate added a DX collection (Nikon’s time period for lenses designed for APS-C cameras) 12-28mm PZ lens which isn’t solely the widest focal size now listed on the roadmap, but in addition consists of “PZ” which stands for “energy zoom.” Energy zoom lenses have been all however absent from most consumer-focused lenses up till lately when Sony began so as to add extra of them to its strong E-mount lineup.

Energy Zoom lenses are significantly helpful for video manufacturing since along with digital management over aperture changes, these lenses could be zoomed remotely because of an included motor. As a result of it’s managed by a motor, clean zooming operation could be achieved persistently, a process that’s tough with handbook zoom lenses. Sony’s most up-to-date addition to its energy zoom line got here in March with the 16-35mm f/4 PZ G lens. It and the older 28-135mm f/4 PZ are being positioned as excellent for the corporate’s new robotic FR7 cinema digital camera.

It’s not clear what Nikon’s objectives are for cameras in terms of robotics and compatibility with energy zoom lenses, however the firm is clearly stepping into the house.

The opposite addition to the lens roadmap that’s of curiosity is the inclusion of a 70-180mm lens. On it’s personal, it may not be that attention-grabbing however it’s the place of that lens on the roadmap the place Nikon tipped its hand: it sits proper subsequent to the brand new 17-28mm f/2.8 and 28-75mm f/2.8 lenses. That placement suggests the 70-180mm lens may also share the f/2.8 aperture which might create a “holy trinity” of f/2.8 lenses that cowl a spread of 17mm by way of 180mm.

It’s not a lot of a stretch to suppose that Nikon’s 70-180mm lens could have a continuing f/2.8 aperture both. Each the 17-28mm f/2.8 and 28-75mm f/2.8 lenses strongly resemble Tamron E-mount optics (resulting in the assumption that they’re nothing greater than rehoused lenses) and it simply so occurs that Tamron already produces a 70-180mm f/2.8 E-mount lens — the corporate launched that zoom in April of 2020. If Nikon continues its trajectory of rehousing Tamron lenses, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than that 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD makes an look as a Nikon lens.