Nikon’s Z lens roadmap has expanded substantially over the past two years – and the company’s most recent roadmap update promises a total of 27 Z-mount lenses before the close of 2022.
It’s a clear sign that Nikon is devoted to their mirrorless system, which debuted just over two years ago with the Nikon Z7 but has remained limited in both camera and lens selection. But while a complete set of lenses is a long way off, it’s nice to know that Nikon is willing to dig in and create a mirrorless lineup that will eventually compete with the current heavy hitters.
So what lenses can you expect from Nikon over the next couple of years?
The existing set of Z mount lenses already offers a lot of the basics (note that this includes lenses coming out over the next couple of months):
- A handful of fast primes and zooms for professional and amateur portrait shooters, including the 50mm f/1.2, the 35mm f/1.8, and the 24-70mm f/2.8
- A few cheaper zooms, such as the 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3, the 24-200mm f/4-6.3, and the 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3
- Some excellent glass for landscape photographers, including a 24-70mm f/4, a 70-200mm f/2.8, and a 14-24mm f/2.8
However, despite a core set of strong Z mount options, Nikon has failed to offer a few “standards,” including a faster 85mm lens (e.g., an 85mm f/1.4), as well as a 70-200mm f/4 (for hobbyist landscape photographers, among others). The Z-mount lineup continues to lack lenses for specialized shooters, as well – such as super-telephoto primes and zooms, plus a macro lens or two.
Which is where the Nikon Z mount roundmap comes in.
While the roadmap doesn’t address all of these gaps, it does promise a number of powerful lenses, including:
- A 24-105mm lens
- An 85mm lens (likely an f/1.4 version!)
- Both a 50mm and a 105mm macro lens
- Four super-telephoto lenses, including a 200-600mm zoom, a 100-400mm zoom, a 400mm prime, and a 600mm prime
If you’re a bird, wildlife, or even sports photographer, then Nikon’s Z system is going to become a lot more appealing over the next couple of years, as Nikon fills in its super-telephoto gap (with a 200-600mm and a 100-400mm option, no less!).
The same is true for macro photographers, who will pounce on Nikon’s 105mm micro lens (though I do wish Nikon would offer a 180mm or 200mm Z mount macro lens; maybe it’ll be added to a future roadmap).
Regardless, Nikon’s Z system is becoming more and more well-rounded – and the addition of these lenses will simply broaden its appeal.
Now over to you:
What upcoming Z mount lenses are you interested in? And what lenses do you wish Nikon would make? Share your thoughts in the comments!
