12 lenses of Christmas: October 2023 gave us a game-changing super-telephoto from Nikon

Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S.

Well, that takes a weight off! Think 600mm super-telephoto prime lenses and you’re probably thinking of unwieldy beasts that have you literally crying out for a monopod. By sharp contrast (and it definitely has sharpness and contrast in spades), Nikon announced the Nikon Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S which thanks to Phase Fresnel optical elements and clever design, tips the scales at just 1,390g. Suffice it to say that handheld shooting is a breeze. Prefer a zoom? October also saw the announcement of a Nikon Z-mount edition of the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 Di III VC VXD. It’s a quality lens that undercuts Nikon’s own-brand 180-600mm for price.

We were very much impressed when we reviewed the original Sony E-mount Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 Di III VC VXD, so the Nikon Z-mount edition came as good news. (Image credit: Matthew Richards)