With rumors of a Nikon Z 120-300 f/2.8 TC VR S swirling, I’ve been thinking a lot about the old Nikon AF‑S 120‑300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR. I say old, but it was only launched in 2020. In fact, it was the last F-mount lens ever released, launching alongside the Nikon D6. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the best Nikon lenses for DSLRs ever made, which begs the question: Do we really need an upgrade?
The easy answer is absolutely, because the Nikon AF‑S 120‑300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR has been discontinued. But when you consider just how tip-top its optics are, its insane speed, and the fact it's only six years old, I can’t help but feel its discontinuation was a little premature. Let's talk about it...
I’ve been fortunate enough to use the lens myself, and I had an absolute blast. Weighing in at 3,250g, it certainly isn’t light, especially by some Nikon Z lens standards, but it’s not so heavy that it feels unwieldy either. I spent most of my time using it in a hide with a beanbag. And besides, when you’re dealing with super-telephoto lenses of this speed, you’re going to be shooting with some form of support.
It, of course, features that rock-solid premium F-mount build, which in my mind has never been bettered, not even in the Z-mount era. And boy, is this lens sharp! It’s sharp across all focal and aperture ranges, and while the center is sharper, you still get great results in the corners. Chromatic aberration is virtually nonexistent, too, and while you do get some minor pincushion distortion, overall, this is an incredible performance from an F-mount lens.
But if I’ve learned anything about Z mount over the years, it’s that whatever I thought was peak performance has a habit of getting redefined. I used to be Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, and I can tell you that we had to extend the range of our optical performance graphs in reviews to cater for the new normal that the Z mount ushered in. Nowadays, Z-mount lenses get judged by other Z-mount lenses, but when it’s a straight-up fight between Z mount and F mount, it’s no contest.
Nothing is set in stone regarding the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S; there hasn’t even been a development announcement yet. But if the rumors are to be believed, it’ll have a built-in 1.4x teleconverter, which would be a huge boon over the previous model. You’re essentially getting a 120-300mm and a f/2.8 170-420mm f/4. Add in the possibility of a control ring, an updated Memory Set button, what will surely be all-around better optical performance, and I guess, despite the F-mount optic’s prowess, there’s still plenty of Z-mount headroom for Nikon to fill. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be even more competitively priced.
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