Nikon Z 600 PF or Nikon Z180-600 - Is the extra cost worth it?

Prime lens or zoom? Both the Nikon Z180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR and the Nikon Z600mm f/6.3 VR S are suitable for bird photography. But even if the speed and maximum focal length are the same, there are also significant differences. This video deals with handling, autofocus, price, image stabilizer and, of course, image quality.

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Here are the sharpness comparisons in high quality:

[FabianFoppNaturephotography]

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[popeyesweetpea]

One other advantage of the zoom (that would not show up by counting the keepers at different focal lengths) is the ability to find the subject with a wider angle and then zooming in for the photo. I often have difficulty finding the subject if I simply lift the camera to my eye at 600 mm. 

(Also, a semantic suggestion: when referring to these lenses in a comparison, the single-syllable words zoom and prime seem like the quickest and most descriptive way to identify them. Repeating 600mm and 180-600mm is not only much longer, it requires much more attention from the listener.)

[frankcruz]

Nice work. I have compared the 180-600 to my 100-400, 400 2.8 TC and 800 PF. In real life all lenses are great for birding. Only the 400 2.8 TC is better in all areas. The 180-600 is a great lens and very hard to tell in real life the advantage of the PFs over it, (the bigger difference is focusing speed, but not by much). If you pixel peep you will definitely find something to complain about on the 180-600, for the money and what you get, its value is unbeatable.

[marcrascolnicov]

Very informative video and great presentation style. No annoying intro or background music. Doesn't happen often enough. Thank you for the time spent.

[randyschwager]

Excellent review! I received a call late today from my local camera store telling me that my hard-to-get 180-600 had arrived! Thanks for your review. I feel good about my purchase!

[m.maclean]

I bought the Z 180-600 rather than the Z 600 and the difference in price paid for half of my Z 800mm.

[myketripp]

Excellent comprehensive video. I've had the Z600pf for over a month and look forward to picking it up daily. I knew from having the f200-500 that I stayed at the long end the majority of the time. When the Z180-600 came out I ordered it, then when the Z600pf was announced and I saw its size and weight, I canceled the order. For me personally, I made the right call. This lens is impressive and just feels great! I take it to the zoo every two weeks, without a monopod or tripod. At the end of the day, it's a high-quality prime lens I was willing to pay for. On my Z7II it's just 4.6lbs and a tad heavier on the Z9.

[jimharvey]

Really great review. Very few photo reviews offer this much clear information without hyperbole.

[Mister_M]

Since wildlife photography is not my main field, I bought the 180-600 (5800 Euros is too much for casual use). I could test the Tamron 150-600 G2 from my brother on my Z8 before. I already loved that lens for my purposes. But now my own 180-600 is even better, so I'm extremely happy. The images for me are sharp enough. Otherwise, I could also tweak this a little bit in ACR, Photoshop or Lightroom. I also love the flexibility of the zoom. Yes, the 600 PF is better in any way at 600, but this doesn't justify the three times higher price for my purposes. Nice comparison btw.

[blackkaviar]

Great video, thanks. I think each lens has been created for very different markets so I'm not convinced that the comparison is entirely valid. I have the Z180-600 and I'm over the moon with it, very happy.

[aser]

Great review !!! On the 600pf The Memory Set button and the Fn-1 button can be swap roles : the much more accessible Memory-Set button (you can reach it with your right hand middle finger) can be assigned to a frequent & desirable function, whereas the Fn-1 button which is not so accessible can be set to set the memory for example (or be assigned to a different role).

[jimowens]

Thank you for a straight forward review of all the aspects of these lenses. I would much prefer the S line prime lens if (1) I could afford and justify the expense, and (2) I could have other lenses to fill in the 300, 400 and 500mm focal lengths. Reviewing the images that you posted to Drop Box it appears that the 180-600 was sharper around the rimlit edge of the head while the 600 pf was sharper around the eye. This makes me think the focus on the 180-600 was back-focused slightly. Regardless, the very small difference between these does not justify the difference enough (for me) to warrant the 3x price increase.

[indrajitadvani]

Thank you for the excellent comparison Fabian. For me it's not just birds - it's animals too - when I go on safari in Africa/India. And I find that the Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 is a good option - reasonable price and extremely portable

[kjltube]

Thanks for the exhaustive review. I'd say the focus was off on the 1.4x shots at F9 comparing sharpness, as different areas of the puffin's head are in focus hindering the perceived results from the 180-600. I'm sure the prime is sharper, but just saying.

[brianlemke]

Thank you, timely review. A little elf whispered to me Santa is giving me a 600 pf for Christmas - don’t worry, that same elf whispered that my beautiful wife is getting a Tiffany’s trinket.

That price difference is very compelling in favour of the zoom; but I’m 66 and the lightness and slightly better IQ on the prime are deciding factors. I currently have a four year old 500mm 5.6 pf and it’s simply a great lens in its own right so I’m really looking forward to using both when shooting with my kids on different cameras.

I find going to DX mode in camera on my Z8 - still getting about 20MP images after the crop - is more convenient than using my TC1.4 or TC2.0 extenders. The reason is the zoom effect of crop mode helps the animal eye detect and AF speed, I think. In any case the high MP on my Z8 means cropping in camera or later is an easy alternative to the extenders.

[stevelink]

Hi Fabian. Thank you for this superb comparison between the Nikkor Z 180-600 and the Nikkor Z 600 S! Just FYI, for my bird photography, rather than mess with the 1.4 teleconverter on the 180-600 (which can have a slight negative impact on image quality), I simply switch between FX and DX modes if I want a slightly magnified image. I find that doing this has a negligible impact on image quality when compared to a teleconverter. That said, as I take pride in creating very detailed images with excellent sharpness, I wish the 600 was within my budget, but I don't shoot wildlife enough to justify the hefty expense. I usually use the 180-600 with a monopod or tripod, as I find it difficult to handhold And obtain consistently sharp results, especially at the 500 or 600mm focal lengths. Thanks again sir!

[RussandLoz]

Nice, for me the in-between choice is the 400 4.5, even lighter which is the biggest difference in my opinion. It's sharp with a 1.4tc, 4.5 use and costs in the middle.

[vincevinnyp]

I have the 180-600 and just added the 600PF. I thought I wouldn't get one but it's replaced the 500 PF for me.
It's more compact and much lighter than the 180-600 - sometimes that's more important I am not fussed about minor IQ differences. The flexibility of a zoom though is also something I often need.

[PASquared]

I'd never even consider the prime. The airplanes and cars I photograph tend to move. The only thing I'd remotely consider for photographing aircraft or cars on a race track would be something like the 400 2.8 TC where I can flip a switch to get a different focal length. But, I won't sell my car to buy a lens. Lighter weight and more sharpness doesn't do anything for me if my subject gets 10m too close for me to fit it in the frame

[leanderkhil]

Danke Fabian, das war aufschlussreich!