Ultra-Reach Within Reach

Some photographers shy away from super telephoto lenses primarily because of their size, weight, and cost. Conventional high-quality, large-aperture ultra-telephoto lenses are big, heavy, and have sky-high price tags. In this lens class, there is no getting around the need for length, diameter, and price. However, some modern super telephotos, such as the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S, address all three characteristics by incorporating a diffractive optic lens element that Nikon calls a Phase Fresnel (PF). Nikon currently makes four PF-equipped lenses. For F-mount DSLRs and SLRs, there are the AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR and 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR; and for Nikon Z-mount cameras there is the 600mm f/6.3 VR S and this 800mm f/6.3 VR S.

Why would you consider adding a super-telephoto lens to your kit? Sometimes you need a closeup view of a distant subject; classic examples of this are photographing wild animals, aerobatic demonstrations, or racing, where keeping a good distance from potential danger is of supreme importance. Sometimes you want to really isolate a subject from its surroundings. Or you may want the signature telephoto compression look to heighten the visual drama in sports photography or to create a fresh dynamic in portraits and fashion photography. It is usually a combination of at least two of these visual qualities. But the best reason is to make photos that stand out. A photographer effectively using an exotic lens—whether an ultra wide-angle, a macro, or a super telephoto—is like a poet taking on a new poetic technique to say what they want to say. These are not mainstream lenses. With practice, used judiciously, a super-telephoto—like macro, tilt-shift, and ultra-wide-angle lenses—is a valuable creative tool.

The Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S is not Nikon’s only current 800mm lens. There is also the AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR. As seen below, the physical and financial differences between the two are significant.

These two lenses have a couple of other differences. The 800mm f/5.6E is a 1/3-stop faster and comes with a dedicated 1.25X teleconverter. Also, while the Z 800mm f/6.3 comes in a soft-sided backpack, the 800mm f/5.6E comes in a trunk-style hard case.

The optical formula consists of 22 elements in 14 groups—a group in a lens is either a stand-alone element or multiple elements glued to each other—incorporating one PF (Phase Fresnel), one SR (short-wavelength refractive), and three ED (extra-low dispersion) elements. The ED elements eliminate color fringing by correcting for color dispersion, which occurs when light rays of varying wavelengths (colors) pass through optical glass. The SR element corrects for color bleeding by refracting the shorter-than-blue wavelengths so they focus at the same point as longer wavelengths. But it is the Phase Fresnel element that is the fascinating aspect of the lens design.

Phase Fresnel lens elements combine aspects of refractive and diffractive physics to eliminate chromatic aberrations by focusing all wavelengths of light to the same point, delivering bitingly sharp images. Using a PF lens element also reduces the length and weight of the optical path, speeding up autofocus performance and lowering manufacturing costs. I suspect Nikon is leveraging their substantial experience in computer microchip photolithography when making these lenses.

The experience of photographing with a super-telephoto lens differs from using smaller lenses. Physically, it’s a big deal. Instead of mounting the lens on the camera with a super telephoto, it’s vice versa; you mount the camera on the lens. The lens has its own robust strap mount lugs as well. Although half the weight of the F-mount 800mm, its 5.2 pounds distributed over 15 inches is still a handful. While I could walk around and use it handheld for brief periods (the lens’s 5-stop VR and the IBIS of the Nikon Z 8 and Z 7II camera bodies helped eliminate blur due to camera shake), I was happier letting a monopod or tripod carry the load, as that let me devote more energy to thinking about framing and composition. When photographing distant subjects in warm weather, optical distortions caused by heat gradients, particles, and pollutants can be a factor. Using this lens, you will attract attention, not all of it wanted. On the plus side, if you are farther away, subjects tend to act more naturally, even when they know they are being photographed.

What I loved most about shooting with the Nikkor Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S are the photos I made with it. Not only is the autofocus system accurate and lightning-fast, the color rendering is gorgeous. The inherent shallow depth of field and narrow angle of view helped me simplify compositions by turning complex backgrounds into soft-focused fields of color, allowing subjects to stand out. Any lens that inspires me to see the world in a new way is an excellent lens in my book, and this Nikkor is one of those. 

Ellis Vener is a commercial and portrait photographer based in Atlanta.