Nikon USA Temporarily Suspending New Orders of Z 400/2.8 S and 800/6.3 PF S

Here is a direct quote from Nikon Inc., i.e. Nikon USA:

Nikon has received an unexpectedly large number of orders for the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and the NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses. To better assist our customers and retailer partners, we will temporarily suspend taking new orders of these two lenses as we work to fulfill our current backorders. Please know we are doing all we can to deliver these products as soon as possible, and we thank you for your patience.

Nikon has received an unexpectedly

gets old don't it..?

Only unexpected to Nikon.....;)

although it is a niche lens

Although a lot of nature guys i know, esp. here in the UK, are usually on a 500mm PF + TC1.4, £6.5K is a lot, but not outta reach if you trade in some stuff.....;)

With this news it's more likely that Nikon has stopped making the DSR's altogether rather than just stop the development. They would concentrate on making all the mirrorless lenses and bodies they can sell.

That does not necessarily follow. I do not know if it is easy to convert a line making camera bodies to one making lenses. I would think, at minimum, the workers would require considerably different skill and training. The machinery would be different, too. There is very little glass grinding on the camera body line.

It is more likely they would convert lines making F-mount lenses to Z-mount lenses and discontinue production of one or more F-mount lenses.

I was wondering if NikonUSA would issue the same type of notice for the Z 400mm f4.5 S lens. Given its price around $3250 I would expect there to be a big demand for it, unless shoppers in that price range would prefer the Z mount 100-400mm S lens.

It looks like some people around the world are already receiving the 400mm/f4.5 S. I have read reports from France, US, and Australia.

The 400/4.5 probably won't have the same kind of shortage. Its front element is around 89mm and has no PF element. I think it is the PF element and the huge elements, e.g. over 125mm, that are very time-consuming to manufacture. There has been a lot of demand for the 24-120 S and 100-400 S, and there was some shortage from January to around April with about a one-month wait, but B&H has had both of those lenses in and out of stock in the last few weeks. Most of those who already have the 100-400 probably wouldn't also get the 400/4.5.

I still don't understand why Nikon priced the 800/6.3 PF to $6500. They could have easily sold a lot of them @ $10,000 and there wouldn't have been this kind of shortage. They priced it very low (for a 800mm lens that is much faster than f11) but then can't meet the demand.

I still don't understand why Nikon priced the 800/6.3 PF to $6500. They could have easily sold a lot of them @ $10,000 and there wouldn't have been this kind of shortage. They priced it very low (for a 800mm lens that is much faster than f11) but then can't meet the demand.

Could it be that they are trying to expand their market and gain new customers? The Z9 was also priced lower than expected when compared with the competition.

After all, even when selling at a lower than expected price point for these high-end items, we are still talking about very high-priced goods.

Whatever customers they may gain, they would not be super price sensitive - I would guess those are attractive future customers, especially how when the large entry-level market is lost to smartphones - and will never return.

Not being able to deliver isn't cool, of course.

I still don't understand why Nikon priced the 800/6.3 PF to $6500. They could have easily sold a lot of them @ $10,000 and there wouldn't have been this kind of shortage. They priced it very low (for a 800mm lens that is much faster than f11) but then can't meet the demand.

Hmm... not sure, it's f/6.3 and a fixed 800mm. There will be people buying it for sure, but I think below $10K is a reasonable price point.

All these talks about inflation, etc. on the news as if the sky is falling down, yet photographers are having a hard time getting expensive camera gear; the problem is not Nikon-specific.

Could it be that they are trying to expand their market and gain new customers?

 

Not being able to deliver isn't cool, of course.

How can you expand your market and gain new customers when you can't deliver your products, to the extend that you need to stop taking orders?? When I talked to my local Nikon rep 3 weeks ago, he said that if one ordered the 400/2.8 or 800/6.3 then, it would take 12 to 18 months for Nikon to deliver.

The wait for the Z9 has been quite long, but most of the shortage is way down after 6 months. 12 to 18 months is really long though. That is going to generate a lot of customer frustration.

How can you expand your market and gain new customers when you can't deliver your products, to the extend that you need to stop taking orders?? When I talked to my local Nikon rep 3 weeks ago, he said that if one ordered the 400/2.8 or 800/6.3 then, it would take 12 to 18 months for Nikon to deliver.

 

The wait for the Z9 has been quite long, but most of the shortage is way down after 6 months. 12 to 18 months is really long though. That is going to generate a lot of customer frustration.

I agree that unable to deliver is a very serious drawback for the buisiness. It's about as bad as making a lot of products that you can't sell.

Hmm... not sure, it's f/6.3 and a fixed 800mm. There will be people buying it for sure, but I think below $10K is a reasonable price point.

Nikon's F-mount 800mm/f5.6 AF-S VR is $16K: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR Lens

It is 1/3 of a stop faster and comes with a 1.2x TC, but the Z mount 800 PF is a lot lighter.

Meanwhile, Canon has an RF mount (FX mirrorless) 800mm/f5.6 that is merely the 400mm/2.8 with a 2x TC built in (and non-removable) that is $17K: Canon RF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM Lens

Nikon's 800mm/f6.3 PF is an excellent deal, but all prices are meaningless when there is no product available, especially not for a long long time.

I would think that taking orders are likely to resume in a few months.

It's hard for Nikon to know how many 800 mm lenses they will sell. In the past such lenses sold in relatively small numbers. Nikon's market position has degraded. Even though the new 800 is lighter weight, and has a very good price for a lens of its type, given its niche role in the lineup, it would have been difficult for Nikon to be sure that they'll experience high demand for this lens. Some people could be making preorders from multiple shops, making it seem that there is more demand. During the pandemic, certain activities were not possible or difficult (recreational travel) while bird photography seems to have been picked up by people as an activity which is possible while maintaining social distancing and most everywhere there are birds, but it takes a certain amount of investment in equipment (so the travel money goes there). But eventually normal life resumes and people start traveling again and thus a peak in the demand of supertelephoto lenses may fade. Nikon has to plan production for the longer term, not only for the initial peak in demand. I would take a relaxed attitude to this and check in a few months if availability has improved. I am sure that those who really want the 800 and have the money will get it within a year or two. Even without a pandemic, this kind of a delay has happened before, to manufacturers other than Nikon, when they made breakthrough products in supertele lenses.

Canon is managing the situation in a different way. Instead of making a set of lenses with completely new optical designs, they made two new lenses (the EF 400/2.8 and 600/4 IS III) and then used these to make the RF 400/2.8, 800/5.6, 600/4 and 1200/8. It is easier to manage production in a fluctuating market (with added difficulties due to uncertainties in the availability of materials, parts and logistics) if many components are shared between multiple lenses. The gear forum response has been largely negative regarding Canon's reuse of parts. However, it may help with the availability of the lenses. Nikon and Leica have made long lenses with swappable front and rear sections (to achieve different focal lengths) in the past.