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Nikon Discontinues F mount lenses

Posted: Tue 12 Oct 2021, 10:45
by abennettphotography
Hardly a surprise but what with the announcement of the Z9, the future is well and truly mirrorless - https://nikonrumors.com/2021/09/30/three-more-nikkor-f-mount-lenses-discontinued-80-400mm-12-24mm-dx-105mm-micro.aspx/

Re: Nikon Discontinues F mount lenses

Posted: Wed 13 Oct 2021, 08:54
by Mike Farley
abennettphotography wrote:Hardly a surprise but what with the announcement of the Z9, the future is well and truly mirrorless ........

Manufacturers typically produce lenses in batches and I would doubt whether Nikon has made any F mount lenses for some time. A while back, Canon introduced a Mk III version of its EF 70-200 f/2.8 lens that did not perform any differently to its predecessor. The only significant change was a substantially higher price. The most likely explanation was that Canon had depleted its stock of the older model and the replacement was from a fresh production cycle. Nikon's statement simply means that it has exhausted its supply of these lenses. The good news for DSLR fans is that used examples will be available for years to come.

Given that mirrorless cameras are cheaper to manufacture due to the smaller number of components and fewer moving parts, as Andy says there are no real surprises about this announcement. Developments in technology have finally facilitated the removal of a swinging mirror which compromised lens design to accommodate the extra distance between the rear elements and film/sensor plane. Lenses are better as a result. What it does not mean is less expensive equipment. Adjusting for inflation, Nikon and Canon et al have always targeted particular price points and current models are no exception. Besides, the market is smaller than the halcyon days of ten years or so ago and there are R&D costs to recover.