Nikon today announced a trio of new pro-grade lenses, but its AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E telephoto definitely takes the center stage due to its eye-watering price tag of $9,500. That’s just the U.S. MSRP, so expect to shell out over ten grand, unless you’re in the mood for a trip to Delaware or one of the other four states with no such levies.
And given everything that’s been happening this year, a roadtrip across the country is probably off the cards. And ordering online won’t solve anything, unless you find some obscure retailer that doesn’t have a physical presence in your state, which is the only legal way to get around paying a sales tax on this monstrous piece of glass.
Speaking of which, the official name of Nikon’s latest telephoto is the AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR. It’s an F mount lens, i.e. one intended for the company’s range of full-frame DSLR cameras, and the nature of its focal range obviously positions it as a pretty versatile solution for both sports and wildlife photography.
The native vibration reduction promises up to four stops of shutter speed compensation, even through a teleconverter, which is some pretty groundbreaking stuff and is likely to enable some unprecedented imagery, both in terms of insanely high shutter speeds and low-light photography. Nikon’s best general-purpose telephoto lens to date is scheduled to hit the U.S. market at some point next month. Concrete availability dates will depend on the exact state, though none have been announced just yet.
