Boo Nikon!

If you click on NikonUSA's Web site and go to the Nikkor Z System Lenses page, you now get all the currently available F-mount lenses as well as the Z-mount ones. This is exceedingly deceptive.

I understand what Nikon's trying to do: they're trying to promote that fact that their DSLR lenses work pretty darned well on the Z cameras. There's only one problem. All those F-mount listings just go to the Nikon F-mount database page for the lens, and none of them actually mention the actual compatibility with the Z cameras using the FTZ adapter. 

People are going to think that, say, the 14mm f/2.8D autofocus lens is a great companion for the Z cameras. Nope. Bzzzt. Nada. Won't autofocus on the Z's. 

Now, if Nikon had made that page F-mount lenses that are "fully compatible with the Z cameras using the FTZ adapter", I wouldn't be chiding them on this. But the reality is that, of the 108 lenses on that page, 23 (plus the PC-Es) have limitations on the Z cameras that people would want to know about. About one quarter. What are the odds that some naive customer is going to get sucked into this lack of information vortex? 

This is not the way to treat potential customers. Seriously bad form on Nikon's part, and potentially deceptive enough to catch the FTC's attention.

Update: There are a number of people who keep pointing to the line on Nikon's page that says "Use your F-mount NIKKOR lenses on a Z series camera with the optional Mount Adapter FTZ" as if I was complaining that Nikon didn't mention you needed an adapter. Nope. That's not my point at all. My point was, I think, very clear: many of those lenses in Nikon's list will have clear limitations on the Z bodies. Limitations that don't show up in the list, and would only be found in the footnotes on the data/sale pages or by doing additional research. The implication of Nikon's list is that these are all great lenses for the Z series user. No, I'd argue they are not. About a quarter of them shouldn't really be considered for new purchase with a new Z series camera because of the limitations.

Someone also suggested that this is no different than Nikon's lens list for DSLRs: some DSLR bodies can't autofocus with non-AF-S lenses, for instance. I've also been clear in the past that I consider that to be a problem, too. 

So why do I believe it to be a problem? Because I get emails from people who bought combinations that don't work as expected all the time. I'm pretty sure that NikonUSA gets phone calls about that, too. You just really don't want to start off a customer relationship that way. 

Looking for gear-specific information? Check out our other Web sites:
DSLRS: dslrbodies.com | general: bythom.com| Z System: zsystemuser.com | film SLR: filmbodies.com

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