I really want this lens! Nikon Z 120-300 f/2.8 TC VR S images LEAKED

Nikon AF‑S 120‑300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR on yellow background next to blurry image of same lens next to question mark

(Image credit: Nikon / Digital Camera World)

Images of the rumored Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S have surfaced online, and I’m pretty darn excited. The images, shared via Nikon Rumors and Asobinet, depict close-ups of the rear from a 3/4 angle and again from a top-down angle.

The first image clearly shows a built-in 1.4x teleconverter (not surprising given the ‘TC’ designation), which features on the Nikon 600mm f/4 TC VR S and Nikon 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S. A Memory Set button is also visible, a high-end feature that is used to instantly revert back to a stored plane of focus. Both images show a zoom ring and a control ring.

Nikon Z 120-300 f/2.8 TC VR S leaked image — (Image credit: Asobinet / xiaohongshu.com)

The second image also shows the metal plate – with the lens's name and ‘Made in Japan’ on it – which only features on Nikon’s high-end super-telephoto lenses.

Whispers of the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S are nothing new, with Nikon Rumors previously reporting on a potential release by the end of 2026. If credible, these images are the best indication yet that this much-anticipated lens is coming. And with the Winter Olympics a week away, I can't help but wonder if pre-production models could be capturing the action on the Italian slopes.

If you simply cannot wait for a lens that hasn't even received a development announcement, you can still purchase the Nikon AF‑S 120‑300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR. Although officially discontinued last year, I have seen the odd unit available new, as well as plenty of availability on the used market. However, with an RRP of around $9,499 / £10,499 / AU$15,499, it might be wise to hold off a little longer if you can. Then again, there's absolutely no guarantee when (or if) this lens will be released.

I’ve had the pleasure of using the Nikon AF‑S 120‑300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR myself, and I can tell you that it is an absolutely incredible lens and an absolute joy to use. In fact, I’m not entirely sure it warrants an upgrade; it was only released in 2020 after all. But if I know anything about Nikon Z lens optics, what I thought was peak performance on the AF-S lens will be redefined in Z mount.

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Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.

With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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