I've been going down the rabbit hole that is the ongoing legal situation surrounding Nikon and third-party manufacturers.
In case you missed it, the Big N’s relationship with Viltrox has been under the spotlight due to a high-profile legal case in the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court – with Sirui and Meike also seemingly falling foul of the Z-mount clampdown.
Having discussed Samyang’s strategy for different mounts at CP+ 2026 with its head of product planning, Phototrend reported: “As for a potential move to Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts, the lens maker is still waiting for official licenses from the Japanese manufacturers.”
This won’t be a surprise to Canon photographers, given that the imaging titan is notoriously protective of its RF lenses, but the general consensus has been that Nikon is much more open to third-party optics.
Indeed, Tamron, Sigma and Samyang itself have all contributed to the Z mount, as well as a host of Chinese manufacturers.
However, when you look a little closer, the evidence suggests that the Z mount isn’t perhaps quite as open as you might think.
Granted, Tamron has produced nine full-frame and one APS-C Tamron-branded Nikon Z lenses, but Sigma has only produced three – and they’re all APS-C. In the case of Samyang, the two it produced were manual-focus only. This is crucial, as it seems likely that the infringement case pertains to autofocus lenses.
[Autofocus is also one of the restricting factors for Canon's RF mount, along with image stabilization, with Viltrox and Samyang withdrawing RF lenses from sale a few years ago – Ed.]
We know that Nikon has launched legal proceedings against Viltrox, and both Sirui and Meike have reportedly pulled Z-mount glass from online sale in China.
However, it’s important to note that Asobinet reported that Meike has attributed this to inventory optimization and that the situation is supposedly temporary. And I can find no evidence that Sirui has pulled its own optics due to the unfolding legal situation.
Ultimately, reports suggest that Nikon is pursuing alleged patent-infringement royalties, rather than trying to lock the Z mount down completely. I can find nothing to suggest that such manufacturers have been granted official Nikon licensing, whereas Tamron and Sigma Z-mount lenses are licensed.
So, don't go expecting Samyang glass for the Z-mount until such a time as it gets the license. Although, with it producing both L-Mount and Sony E lenses, the Seoul-based manufacturer is certainly keeping busy.
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Want to know my opinion on third-party royalties? Protection or profit? The hidden truth behind Nikon’s dispute with Viltrox. And if you're a Nikon fan, check out the best Nikon cameras and the best Nikon Z lenses.
