The suspected beef between Nikon and Viltrox is showing no signs of cooling down, with more talk of a rumored court case filed by the ‘Big N’. Chinese social media has been particularly busy, with Japan-based online news outlet Asobinet sharing supposed documentation of four patents regarding lens mounts, of which the source identified as “modified structures based on the Nikon Z mount”. It also revealed that there was just one month between the patent’s application and it being published.
Earlier reports suggested that Viltrox’s recent Z-mount teleconverter could be the cause of such a dispute. Whatever the reason, Nikon did respond to DPReview, but avoided directly addressing the matter. It highlighted the fact that it has long worked with “officially licensed partner companies,” which could potentially be telling, as I cannot find confirmation that Viltrox is or isn’t an officially licensed partner.
A hearing date of March 2, 2026, has been reported by Nikon Rumors, but what most consumers are talking about are potential consequences. If Nikon were to take Viltrox to court, there are a multitude of outcomes, but perhaps the biggest fear is a Canon RF-style lockdown of the Z-mount system.
However, that’s pure conjecture at this moment in time. Nikon’s case could relate to a dispute over a very specific instance, or it could be a wider dispute regarding Viltrox’s production of Z-mount-compatible optics in search of royalties or the enforcement of certain limitations.
I watched an interesting video (above) by photography YouTuber and Nikon user, Matt Irwin, who offered a very balanced point of view. He noted that Nikon has made a huge investment in Z-mount in terms of the development of both the mount itself and how it communicates with Z-Series cameras, stating: “They deserve a piece of the pie (...) for creating the opportunity for Viltrox to sell lenses for these cameras.”
However, he also noted the importance of third-party lenses offering options for consumers who may not be able to justify first-party expenditure.
Matt's hope – if the rumors are true – is that the two companies can “come to an understanding that works for both of them.” And as it stands, based on the little information that we have, I’m inclined to agree. I’ll be keeping you updated as/if this story evolves.
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