The number of discontinued Nikon DSLR lenses continues to grow, with one notable lens among a raft of discontinuations being the full-frame AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR, the ultra-wide angle lens of choice for many pro photographers.
Another surprising lens now listed as ‘old product’ on the main Nikon Japan website is the AF-S DX Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR, an ever-popular upgrade to the AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR standard kit lens.
Read more: Best Nikon lenses
Four further Nikkor F-mount lenses are now listed as ‘old product’ on the Nikon website – that’s three FX lenses and three DX lenses in total – as well as appearing ‘out of stock’ with retailers such as Adorama and B&H.
With the recent discontinuation of the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens – the main kit lens for the Nikon D3500 and Nikon D5600 DX-format DSLRs – seeming to spell the end of those entry-level cameras, the departure of three more DX lenses from the Nikkor F-mount line-up gives further weight to speculation that the end is nigh for Nikon’s DX format.
The departure of three full-frame lenses from the Nikon lineup is a little more surprising, particularly the Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G. The Nikkor F-mount lenses newly listed as discontinued or old stock, according to Nikon Rumors, are as follows:
• AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
• AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
• AF-S Nikkor 200mm f/2G ED VR II
• AF-S DX Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
• AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR
• AF-S DX Nikkor Micro 85mm f/3.5G ED VR
It seems that Nikon is clearly focusing on its Z-mount mirrorless system, recently confirming that it plans to have 30 lenses available for its full-frame and DX Z-mount systems by the end of this fiscal year.
However there are reports that two new Nikon DSLRs, as well as several new F-mount lenses, will be released in the same period, countering speculation that the company is concentrating solely on its Z-mount mirrorless cameras for the foreseeable future.
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