The lenses include a new version of Nikon’s AF-S 85mm f/1.4 G portrait prime, which Nikon says has a totally new optical design to its predecessor (the AF 85mm f/1.4D IF), and has a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) and Nano Crystal anti-reflective coating.

Said to have excellent subject/background separation, the £1500 magnesium-bodied lens, which is made from 10 elements in nine groups, is claimed to deliver “stunning bokeh with smooth out of focus areas”, thanks to its rounded, nine-blade diaphragm.

“The new AF-S 85mm f/1.4G takes portraiture to another level,” says Zurab Kiknadze, a product manager at Nikon Europe. “Lenses like this encapsulate what the Nikkor brand stands for: amazing contrast and resolution, with unique bokeh qualities. We think it will set a new benchmark for stills photographers as well as the growing army of videographers using D-SLRs like the D3s.”

Nikon says the gearing mechanism of the SWM used on the 595g lens has been further refined.

The company has also added a new focal length to the Nikkor range with the introduction of the 10x zoom ratio AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, alongside the AF-S DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR and the AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR.

The latter 5x zoom has a fixed f/4 aperture throughout the zoom range, and incorporates a Nano Crystal coating, nine-bladed diaphragm, and Nikon’s second generation VRII system. Aimed at travel and events photographers, the compact-sized £1050 lens is comprised of 17 elements in 13 groups (with two ED glass elements, three aspherical lenses). It weighs 710g.

Nikon adds: “The Silent Wave Motor was specifically developed for the unique characteristics of this lens. It offers very discreet autofocus performance with instant manual override possible in M/A mode. The zoom gearing and switch placement has been carefully designed for intuitive (blind) operation when looking through the viewfinder.”

It goes on sale on 22 September.

The 28-300mm, designed for full format, offers an 10.7x zoom range, making it the “ultimate walkabout lens”, says Nikon. It also includes VRII anti-shake, SWM and a nine-bladed diaphragm. Made from 19 elements in 14 groups (with two ED glass and one HRI lens elements), it arrives on 02 September, priced under £870.

On the same date, the 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 also goes on sale, giving a 35mm equvalent focal range of 82.5-450mm on DX format cameras. Priced under £370, it's designed to be a "useful and economical second lens alongside today’s standard 18-55mm kit lenses".

Also arriving next month is what Nikon describes as “the most easy-to-use DSLR to date”, the D3100, which replaces the camera claimed to be “Europe’s best selling DSLR”, the D3000.

Among the improvements to the old model, the D3100 can record full 1080p HD video, has a 14.2 megapixel sensor, live view, new AF models and, according to Nikon, a more ergonomic design.

The entry-level camera is aimed at newcomers to digital SLR cameras, and Nikon is targeting a very particular market – “young families who want to take beautiful pictures without worrying about complicated functionality”.

It also has a new EXPEED 2 image processing engine designed to improve movie capture and deliver ready-to-use “lifelike images that exhibit vivid colours, reduced noise and smooth tonal gradations”, an ISO range of 100 to 3200, extendable up to 12800, and an 11-point autofocus system with a new set of live view modes.

Nikon’s new View NX 2 software will be bundled with the camera.

Priced under £500 for the body, it is due to arrive at the end of September.


More details to follow shortly.