The older screw-drive AF and AF-D lenses will not autofocus with the FTZ adapter, but they do retain metering and Exif data.

Z-mount cameras support metering as well as in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with manual focus lenses.

The 55 mm throat diameter of the Nikon Z-mount makes it the largest full-frame lens mount.

[9] The Z-mount has also a very short flange distance of 16 mm,[10] which is shorter than all mentioned lens mounts.

[11][12] Nikon published a roadmap outlining which lenses are forthcoming when the Z-mount system was initially announced.

The older F-mount Nikkor designations are no longer used, though they overlap in some areas (e.g. the VR and DX labels).

The Nikkor Z line-up has several distinct lines of lenses, which are designed with similar handling and optical characteristics.

These are adapted Tamron designs offering less wide angle, less reach and no VR, but at a substantially lower cost.

Numerous manufacturers offer purely manual lenses and lens mount adapters for the Z-mount.

Some manufacturers offer lenses and adapters with full electronic functionality (autofocus, automatic aperture control, Exif metadata etc.).

[39] Third-party lenses and adapters often rely on reverse engineering the electronic protocol of a lens mount and might not work properly on new cameras or firmware versions.

However, Cosina Voigtländer,[40] Sigma[41] and Tamron[42] licensed the mount from Nikon, enabling full compatibility.

The Z9 and Z8 use the same circular 10-pin accessory port (for a remote shutter release, external GPS receiver etc.)