It was recently reported that Nikon was suing lens maker Viltrox in China over Nikon’s Z-Mount patent. Viltrox has officially broken its silence on the matter, sharing with PetaPixel a lengthy statement about the company’s imminent and long-term plans and its continued belief in the value of diverse lens ecosystems.
Before getting to Viltrox’s statement, it is worth quickly recapping the situation. The first reports that Nikon was suing Viltrox came out of China a few weeks ago, leading to widespread speculation about the nature of the lawsuit and what it might mean for Viltrox’s lenses for Nikon Z mirrorless cameras.
Viltrox confirmed there was a lawsuit in an exchange on Reddit, but has otherwise been quiet, sharing no details about why Nikon is suing it. The leading theory, based on opaque Chinese legal documents, is that the lawsuit centers on Nikon’s patent for the Z mount.
“In this case, Nikon appears to be claiming that Viltrox used one of its inventions — probably related to Z-mount autofocus or lens communication — while the patent was still pending. Now that the patent is granted, Nikon may be seeking royalties for lenses sold during that time. Now that the patent has reportedly been granted, Nikon may be seeking retroactive royalties for Z-mount lenses sold by Viltrox during that provisional period. Put simply, Nikon is alleging that Viltrox sold Z-mount lenses using Nikon’s protected technology before the patent was officially approved, and that payment is now owed for those past sales,” PetaPixel wrote earlier this month.
In the event Viltrox did violate the law, potential resolutions include paying owed royalties, negotiating a settlement, or, in the best-case outcome for photographers, Viltrox and Nikon striking an official deal that keeps current and future Viltrox lenses fully operational on Nikon Z mount cameras.
For what it’s worth, Nikon neither confirmed nor denied the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was the main topic of this week’s PetaPixel Podcast, and the discussion can be viewed in the video below.
Viltrox Breaks its Silence
PetaPixel has been requesting comment from Viltrox since news of the lawsuit first broke online, and has only just now heard back. Viltrox’s statement is presented in full below:
Viltrox is committed to respecting intellectual property rights and approaches compliance with great care across all markets in which we operate. We are currently working closely with our legal advisors to review and address the situation through appropriate legal channels. As this is an ongoing matter, we are not in a position to comment on specific details at this time.
That said, our operations and product roadmap continue as planned. Viltrox remains focused on developing accessible, high-quality imaging tools for photographers and filmmakers worldwide.
We believe that a diverse and innovative ecosystem ultimately benefits creators, end users, and the industry as a whole. Healthy competition and technological advancement have long played an important role in expanding creative possibilities, and we remain committed to contributing positively to that process.
We value the trust of our users, partners, and the broader creative community, and will continue to support them while this matter proceeds through the appropriate legal framework.
As of now, it remains unclear when and how this matter will be resolved. Hopefully, for the benefit of all Nikon Z photographers, the situation can be dealt with in a way that keeps Viltrox’s lenses fully operational, supported, and available for the Nikon Z mount. Ultimately, a diverse, open lens ecosystem is a net positive for photographers.
However, legal rights and obligations are necessary, too. Nikon has the right to protect its intellectual property, and Viltrox can defend itself against allegations of wrongdoing. Hopefully, Nikon Z camera owners don’t ultimately end up caught in the middle of a fight they didn’t start or desire.
Image credits: Viltrox, Nikon