Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens review

[@dragonnyxx]

Just got my copy recently. While it is no surprise that such an expensive lens is excellent, I was genuinely surprised by how sharp it continues to be even with a 2x teleconverter attached. Even pushing it out to 1120mm (with both the internal 1.4x and external 2x), it holds up perfectly well and continues to deliver crisp detail.

[@mm8276352]

Same story here. I had the 800PF previously and still own that, and the 400+TC20 is basically as sharp as the 800PF at 800mm. So similar that even the 1/3 stop difference in favor of the 400, or the lighter weight in favor of the 800PF become the deciding factor. At 1120mm though, where the 800PF only needs a TC1,4x, the 800PF is sharper, even though the 400 is still quite usable for that.

[@hspxxx]

@@mm8276352 another diciding factor for me is the MFD, the 400 is 2.5m (even with the 2x is the same) while the 800 is 5m, which will miss some shots for some very close subjects

[@mvp_kryptonite]

Impressive, Nikon continues to knock these primes out the park. I’m sure Nikon shooters will be chuffed

[@KK-fi6ms]

Yup. Especially the five people who can afford to buy this one.

[@Bikerbeest]

@@KK-fi6ms This is also one the reason why I have bought the Nikon Z 400 mm F4.5 You see only the small difference in the back ground ( F4.5 - F2.8 ) The Nikon Z 400 mm is also not that cheap , but paying almost 14.000 Euro is far above the budget what I want to invest in a lens.

[@deejayiwan7]

Probably best sport lens ever

[@Jawad.1]

01:26 This is the best portrait I've ever seen. The rendering and subject isolation here is nothing short of a miracle. This Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens seems to have elements of the JWST Space Telescope in it!!!!

[@PhilipSalen]

For bird photography and nature photography, this really seems like one of the best lenses ever made. Sadly, I am committed to Canon

[@dicekolev5360]

400mm is way too short for adequate birding. It works mainly if the birds in your country are not really shy. In my place even 800mm are hard to catch robin sized birds ...

[@PatrickWithCamera]

@@dicekolev5360 Agree, when I was walking with 400-500 mm telephoto it was really difficult to frame small birds, now walking with 750-900mm equiv and it is like night and day difference.

[@utopian666]

​@@dicekolev5360yeah, but this lens TCs put to over 1100mm with excellent performance. It really is the ultimate.

[@KK-fi6ms]

Good for you. Nikon engineers make good products, but their business people continue to exhibit disgusting anti-consumer behavior.

[@Xirpzy]

500mm minimum is my rule. That being said with TC and large aperture this is still useful.

[@frankcruz8068]

Excellent work! I purchased mine after watching this review. Thank you!

[@antonoat]

Great stuff Christopher, you’ll need to try the 600 mm version next! Seasons greetings to you and your family, I hope 2024 brings all you wish for! 👏👍😀

[@petersuvara]

A mind-blowing lens for the professional. Would be great to rent it out to experiment with it.

[@johntheux9238]

Would be awesome to see a 200mm f1.4 someday. Sensors are getting sharper and sharper with smaller pixels so fast lenses are the way to go.

[@علي413]

I'm also thinking about this thing, or even a 135mm F1.2. 🤍🌹

[@deejayiwan7]

There will never be a (good) 200 1.4...f2 is physics limit

[@johntheux9238]

@@deejayiwan7 Sigma just released a pretty sharp 14mm f1.4 Everything is possible.

[@NAG3V]

@@deejayiwan7 there's no physics limit stopping the creation of good 200 f/1.4 on modern wide aperture FF mounts. The only physical limitation for it is that its diameter will have to match 400 f/2.8

[@enkaphalin1111]

@@johntheux9238 everything is possible but also some things arent the most in demand or practical. I'm not sure if there's anyone out there who's gonna benefit much from having a 1 stop improvement from F2 at 200mm, which is alr insanely thin. it would not only be insanely expensive for a 200 prime, it would also have a massive front diam ; weight. Cant see many buyers for one over eg. targetting DO or PF optics to reduce the size and weight of teleprimes further without much IQ compromise

[@EST84x]

Wow, that stabilization looks really impressive.

[@craigw.scribner6490]

Thanks, Christopher, and here's wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@jameswelsh453]

Thanks for your great reviews and wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[@patricksmith2553]

The IQ for 400mm f/2.8’s has always been stellar or near perfect optically. I’ve owned every autofocus copy starting with the AF-S and ending with the 400mm f/2.8E FL. For the price it’s quite sad that this lens and the 600mm f/4S 1.4x TC have cheap tripod collars. Both of them have this issue where the tripod collar rotates even when fully “locked” down or tightly turned. Plus the Kenningston lock cover just flaps around which is annoying. Also for $15k you should get an arca-Swiss cut foot and 90 degree stop/clicks for the tripod collar. Anyways I’m very happy with my 500mm f/4E VR FL and 120-300mm FL. So I’m not really in the market, but I am legit sad to see Nikon cutting corners. It’s one thing for the 800pf to be made in China and it’s well made for $6500! Yet it’s quite sad to see quality control issues with brand new lenses that cost as much as a nice used car!

[@livejames9374]

90 degree clicks are pointless imo. Not being able to prevent rotation after locking down the collar is a definite issue.

[@patricksmith2553]

@@livejames9374 I am a photojournalist and two of the news/sports organizations I’ve worked for provided Canon gear. The newspaper I worked for for years had both Nikon and Canon and I’ve shot both for 20 years. Canon has always had those 90 degrees detentions or click stops and it does come in handy when in you’re in a hurry. Shooting professional sports like MLB or even fast birds/wildlife you need to switch from horizontal to vertical ASAP! This is where those little 90 degree stops come in handy. If all you’ve ever shot with is Nikon than I guess you don’t know what you’re missing. At the end of the day, it’s not a deal breaker and I choose to own and use Nikon gear for my personal gear/kit. So I get by just fine without those, but I’d certainly rather have them…than not have them. Although I’d also argue the new built in teleconverter’s are amazing and so clutch, being able to switch so fast! So it’s not all bad, I was simply stating Canon and I believe Sony have them, and I’ve used a lot of Canon long glass over my career and they do come in handy when shooting fast paced events! Otherwise I’d have to say, if you’re an amateur or not in a hurry, I guess you wouldn’t care. But in a get the shot or lose a shot fast paced world, a second or two could be the difference between getting no shots or 20-40 images!

[@livejames9374]

@@patricksmith2553 im a canon and Nikon user so im well aware of clicks. I’m often on tripod handheld or whatever it may be and going to the clicks isn’t level. So I use the leveler in the EVF/back screen for when I want to get verticals or horizontal. Works no matter how titled you may be. But I can see why someone would want them.

[@patricksmith2553]

@@livejames9374 Nice, yeah everyone is different and it’s not that big of a deal, but I think most people prefer the 90 degree click-stops? I will say Nikon did an excellent job with the tripod collars on most of the FL super-tele’s! I’ve owned three different FL primes over the past five years or so. I’ve had the 400mm f/2.8E FL, 800mm f/5.6E FL and now my main lens is the 500mm f/4E FL. The tripod collars on the FL lenses have a well made ball bearings system and when the tightening knob is twisted down, it stays locked. Even though I’ve been using these lenses day in and day out, the tripod collars have never failed me. Always rotate smoothly and lock down tight. It’s sad that brand new out of the box 400mm f/2.8 S and 600mm f/4 S 1.4x TC lenses have this issue with their locking knobs. Plus my flap for the Kensington lock on my 400FL, and 500FL have never come off or they don’t flop around. Lastly although it’s not really a big issue, but I’ve noticed the new Z-mount super-tele primes also are fingerprint magnets. I very rarely have had to clean the barrel of my FL primes and the paint does not show my hand or finger prints. Even with sweaty hands or in humid any hand or fingerprints do show, but quickly fade. Anyways for the price I’d expect better and it seems like Nikon has taken a few shortcuts. The Z8 teardown was enough for me to decide to just buy a used Z9 if and when I go mirrorless. Although I’ve used the Z9 and I owned a Z7 for awhile, my main bodies are Nikon D6’s and mainly due to their lowlight ability, and battery life, etc.! I am in love with the D6 and I have no plans on upgrading for any reasons. Yet I also shoot nature and wildlife and I want a replacement for my D850 with grip kit. That was going to be a Z8, but after the recalls and seeing the teardown images, I decided to not buy one. In 25 years of owning and shooting Nikon professional grade flagship bodies and f/2.8 zooms and big primes, all made in Japan…I’ve needed zero repairs or replacements! I’ve only ever had NPS for clean and checks and loaner gear, plus replacing the rubber from time to time. Yet everyone of my colleagues who use the Z9 and now the Z8 have had to send in their cameras multiple times for services and recalls! Now after seeing these quality control issues with the $14,000 400mm and $16,000 Nikon 600mm…it gives me a bit of pause. Image quality hasn’t changed and mirrorless only offers upgrades of speed and eye-autofocus, etc.! Yet my D6’s are doing 14fps…so having 20 isn’t World changing, but someday I will get a Z9 or Z9H. I just don’t plan on buying many of any Z-mount lenses! I already own the sharpest lenses available, the 28mm f/1.4E, 105mm f/1.4E, 70-200FL and 500FL. Their are no new or better mirrorless replacements for those anyways. So I’m only going to get a Z9 and FTZ II’s someday. Although I might get the 100-400mm S, it seems extremely well made and very sharp.

[@livejames9374]

Check out the 85 1.2 or Plena. I think you’d find them enjoyable. I have a 600pf on the way that I’m excited to test out

[@alexmirza5210]

How far they've come since their heavy AI 400mm f2.8ED manual focus pro lens of the late 1970s with its spherical and chromatic issues wide open. This lens's spectacular optics and electronics further reinforces their high reputation at this cutting edge pro level. I have their old non-VR af-s 400mm f2.8 II which seems to be nearly perfect at f2.8, but not I think quite as amazing as this here. For me it's something to aspire to over the next decade maybe, but for the foreseeable future I am more than impressed with the non-VR f mount equivalent though it does have vignetting.

[@ath3263]

Great review as usual

[@porkster5924]

I’d love one as the switching from 400mm to 560mm would mean I wouldn’t have to fit the TC to my 400mm FL. But the cost is just out of reach for me 😢

[@striderwhiston9897]

We're getting closer and closer to the 180-600 review I think.

[@tijsbeek8590]

Not me still waiting for 1200-1700 f5.6-8 review

[@dominiclester3232]

@@tijsbeek8590mmm, I think the CIA’s apology for JFK will come before that review...

[@tijsbeek8590]

@@dominiclester3232 true history is lost

[@felixdamith1]

Being using this lens close to two year .. for me tripod collar is not showing issue .. anyway I tight it firmly .. even with the camouflage between the surface of lens and knob , I still don’t have issues .. not sure if the copy you have , or you use to something tightening lightly ..

[@simon3461]

This is a nice little lens ! Let's hope that everybody found this beyond their christmas tree !

[@MannsWoodlandPerspective]

Youre going to be mine one day, 400 Z.

[@Robin_Polarstern]

Please Nikon do a new version z 105.1.4 version

[@Karsiris]

Thank you for this review. My first new car was cheaper than this lens 😆

[@rayrayg9]

How does the mechanism of the built-in teleconverter work? Does it just move the lens elements around?

[@pseudoryx9284]

The bulge next to the switch is space for the TC to slide out of the light path when not engaged.

[@rayrayg9]

@@pseudoryx9284 Ohh I see they do all have it! Thanks so much! Amazing engineering 🙌

[@tielmaster7879]

Can you review the Nikon 24 1.7? I'm specifically interested between that lens, the viktrox 23 1.4 and sirui 23 1.2.

[@christopherfrost]

Review coming soon :-)

[@tielmaster7879]

@@christopherfrost alright! And hope you gave a great time with family during the holiday!

[@dr_squirrel]

Great review as usual ❤any plans on reviewing the new Canon 200-800? Cheers and Merry Christmas

[@thefocalcode]

Holy moly.

[@aperture8983]

Dear sir I highly recvest u plz make a video viltrox 27 mm f1.2 & 75 mm Vs bast canon L lens f1. 2 sharpnis tast & Quality.... Know a day crop sensor gveing as batter Quality than full frame

[@chrzanik666]

Its Morten ready !

[@alwinbenjamin]

👑⚡️

[@timothynorris4288]

Great review , have bought my lottery ticket heres hoping .

[@edowijaya8603]

I hope this lens have less price than afs 50 f1.8

[@natedagreat90]

Portraits on this thing look insane lol

[@ΑΓΑΝΜΕΜΝΩΝ]

Damn...may the universe send me money to buy this beast:D

[@bmeclipse]

I could think of at least one hesitation. 💰

[@MaeGin8-ei9pw]

Why don't you review Panasonic s pro Leica lenses heard not even all sigma lenses ever produced can beat the Leica Certified S Pro 50mm f1.4

[@christopherfrost]

I'm going to try and get in touch with Panasonic in the new year

[@car_88i]

Would love to see an s5 ii review :)

[@meme4one]

This is what nikon can do so well there are a lot of Chinese brands out there doing a great job but it takes canikon to make these beasts.

[@1supertec]

HOW MUCH !!!! 😮 I think I need a lie down 😂

[@robertcudlipp3426]

Have no doubt it's a great lens, however gone are the days it was within my decreased purchasing power 😅.

[@KSergey1970]

Why do professional photographers need gold rings? Looks like grandma's coffee service from China. :)

[@sarundayo]

Time to sell a kidney 😢😢

[@swawekvandermeer99]

Ooo, the weight of this lens, means still carrying a tripod as well.

[@Rumplestiltskin7]

Credit card? you need a loan before going shopping for this lens

[@dobrecristianro]

Now let's just patiently wait until Viltrox does a similar lens with the same performance for just 1500 Euros. I think there is no reason for a lens like this one to cost as much as a car, the price is ridiculous and not justified. I believe the new chinese brands like Viltrox will get these guys quickly with their feet on the ground if they want to survive.

[@christopherfrost]

From what I hear, it is very costly and time-consuming to make the very large glass elements within these lenses, and things like the lens's body and electronics including autofocus systems all have to be top-spec

[@dobrecristianro]

@@christopherfrost Yeah but before manufacturers like Viltrox came to the market, the 1st party manufacturers said the same about very fast apperture prime lenses like this one from Viltrox, that it's very expensive to produce them.