Continuing the theme of compact, lightweight long lenses, Nikon has launched its latest super-telephoto prime, the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S. This new telephoto follows in the footsteps of the impressive Z 800mm f/6.3, and Nikon describes it as “the smallest, lightest 400mm” the brand has ever created. Providing a healthy mixture of reach and portability, this lens promises to be an excellent option for nature and wildlife photography, especially when hiking is required, or for handheld sports and action capture.
As similar to the Z 800mm f/6.3 as this lens is, one notable distinction is that the 400mm f/4.5 does not use a Phase Fresnel (PF) element to achieve its sleek size. Rather, it relies on more “conventional” specialized elements to realize well-controlled imagery while remaining compact. Super ED, ED, and SR (short-wavelength-refractive) glasses are used to control a variety of aberrations and color fringing, and a Nano Crystal Coat is also featured to reduce flare when working in strong lighting.
Besides taking inspiration from the 800mm f/6.3, this lens is also an interesting alternative to the faster, but larger, Z 400mm f/2.8. Aside from the most striking difference in price, the new 400mm sacrifices 1.3 stops of light and a built-in teleconverter for a very handy 3.8-lb weight reduction (the 400mm f/4.5 weighs just 2.7 lb) and a useful 6" reduction in length—the new lens measures 9.2" long. In more relative sizing terms, this 400mm prime has nearly the same dimensions as Nikon’s Z 70-200mm f/2.8, but still weighs 4 oz less than that. Portability is one of the key assets for this new lens, especially if you’re able to sacrifice a bit of light and depth of field; you end up with this truly portable, hand-holdable super-telephoto.
Additionally, this lens has a physical configuration that should look and feel pretty familiar to Z shooters by now: there’s a grip ring at the front, followed by an assignable control ring, and then a dedicated manual focus ring. Customizable FN and FN2 buttons are also on the lens barrel, as well as a focus limiter switch and focus mode switch. The tripod mount, while unfortunately not Arca-style compatible, is rotatable and removable if you are going the fully handheld route. Also, there’s a Kensington lock slot built into the locking knob for the tripod-mount collar.
Speaking of shooting handheld, the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S has optical Vibration Reduction, which compensates for up to 5.5 stops of shake on its own or up to 6 stops of shake when paired with a camera’s IBIS system using Synchro VR. Autofocus is managed by an STM stepping motor for quick, quiet performance, and the minimum focusing distance is a functional 8.2'. Also, as expected with a super-tele, the lens is weather sealed, has a fluorine coating on the large front element (along with a whopping 95mm front filter diameter), and is compatible with the optional Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x and TC-2x to extend the lens’s reach even further.
What are your thoughts on Nikon’s newest, sleek super-telephoto prime? Do you have a need for a portable, hand-holdable long lens? What would you like to photograph with a lens like this? Let us know, in the Comments section, below.
Comments
To get an Arca-style foot, will the Really Right Stuff foot for the Z 70-200 2.8 S lens work on this new 400 4.5?
Unfortunately we won't know for sure until RRS updates their compatibility or we have a sample of the lens to try. It looks like it will fit, as the 400mm f/4.5's foot does come off in a similar fashion and the lens is very similar size-wise to the Z 70-200mm f/2.8, but we can't say with 100% certainty just yet.
Could this fit on a 5600 with some sort of adaptor?
No. You can adapt F mount lenses to Z cameras with the FTZ Adapter, but you can't adapt Z lenses to F mount cameras.
Unfortunately not. Like Alan said, this is a Z-mount lens for Nikon's mirrorless system. It's not compatible with the F-mount DSLRs and there is no adapter allowing you to use Z lenses on F-mount cameras.