Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm F/4.5 VR S

The NIKKOR Z 400mm F/4.5 VR S is a fixed-focal-length telephoto for Nikon Z full-frame cameras. Nikon launched it in 2022, and it remains in production today. A 400mm focal length suits distant subjects such as wildlife, birds and outdoor sport.

At 2 lb 8.9 oz (1160 g), it stays manageable for a 400mm prime, so handheld shooting and a full day in the field stay realistic. The trade-off is framing. With no zoom, you compose by moving, waiting or cropping. The f/4.5 maximum aperture also asks for reasonable light at the shutter speeds long lenses need.

The lens weighs 2 lb 8.9 oz (1160 g), measures 9.23 in (234.5 mm) long and spans 4.09 in (104 mm) wide. That size and weight keep a long field day practical. A screw-in filter must match the 95mm thread on the front.

A 400mm focal length makes distant subjects large in the frame. A bird across a marsh, a striker at the far touchline or a deer at the field edge fills the picture without a risky approach. The reach also keeps you far from animals that startle easily, and it stacks background layers behind a standing subject.

The f/4.5 maximum aperture is moderate for this class. It supports reasonable shutter speeds in daylight and on bright overcast mornings. Dim evening light may push shutter speeds down or call for higher ISO settings. Depth of field at 400mm is shallow even at f/4.5, so a perched bird separates cleanly from the grass behind it.

Focus reaches as close as 8.2 ft (250 cm). A feeder station or park animal that tolerates people often lets you work at that distance. A shy wild subject or a tight hide may not, so plan your position. Its optics specification score is 68/100.

Nine aperture blades help keep out-of-focus highlights smooth when the background is busy.

Vibration Reduction is built in. It helps keep handheld frames sharp at slower shutter speeds, which matters at 400mm, where small camera movements show more strongly in the frame. The steadier view also helps you keep a distant subject framed while you wait for behaviour. For a resting heron before the light builds, that buys useful latitude.

The lens is weather sealed, so dust and moisture in a marsh morning or a dry sports field pose less worry. A fluorine coating on the front element sheds water, oil and dirt, so splashes and fingerprints wipe off easily between sessions. Its features score is 99/100.

Nikon builds this lens with low-dispersion and Super ED glass. These glass types help reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges such as a backlit bird against dark water.

Focusing happens inside the barrel, so the lens keeps its length as focus changes. That helps when you shoot from a hide, because the barrel does not push forward. Its construction specification score is 55/100.