An example of the reach that a 400 mm focal length provides. This fleeting moment of notoriously elusive wild foxes is naturally reproduced at high resolution. The background bokeh further emphasizes the subjects.
Here are some sample images of just announced Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Take a look, you can click the image to see the original size.
The 400 mm super-telephoto delivers great reach for distant subjects, which can be crucial when shooting elusive wildlife. Notice the sharp details on the lynx’s face — all yours thanks to a new optical design and the extremely high-megapixel resolution of the D800.
Even in low-light scenes such as this, you can still capture high-resolution images that faithfully capture depth and detail. Notice the tediously reproduced moss textures on the tree in the foreground.
This train image packs extra drama thanks to the sun enlarged by the telephoto compression effect. Silhouetted subjects are rendered sharply, while Nano Crystal Coat effectively reduces ghost and flare despite the sun’s prominent place within the frame.
Expect images with superb sharpness and high contrast, even when shot at the 400 mm telephoto end of the zoom. Taken with a Nikon DX-format camera, the angle of view in this image is equivalent to the focal length of 600 mm lens.
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Little worried that none of these were shot at 400 f/5.6, which is the only setting I care to even consider spending $2700 on. If I have to stop down even slightly to get an acceptably sharp image this is a non-starter. Even f/5.6 is going to be mostly limited to daylight outdoor situations or well lit indoor situations with slow moving or still subjects.
“Notoriously elusive wild foxes?” lmao. Here in Maine a fox will walk right up to you, there is nothing “notoriously elusive” about them. And although this is a cool lens, its WAY overpriced. The “old” 80-400 is about $1600. Why such a huge price jump?
The old 80-400 was really slow to focus. Does the update improve the focus speed?
Yes, it does, Mike. The old one used the camera motor to move the optical elements which, as you may know, was slow and noisy. The new 80-400mm has a ring-type piezoelectric motor (a.k.a. ultrasonic motor, Nikon marketing name is SWM – Silent Wave Motor) which not only is quiet, but also fast. This is one of the major improvements over the old version and one that everybody wanted Nikon to put in the replacement.