Nikon Unveils the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR Lens
Nikon’s new Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is the company’s most flexible lens to date. The high-power zoom lens is intended for full-frame mirrorless cameras and boasts an amazing 14.2 times zoom range. Nikon recommends the lens as a must-have zoom for travel, sports, and backyard animals. Given its f/8 aperture at 400mm, it may not be the best option for indoor sports or low-light wildlife photography. Nonetheless, the compromise may be well worth it for photographers who value versatility over a quick aperture.
“So many photographers and creatives will love the versatility of the Nikkor Z 28-400mm, which gives you clarity, range, and fantastic backgrounds,” says Naoki Onozato, President and CEO of Nikon Inc. “Wherever your travels lead, this is definitely a lens to consider packing.”
Despite its wide zoom range, the new 28-400mm lens weighs only 725 grams, making it the lightest full-frame lens with a zoom ratio of more than ten times. The lens has a minimum length of 141.5 millimeters and a maximum diameter of 84.5mm. It features a 77mm filter thread.
The lens’ optical formula consists of 21 parts divided into 15 groups. It contains four ED glass elements and three aspherical elements. It features a nine-bladed circular aperture diaphragm.
Autofocus is powered by an STM technology, which Nikon claims allows for quick and accurate focusing. At its greatest wide-angle position, the lens can focus as near as 0.2 meters and achieve a magnification of 0.35x. The minimum focusing distance steadily increases throughout zoom, reaching 1.2 meters at 400mm.
The aperture also changes as you zoom, dropping from its quickest f/4 aperture to its slowest, f/8, by around 200mm.
The new 28-400mm zoom lens includes optical image stabilization, often called as vibration reduction (VR) in Nikon nomenclature, to help handheld photography, which is the lens’s principal use case. The VR system promises up to five stops of shake correction, or up to 5.5 stops when Synchro VR is used with compatible cameras.
Although not a professional S-series lens, the new 28-400mm zoom is dust and leak resistant, allowing it to be used in severe weather circumstances. According to Nikon, different lens parts, including moveable parts, are sealed.
Here are some sample pictures:
The new Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens will be available in mid-April for $1,299.95 SRP.
