Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Review: A superb telephoto zoom for Nikon’s mirrorless Z system
posted Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 2:45 PM EDT
Click here to read our Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Nikkor Hands-on Review
The Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Nikkor lens is unique among Nikon's Z mirrorless system. It's Nikon's first 100-400mm lens period, including the company's DSLR lens lineup. It's also the only telephoto zoom lens in Nikon's lineup that goes beyond 200mm, at least until the 200-600mm lens on Nikon's Z lens roadmap hits store shelves. Even still, that lens won't be part of Nikon's S-Series, so the 100-400mm will remain Nikon's most sophisticated long zoom lens for the foreseeable future.
While the lens is the only option right now, it's also a fantastic option, as we describe in our newly published Nikon Z 100-400mm Review. The telephoto lens is comparable in size, weight, and price to Sony's popular 100-400mm G Master zoom lens. And like Sony's offering, Nikon's new lens is very versatile. For what it's worth, Nikon might have bested Sony, delivering a lens with better design and performance.
The difference in performance between the lenses is negligible, however, as both are fantastic. For Nikon Z shooters, the 100-400mm lens is a truly excellent option for sports, wildlife, nature, and even landscape photography. It's a versatile lens that performs well throughout its entire focal length range, even when shooting wide open.
Autofocus is great, too, delivering quick and nearly silent focusing. The lens can focus relatively closely, too, delivering 0.38x max magnification. The lens includes built-in optical image stabilization (Vibration Reduction, or VR, as Nikon puts it), making it a great option for handheld photography. Paired with a camera with in-body image stabilization (IBIS), the lens delivers sharp images at quite slow shutter speeds.
There's much more to say about the Nikon Z 100-400mm lens. Read our review for the full details. You can also check out our Nikon Z 100-400mm Image Gallery to view and download full-resolution images, including sharpness test shots at 100mm, 200mm, and 400mm across the entire aperture range.