Looking to find more information regarding the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR? Read our latest review to learn more about the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR, its specifications, and if it’s a good camera lens for you.
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Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Overview
The AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a telephoto zoom lens that will allow you to take photos from far away subjects, such as mountains or wildlife. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 3 feet and can be used with Nikon FX digital SLR cameras, including the D3200 and D7000 series models. It also comes with vibration reduction technology which reduces camera shake for clear images in low light conditions!
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Specifications
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR was first announced on 03/04/2013 with a Nikon F FX mount type. Below is a summary of this len’s specifications:
Indicative Price: $2700
Focal Range: 80-400mm
Aperture: F/ 4.5-5.6
Filter Diameter (millimeters): 77
Maximum Diameter (millimeters): 95.5
Number Of Lenses: 20
Length (millimeters): 203
AF Motor: SWM
Stabilization: Yes
Zoom Type: Ring
Tripod Mount: Yes
Colors Available: Black
Full-Time Manual Focus: Yes
Weight (grams): 1570
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Performance
In terms of performance, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm is a great camera lens for wildlife photography and sports because of its high aperture speed. It has no chromatic aberration, which means photos taken with this len will have outstanding colors from images without any color fringing or blurred details at the edges of the frame. This lens is also capable of taking photos with shallow depths-of-field, which will make your subject stand out in contrast to a blurry background!
Build and Handling Quality
The build and handling quality of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/ is not too high compared to other lenses. Because it is a telephoto lens, you will need to use this lens at arms length which can be inconvenient and uncomfortable for some photographers. Although there are no significant issues with its build or handling, we suggest that you test this len out first to determine if it fits your preferences.
Autofocus Performance
Autofocus is quick and accurate on the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm, which is great for action shots. There are no issues with autofocus when using this lens. However, if you’re taking photos of fast moving objects or have a low light environment, we suggest that you use manual focus so you can get a clear shot.
Sharpness
Sharpness is great on the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm, with no noticeable sharpness issues. The lens is able to produce clear images even when fully zoomed in and has good contrast between colors for outstanding photos!
Distortion / Aberrations
There are virtually no distortion or aberrations visible when using this camera lens. This is great because it will allow you to capture photos that are crisp and clear without any problems.
Vignetting / Color Fringing
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/ has no visible vignette or color fringing when taking photos in a well lit environment, which is fantastic! Vignetting is when the corners of your photos are darker than they should be, which can sometimes ruin a perfect shot. Color fringing is caused by chromatic aberration and will show up as blurry edges around objects in your photo because of different colors bleeding into one another.
Image Quality
Image quality is superb, with no issues in terms of sharpness, distortion or color fringing. This camera lens can produce clear images with outstanding colors even when fully zoomed into the subject.
Bokeh
The bokeh is creamy, with the background blurry to make the subject stand out. However, bokeh can sometimes be distracting if your main focus is not on the subject or there are objects in front of it that do not need to be blurred because this lens will blur everything behind its focus point!
How Does The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Score?
Below are the lens metric scores we’ve measured for this specific lens:
- Performance and Image Quality: 8/10
- Features: 7/10
- Bokeh: 8/10
- Build Quality: 7/10
- AutoFocus Quality: 7/10
- Handling: 6/10
- Value: 7.5/10
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Pros and Cons
Below are some of the pros and cons regarding this lens.
Pros:
- Solid build quality
- 80-100mm ranges are nice
- Good and fast autofocus
- Sharp images
Cons:
- Chattering when changing focus can be annoying
- Lack of tripod collar
- Zoom ring is stiff
- Price and weight are high
Conclusion
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm is a great telephoto lens. It is capable of producing sharp images with good colors and has an impressive autofocus system so you can capture fast moving objects without having to worry about blurry photos! The build quality leaves something to be desired, but the overall performance of this lens makes up for its minor issues.
