Swift and Compact Super-Telephoto
Experience the remarkable agility of the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S, the smallest and lightest 400mm lens ever created by Nikon. Combining portability with impressive reach, advanced optics, and reliable autofocus and vibration reduction capabilities, this lens is an exceptional choice for sports and wildlife photographers on the move, offering a handheld design and excellent reach for capturing distant subjects.
Impressive Reach, Compact Design
Setting itself apart from other super-telephoto lenses, the 400mm f/4.5 boasts an incredibly sleek and lightweight construction, making it an ideal companion for travel or situations where handheld shooting is preferred.
Its sophisticated optical design incorporates specialized elements that contribute to a lighter and more compact overall design.
With a modest f/4.5 maximum aperture, this lens strikes a practical balance between size, speed, and weight.
Measuring a mere 9.2″ in length and weighing just 2.7 lb, this lens is comparable in size to a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. In comparison to the Z 400mm f/2.8 lens, the f/4.5 version is 3.8 lb lighter and 6″ shorter.
S-Line Optics
The lens features one ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element and two Super ED elements, along with one SR (short-wavelength refractive) element. This optical arrangement effectively eliminates chromatic aberrations, color fringing, and comatic aberrations.
The SR element’s specialized high-dispersion design refracts wavelengths shorter than blue, resulting in precise color rendering and a more compact lens design.
A Nano Crystal Coat is applied to provide comprehensive anti-glare protection from all angles, effectively suppressing ghosting, reflections, and flare. This ensures higher contrast and accurate color response, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.
Autofocus and Vibration Reduction
The advanced autofocus system utilizes stepping motors for rapid and precise focusing, delivering smooth and quiet performance suitable for both still photography and videography.
Full-time manual focus override is available, and the internal focusing design moves only the internal lens groups, maintaining the lens’s overall length and promoting faster focusing speeds.
Vibration Reduction image stabilization minimizes the effects of camera shake by approximately 5.5 stops, enabling handheld shooting in low-light situations.
When paired with compatible cameras featuring sensor-shift VR, the lens supports Synchro VR, combining in-body VR with optical VR for even better results, providing up to 6 stops of compensation.
Professional Handling and Construction
Designed for nimble operation, the included tripod foot can be easily removed to achieve a slimmed-down profile ideal for handheld use.
The lens’s physical design places the center of gravity towards the rear, around the tripod mount, ensuring smooth and responsive panning when shooting handheld or mounted on a tripod or monopod. The tripod mount is also rotatable for effortless switching between vertical and horizontal shooting orientations.
The intuitive “no-look” control layout ensures all frequently-used buttons and dials are easily accessible, allowing seamless operation without the need to move your eye from the viewfinder.
A front anti-slip rubber grip provides stability during handheld use.
The lens features a separate manual focus ring and a programmable control ring, offering tactile control over shooting settings.
For extended reach, the lens is compatible with the optional Z-Teleconverter TC-1.4x and TC-2x.
Weather-sealed construction incorporates rubber gaskets to protect against dust and moisture, while the exposed elements have a fluorine coating that repels dirt and oils, making them easier to clean.
Store a focusing position using the Memory Set button, allowing for instant recall by pressing the Fn or Fn2 buttons—an ideal feature for capturing
fleeting moments.
Two customizable L-Fn buttons can be configured for subject tracking, AF lock, image playback, or other modes. The L-Fn2 button is conveniently accessible from four different locations on the barrel.
A focus limiter switch can restrict the focus range to either 19.7′ to infinity or the full range from 8.2′ to infinity.
The programmable Control Ring can be utilized to adjust aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation.
Kensington lock support ensures secure placement during remote shooting sessions.
The lens accepts front screw-in 95mm filters.