Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80 400mm F 4 5 5 6G ED VR Review | 54 Data compared

The Photography Life review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR highlights it as a superior update to its predecessor, boasting excellent center sharpness, great color, and effective Vibration Reduction II. Key pros include fast, silent SWM autofocus, controlled distortion, and solid performance up to 300mm. Conversely, the review notes significant cons, including a high $2,699 MSRP, pronounced ghosting/flare, and a drop in corner sharpness at 400mm. Physical drawbacks, such as a short tripod foot, heavy reliance on plastic, and lack of full weather sealing, are also highlighted.

The Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a pro-grade super-telephoto zoom lens representing a major, highly effective redesign over its predecessor. The updated lens resolves the original version's agonizingly slow autofocus by introducing a speedy, whisper-quiet ring-type ultrasonic AF motor that makes it fully compatible with entry-level Nikon DSLRs. It also upgrades the optical stabilization to a 4-stop VR system featuring Normal (with panning detection) and Active modes. Lab tests reveal impressive center-sharpness throughout the entire zoom range—even when wide-open—alongside solid build quality, excellent resistance to ghosting and flare, minimal distortion, and very slight color fringing that drops away at longer focal lengths. Despite its high performance, the review highlights several distinct drawbacks, noting that the lens is not a constant-aperture zoom and its telephoto reach is a bit limited by modern standards. Edge and corner sharpness also experience a noticeable drop-off compared to the center frame. Furthermore, the lens lacks Nikon’s "Sport VR" mode and is quite pricey to buy, retailing between $1,526 and $1,699. Because of these limitations and the steep price tag, the reviewer ultimately concludes...

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a versatile, black-and-gold telezoom lens designed for outdoor sports and nature photographers working in bright light conditions. Measuring 8.0 by 3.8 inches and weighing 3.5 pounds, the lens features a mix of metal and polycarbonate construction, a focus limiter switch, a dual-mode Vibration Reduction (VR) system, and a maximum macro reproduction ratio of 1:5. Optically, it delivers excellent center sharpness across most of its zoom range when paired with high-resolution bodies like the 36-megapixel Nikon D810. It also maintains minimal distortion, showing only a negligible amount of barrel distortion at 80mm and roughly 1.2 percent pincushion distortion at 400mm. Despite its strong overall performance, the lens has several distinct drawbacks. Its primary optical con is a noticeable drop in image clarity at the maximum 400mm focal length, which requires photographers to stop down to f/8 or f/11 to achieve crisp results. Additionally, it suffers from peripheral illumination falloff, with corners lagging behind the center by 1.5 f-stops at the maximum aperture. Finally, while it is lighter than competitors like the Sigma...

The ePHOTOzine review by Gary Wolstenholme highly commends the Nikon NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR as a modern, superior upgrade offering outstanding sharpness, a highly effective four-stop Vibration Reduction system, and fast, silent autofocus. The lens is further noted for its robust, weather-sealed construction and the inclusion of Nano Crystal Coating to manage flare and ghosting. Conversely, the review identifies the lens as being expensive, which may limit its accessibility for some, and notes it is significantly larger and heavier than its predecessor. Minor chromatic aberration is observed at the maximum 400mm setting, though performance remains high throughout the range.

The AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a highly anticipated, modern successor to Nikon’s legacy 13-year-old telephoto zoom lens, tested here on a high-resolution 36MP Nikon D800 body. The lens offers an array of impressive advantages, including excellent image quality across the entire frame, a weather-sealed metal mount construction, and a fast, quiet, and precise Silent Wave Motor (SWM) autofocus system. It features an improved second-generation Vibration Reduction (VR) system that delivers at least three stops of stabilization across its focal range after proper servicing. Furthermore, the lens provides a great maximum magnification of 1:5.1 and comes packaged with a well-padded semi-soft case, an interlocking lens shade, and a removable tripod collar. Despite its strong performance, the review highlights several distinct drawbacks. The most notable con is its steep price tag of around 2200 EUR, which is double the cost of its predecessor and puts it into a much higher price bracket. Mechanically, the included 92g tripod collar is flimsy and prone to residual camera shake, causing visible image blur at shutter speeds between 1/20 and 1/80 of a...

The Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR is a highly anticipated telephoto zoom lens that completely modernizes its older "D" predecessor by removing the aperture ring and introducing a vital in-lens AF-S focus motor. It adds more elements to its optical formula, features Nano Crystal Coating, and adds a rubber weather-sealing gasket. In terms of performance, the biggest pro is its autofocus, which is fast, precise, and highly capable of tracking fast-moving subjects. Optically, the lens delivers near-flawless performance on DX camera bodies with minimal vignetting or distortion. On full-frame FX bodies, it maintains excellent center sharpness and remains impressively sharp at the critical 400mm focal length when stopped down to f/11. However, the lens has several distinct cons, including a steep $1,000 price increase over the original model, making it a $2,300–$2,700 investment. Handling is a drawback due to five identical switches on the barrel that are difficult to distinguish by feel, alongside a reversed lens hood that completely blocks user access to the zoom ring. The included tripod collar is poorly balanced for light bodies and requires excessive tightening...

The DPReview article highlights DxOMark test data showing the AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR as a significant upgrade over its predecessor, offering superior sharpness across all focal lengths, particularly at 400mm. The newer "G" lens demonstrates enhanced optical performance with significantly reduced distortion and chromatic aberration. However, this improved performance comes with notable cons, including increased weight, a larger physical size, and the loss of an aperture ring for backward compatibility with older film bodies.

The Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a well-built, 1.5 kg full-frame telephoto zoom lens featuring an updated optical design of 20 elements in 12 groups, including one Super ED and four ED glass elements. Designed as a versatile tool for sports and wildlife photography, it integrates a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for smooth, fast, and silent autofocus, while its advanced Vibration Reduction (VR) system provides up to 4 stops of image stabilization along with auto-tripod detection. Optically, the lens delivers exceptional center sharpness and minimal distortion across its 5x zoom range. It effectively handles flare via Nano Crystal Coating, and drastically reduces the lateral chromatic aberration and slow autofocus issues that plagued its predecessor. The major advantages of this lens include its high image quality, large telephoto focal range, fast and quiet autofocus mechanism, and highly effective image stabilization. It also displays very low vignetting—measuring under 1 stop in RAW files—and keeps distortion under 1% at all focal lengths. On the downside, the review notes a high purchase price and heavy weight as its primary drawbacks. Furthermore, the...

The Smart Photography review highlights the AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR as a capable, modern redesign offering outstanding optical sharpness across all focal lengths, a refined Vibration Reduction system, and fast autofocus. It also features Nano Crystal Coat for reduced flare and a convenient internal focusing design. Conversely, the lens is described as expensive and heavy at 1570g, with a larger, bulkier body than its predecessor. Performance drawbacks include a manual focus ring with very limited travel and the lack of an aperture ring, making it incompatible with older cameras.

The Have Camera Will Travel field test identifies the Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G VR ED as a versatile, high-performance telephoto zoom that offers significant improvements over its predecessor, specifically in autofocus speed and image sharpness. Its upgraded VR II system effectively stabilizes shots, making it an excellent, lighter alternative to pro-level super-telephotos for wildlife and action photography. Have Conversely, the review highlights that the lens is significantly larger, heavier, and more expensive than previous iterations, comparable in bulk to a 70-200mm f/2.8. Furthermore, the variable f/4.5-5.6 aperture limits its effectiveness in challenging low-light conditions compared to faster, specialized lenses.