Nikon NIKKOR Z 28 400 F 4 8 VR Review | 54 Data compared

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a highly versatile, lightweight (725g) superzoom offering a 14.2x zoom range with surprising performance, effective vibration reduction, and impressive close-focus capabilities. Despite solid construction, the lens necessitates compromises, specifically a very dim, variable maximum aperture that hits f/8 by 200mm, alongside mediocre long-telephoto sharpness and significant vignetting at 28mm.

The Nikon Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a versatile, lightweight (25.6 oz) 14.3x superzoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras, offering robust weather sealing and effective Optical VR (5.5 stops) for stable shooting. It features impressive close-focusing capabilities, with a minimum distance of 8 inches at the wide end, but utilizes a variable aperture that reaches f/8 at the telephoto end, limiting low-light performance. While ideal for travel, compromises include slower autofocus in fast-moving scenarios, lack of on-lens control switches, and no fluorine coating on the front element.

The Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a highly versatile "all-in-one superzoom" lens designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras, which the reviewer considers the best all-purpose travel lens they have ever used. Tested on an intensive two-week European trip using Nikon Z 8 and Z 9 bodies, the lens defied typical superzoom expectations by delivering exceptional, bite-sized sharpness across its entire focal range, even when shot completely wide open at its maximum reach of 400mm. Additional advantages include the highly effective built-in vibration reduction (VR)—which enabled sharp handheld portrait shots at shutter speeds as slow as 1/25 second at 350mm—and an impressive close-focus capability that easily creates a softly blurred background despite the slower apertures. The lens also proved to be structurally reliable when paired with a full-spectrum converted Nikon Z 6, showing absolutely no performance-hindering infrared hotspots. However, these extreme focal capabilities come with notable physical and optical trade-offs. On the downside, the lens is a fairly beefy and heavy piece of gear weighing 1.6 lbs, and it suffers from "lens creep," meaning it tends to extend on its own...

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a highly versatile and lightweight superzoom lens designed for Nikon’s mirrorless cameras, offering an impressive 14.2x zoom range that fits comfortably into travel and day-trip bags. Priced at $1,299/£1,399, it provides an affordable entry into telephoto photography compared to premium alternative lenses. Built with 21 elements in 15 groups, including weather-sealing and 5 to 5.5 stops of built-in vibration reduction, it handles subjects from close-up macro-style shots to distant wildlife. It pairs exceptionally well with full-frame cameras like the Nikon Z6 II or Z5, and can also be used on APS-C models to achieve a 42-600mm equivalent focal length. However, the lens requires clear compromises, notably its relatively small aperture that drops quickly from f/4 at 28mm down to f/5.6 by 50mm, reaching f/8 from 200mm onwards. This slow aperture forces higher ISO settings and noisier images in low-light environments. Reviewers note that while the lens produces good overall image quality for everyday prints, it is not built for ultimate sharpness, experiencing softer results at the maximum 400mm reach. Additionally, autofocusing via the...

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a highly versatile, relatively lightweight "superzoom" lens designed for Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless Z-mount cameras. Weighing 25.5oz (725g) and featuring robust weather sealing, it serves as a powerful all-in-one travel lens that can effectively replace a bag full of heavy prime lenses. Its standout advantage is an expansive 14.2x optical zoom range, covering everything from 28mm wide-angle landscapes to 400mm super-telephoto wildlife or sports shots. Furthermore, it boasts exceptionally quiet stepping-motor autofocus and a strong built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) system that delivers up to 5 stops of stabilization, scaling up to 5.5 stops when paired with compatible camera bodies like the Nikon Z f. Despite its extensive utility, the lens does come with some notable compromises. The primary drawback is its slow maximum aperture range of f/4 to f/8, which limits light intake and makes it sub-optimal for handheld shooting in low-light conditions. Additionally, while it delivers consistently good detail and sharpness right into the corners of the frame, its rendering at standard settings and maximum telephoto distances cannot quite match the razor-sharp performance...

The Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR is a highly versatile all-in-one super-zoom lens designed for Nikon’s mirrorless system, offering an epic 14.2x zoom range that handles everything from wide-angle to super-telephoto photography. Weighing 725g and measuring just 142mm at its shortest 28mm setting, it serves as an excellent, reasonably lightweight walkabout and travel companion that saves photographers from constantly swapping lenses. It features 5-stop optical Vibration Reduction (VR), which jumps to 5.5 stops of stabilization when paired with synchro-VR compatible camera bodies. Surprisingly, lab and real-world testing on a high-resolution Nikon Z 8 reveal highly impressive center sharpness across the entire focal range, alongside excellent close-up capabilities with a 0.35x maximum magnification at 28mm. However, this massive focal range introduces distinct physical and optical compromises. The most prominent disadvantage is its slow f/8 maximum aperture at the 400mm telephoto end, which limits low-light shooting compared to faster, dedicated lenses. Additionally, the barrel doubles in length and heavily sucks in air when fully extended, and the lens barrel entirely lacks physical AF/MF or VR on/off switches. While the lens yields seemingly...

The Nikon Z 28-400mm f4-8 VR lens stands out for its massive 14.3x zoom range, delivering exceptional flexibility for a superzoom lens. In performance testing, it demonstrates very good center sharpness up to 105mm and holds up well for 4k resolution viewing, provided you avoid pixel-peeping. Its complex optical design effectively handles challenging lighting, showing practically no longitudinal chromatic aberration (loCA) or focus shift, alongside well-controlled flare and deep black levels in contra-light situations. Distortion is also kept well in check by the automatically applied, non-switchable lens profile. However, the lens reveals notable trade-offs, being overall one of the softer options in Nikon's Z lineup and producing results visibly softer than the Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 across most focal lengths. Its dim f/4-8 maximum aperture heavily limits background separation, and it produces a relatively weak bokeh effect that requires close shooting distances to maximize. Vignetting is quite strong at 28mm f/4.0 when uncorrected, and a blue halo/tail appears around bright streetlights in night-shot corners. Finally, while close-up performance yields usable edges at 400mm when stopped down to f/11 or f/16, the...

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens is a highly versatile super-zoom lens praised as an excellent "do-everything" option for full-frame Nikon Z-mount cameras. Weighing just 1.6 lbs (725g) and featuring dust and moisture sealing, it offers an extraordinary 14.3x zoom range that makes it ideal for long hikes and space-conscious travel. Performance strengths include remarkable flare resistance, a verified 5.5-stop Vibration Reduction system capable of sharp handheld shots at 1/10 second at 400mm, and an essentially parfocal design that maintains focus throughout the zoom range. Optically, the center resolution remains impressively sharp across all focal lengths, and the lens shows zero coma for star photography, no noticeable field curvature, and surprising capability for long-wavelength infrared photography without hot spots. It even serves as a near-macro lens, providing a 0.32x magnification and a massive working distance when focused down to 3.9 feet at 400mm.

The Nikkor Z 28-400mm lens stands out as a highly versatile, "shot-and-go" super-zoom lens that excels as a lightweight, all-in-one option for landscape, travel, and casual wildlife photography. Its standout features are its incredible focal range and its surprisingly lightweight build of only 725 grams (1.6 lbs), which eliminates the need to carry separate heavy lenses or switch them in harsh weather. The reviewer found the image quality to be unexpectedly sharp, particularly up to 200mm, with no noticeable vignetting even when using a polarizer. This massive reach enables photographers to easily isolate distant landscape details and capture spontaneous moments without missing a shot. However, the lens's most significant drawback is its variable aperture, which drops to a minimum of f/8 at focal lengths above 200mm. This dim aperture makes shooting at the longer end highly challenging in low-light conditions, forcing photographers to use a tripod or push their ISO higher to prevent blurry shots caused by camera shake or wind. Additionally, the 28mm wide end can feel a bit narrow for expansive landscapes, meaning photographers may still want to...

Tony Whitehead’s review of the OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II highlights its exceptional build quality, specifically praising the robust IP53 weather-sealing and improved, rubberized control dials for superior handling in harsh conditions. Key performance pros include highly responsive AI-driven subject tracking for wildlife, along with innovative computational tools like the Live GND filter and an expanded buffer for efficient burst shooting. Conversely, the review identifies limitations, such as the left-side placement of the on/off switch hindering quick, one-handed operation. While suitable for action, the camera's Micro Four Thirds sensor faces limitations in high-ISO low-light scenarios compared to full-frame options, and the device represents an iterative upgrade that may offer diminishing returns for users not requiring specialized speed features.