Lens Reviews / Nikon Lenses i Not yet tested

100-400mm

Updates:
03/01/2023: Gallery Images added
03/15/2023: Hands-on Review added

Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Nikkor Hands-on Review

A superb telephoto zoom for Nikon's mirrorless Z

by Jeremy Gray | Posted 03/15/2023

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 240mm, F11, 1/250s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Nikon continues to expand its Z system with great new lenses. A highly-anticipated lens has been a long telephoto zoom lens. Prior to the Z 100-400mm, the longest telephoto zoom lens has been the 70-200mm lens. That's a great lens, but it doesn't have enough reach for wildlife and many sports situations.

Sure, Nikon has the 400mm F2.8 and the 600mm F4, but those are $14,000 and $15,500, respectively. That's way too expensive for nearly every photographer. You can also adapt DSLR lenses, like the popular 200-500mm F5.6. However, that lens, while great, could be sharper.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 340mm, F5.3, 1/500s, ISO 4500. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

The Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S comes to the rescue, offering photographers telephoto reach, the flexibility of a zoom, excellent image quality, a native Z-mount design and professional build quality, all at less than $3,000. It's hard to go wrong with that.

Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Key Features and Specs

• Full-frame Z-mount telephoto zoom lens
• Aperture range of F4.5 to F40
• Includes an information OLED panel and L.Fn button
• Weather-resistant construction
• Programmable Control Ring
• Nine-bladed aperture diaphragm
• 25 elements in 20 groups
• Includes six Super ED and two ED glass elements
• Features Nikon's ARNEO and Nano Crystal coatings
• Has Vibration Reduction optical image stabilization
• "Inner Balance" technology to improve handling
• Multi-Focus stepping motor AF
• Minimum focus distance of 75cm (2.5 ft.)
• Maximum magnification of 0.38x
• Rotating tripod collar
• Dimensions (D x L): 98 x 222mm (3.9 x 8.7 in.)
• Weighs 1,435g (3.2 lb.)
• 77mm filter thread
• $2,695.95

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F9, 1/400s, ISO 400. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Lens design and handling: Well-designed, rugged, and easy to handhold

The Z 100-400mm lens resembles many of Nikon's other S-Series Z lenses. In some ways, it's basically a larger, heavier Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S. I say this because, like the 70-200mm lens, the 100-400mm lens includes an OLED information display, an L.Fn button, a programmable Control Ring, a separate focus ring, and an excellent zoom ring.

The Z 100-400mm is a stylish, sleek, and well-built telephoto zoom lens.

Speaking of size, the Z 100-400mm isn't that large or heavy. The lens is 222mm (8.7 in.) long at its minimum length. It does extend as you zoom. That may seem quite big, but it's relatively easy to fit into a backpack. It's also fairly light, weighing 1,435g (3.2 lb.). It's not quite a featherweight, but the weight is distributed very well, so the lens feels lighter than it is. Nikon says that the lens includes "inner balance" technology. Whatever they call it, the lens is well-balanced, even while zooming.

Since it's an S-Series lens, the Z 100-400mm has great build quality. It's built to professional standards and can easily withstand inclement weather and long-term use. As I mentioned, the zoom ring feels great. It's super smooth with just the right amount of resistance. The focus ring is also pretty nice, although a bit loose-feeling. I appreciate that Nikon gave the lens separate control and focus rings. Some Nikon lenses combine these two into one, which I think compromises the utility for both functions.

At 100mm, the lens isn't all that long. It includes a pair of L.Fn buttons, a nice zoom ring, focus ring, and separate programmable Control Ring.

The lens includes a focus limiter switch and an L.Fn button, further increasing its practicality for a wide range of photographers. Speaking of practicality, while the removable and rotatable tripod foot is good (it's the same foot Nikon uses on the Z 70-200mm F2.8 lens), I wish it was an Arca-Swiss design. It's annoying that I must put a tripod plate on the lens and can't just put the foot straight onto my tripod. I hope Nikon changes its approach with future telephoto lenses.

Another small nitpick is that the lens comes with a flimsy lens pouch. Nikon used to ship its pro-oriented telephoto DSLR lenses with nice zip-up lens cases. They were great cases that I used a lot.

As you zoom the lens, it extends in length.

How does the Z 100-400mm compare to its primary competition, the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens? The lenses are physically similar. The Sony lens weighs 1,395g (3.1 lb) and is 205mm (8.1 in.) long at its minimum length. Like the Nikon lens, the Sony lens extends as you zoom. While Sony's zoom is shorter and lighter, the difference is negligible. I prefer the feel and balance of the Nikon lens, although both are very nicely designed.

I know that lens design and handling isn't the sexiest topic. Most photographers are more about image quality and autofocus. I'll get to those. But when you aren't just testing a lens but must use and live with it over an extended period, minor handling issues become big issues and major annoyances. Luckily, the Z 100-400mm doesn't have many little issues. The tripod foot not being Arca-Swiss irks me, but other than that, the lens looks and feels great. The rings feel good, its buttons are in easy-to-reach locations, and the lens is easy to handhold thanks to excellent balance.

Image quality: Extremely sharp

The Nikon Z 100-400mm lens includes 25 elements organized across 20 groups. Among these 25 elements are six Super ED and two ED glass elements. The S-Series lens also includes Nikon's best coating technology, including its ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coatings. These specialized coatings promise reduced ghosting, high contrast, and good image quality, even in challenging situations.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 250mm, F5, 1/1000s, ISO 200. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

As we'll see throughout this section, the Z 100-400mm lens offers amazing image quality with few drawbacks. The few drawbacks that exist are minor, at worst.

All the crops seen below are 100 percent crops from raw image files converted in Adobe Camera Raw using default settings and built-in lens correction profiles enabled. I have selected specific images to show, but you can download the full-size raw files for each test scene and aperture in the Gallery.

100mm

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 100mm, F4.5, 1/320s, ISO 64. Sharpness test image - 100mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

At 100mm, the Z 100-400mm is very sharp, even when shooting wide open. I'm not talking just about the center of the frame, either. The lens is reasonably sharp to the edges, which is impressive for a zoom lens, especially a telephoto zoom.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 100mm, F4.5, 1/320s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 100mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 100mm, F4.5, 1/320s, ISO 64. 100% top left corner crop. Sharpness test image - 100mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

There isn't much to be gained by stopping down. That's not to say that the lens doesn't get sharper, it's just barely noticeable. This is common with Nikon's Z lenses. We've seen similar behavior many times before, with Nikon's engineers prioritizing performance at wide-open apertures. That makes sense with a lens like the Z 100-400mm. There aren't many times when a photographer using a telephoto zoom lens wants to stop down.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 100mm, F5.6, 1/200s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 100mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

200mm

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 200mm, F5, 1/200s, ISO 64. Sharpness test image - 200mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

At 200mm, the lens is a bit sharper. The maximum aperture at 200mm is slightly slower at F5, although that's not drastically different from F4.5. It's just one-third stop different. At 200mm, the center of the frame is sharp, and so is the corner.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 200mm, F5, 1/200s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 200mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 200mm, F5, 1/200s, ISO 64. 100% top left corner crop. Sharpness test image - 200mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

There's just a slight amount of purple fringing around high-contrast edges, which is a bit noticeable when looking at the corners. However, it's minor. Overall, the lens exhibits good control over aberrations. Stopping down to just F5.6 helps clean it up a bit.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 200mm, F5.6, 1/200s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 200mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 200mm, F5.6, 1/200s, ISO 64. 100% top left corner crop. Sharpness test image - 200mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

400mm

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/125s, ISO 64. Sharpness test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

At 400mm, the lens' maximum focal length, its brightest aperture is F5.6. Back in the heyday of DSLR cameras, F5.6 could be limiting in terms of autofocus speed on some cameras and concerning high ISO performance when photographers needed to maintain fast shutter speeds. However, with Nikon's Z mirrorless cameras, F5.6 isn't an issue at all. Z cameras perform very well at high ISOs, and their phase-detect AF systems have no issue with F5.6, F8, or even F11 lenses (which could be your max aperture when using a teleconverter in some cases).

All that is to say that F5.6 isn't a limiting factor with the Z 100-400mm lens. In fact, at 400mm and F5.6, the lens is very good. It's less clinically sharp than it is at shorter focal lengths, but the finest detail remains crisp.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/125s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/125s, ISO 64. 100% top left corner crop. Sharpness test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

With that "top left" crop above, try to look past the out-of-focus branches in the foreground and check the back. You can also download full-resolution samples in the Gallery to peruse any part of the image. I maintained the "top left" cropping for consistency, but at 400mm, you may be better served looking at a different part of the photo.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F8, 1/60s, ISO 64. 100% center crop. Sharpness test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F8, 1/60s, ISO 64. 100% top left corner crop. Sharpness test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

This is also a good time to talk about vignetting. The Z 100-400mm lens generally controls vignetting well, but at 400mm and F5.6, images are noticeably darker in the corners. This is easily corrected in post-processing but is worth mentioning.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F8, 1/60s, ISO 64. Vignette test image - 400mm. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Image quality summary

Generally speaking, there's not much bad to say about the Z 100-400mm's image quality. The lens is slightly softer at 400mm than I would like, but I'm teetering on the edge of splitting hairs there because the lens is still impressive at its max focal length. There's also a bit more vignette at 400mm than I'd like to see, but that's very easily corrected and rarely a problem during real-world shooting.

On to the good things, the lens delivers good corner sharpness in nearly every situation. Further, throughout most of its focal length range, it's sharp. Like really sharp. It's a great telephoto zoom lens. The lens is slightly susceptible to flare, even with its detachable lens hood attached, but again, that's a minor issue in many cases.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/500s, ISO 5000. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

That's the main takeaway with the Z 100-400mm telephoto zoom lens. When it's at its best, it's a great lens. When it's at its worst, it's not anywhere near being a bad lens.

In the field: Swift autofocus makes the Z 100-400mm an enjoyable lens for many types of photography

The Z 100-400mm uses a multi-focus stepping motor autofocus system that delivers fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus performance. The lens makes some noise when focusing at close-focusing distances but is otherwise practically silent. The focus can shift slightly as you change the focal length and aperture, so that's something to watch out for. Otherwise, the autofocus is excellent. The lens is very swift and certainly up to the task of sports, wildlife, and action photography.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 175mm, F4.8, 1/1000s, ISO 90. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

The lens can also focus reasonably close. With a minimum focus distance of 75cm (2.5 ft.) and a max magnification of 0.38x, the lens allows you to produce near-macro images. Sure, it's not a true macro lens – no 100-400mm lens is – but it's plenty good for many real-world close-up photography situations.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 260mm, F5.6, 1.6s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

 

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 2.5s, ISO 64. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

The Nikon Z 100-400mm lens is a versatile choice for many types of photography. While I love 100-400mm lenses for wildlife photography, wildlife subjects were few and far between during my hands-on time with the lens. That disappointment aside, when wildlife photography was possible, the lens excelled.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/500s, ISO 720. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Thanks to its 4x zoom, the 100-400mm focal length is also suitable for landscape photography. Many people think of ultra-wide and wide-angle zoom lenses as the best options for landscape photography, and sometimes they are. Still, telephoto zooms are a highly underrated tool in a landscape photographer's kit. The 100-400mm lens lets you zoom in on smaller compositions within a larger scene or bring an interesting distant object much closer. The value of that can't be overstated.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 400mm, F5.6, 1/3200s, ISO 1600. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

How it compares

The Nikon Z 100-400mm is an important lens for the Nikon Z system. Prior to this lens, if you wanted the flexibility of a zoom, you were limited to 200mm. Unless, of course, you adapted an F-mount lens to the Z system with Nikon's FTZ adapter. If you wanted a native lens, however, 200mm was the best you could do without opting for a prime lens.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 380mm, F5.6, 1/500s, ISO 4000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Beyond the obvious appeal of a native Nikon 100-400mm lens, there's not much by way of third-party options for the Z system either. The Z 100-400mm is currently your only option for a zoom lens with this range. The good news is that it's a great option.

The bad news – there's always a catch – is that it's expensive. At just under $2,700, the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S is an expensive lens. There's no F-mount equivalent to compare it to, but if we look at Sony's 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 G Master lens, a great lens, that's $2,500. The Nikon lens isn't outrageously overpriced but is nonetheless costly overall. Is it worth it? I think so, but that doesn't make the price much easier to swallow.

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 100mm, F11, 0.5s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S Hands-on Review Summary

An excellent, practical, and versatile lens for Nikon Z photographers

What I like best:

• Great build quality
• Easy to handhold
• Excellent image quality
• Sharp even at wide-open apertures
• Swift autofocus
• Good close-focusing performance
• Practical for many types of photography

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 270mm, F11, 1/10s, ISO 64. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

What I dislike:

• Some vignette and flare in certain situations
• Expensive

Shot on Nikon Z7 II at 220mm, F9, 1/50s, ISO 64. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Adobe Camera Raw. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the raw file.

Sure, the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S is the only native option for Nikon Z photographers looking for a telephoto zoom lens longer than 200mm, but it's also a great choice. While it's always great to have more options, especially less expensive ones, the Z 100-400mm is undoubtedly an excellent lens for professionals and enthusiasts. It's versatile, fast, and sharp. Nikon has hit a home run.

 

• • •

Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S Overview

(From Nikon lens literature) The new NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S is a premium, S-line telephoto zoom lens with an extremely long 100-400mm range for Z mount mirrorless camera users, including the all-new Z 9. Well suited for sports, wildlife and those in the field, the lens features a great combination of focal range and wide aperture for professional photographers, advanced enthusiasts and photo hobbyists who want to dynamically capture distant subjects. This S-line lens is designed to the strictest standards, offering excellent sharpness and clarity with minimum aberration and color fringing even at the maximum aperture, throughout the entire zoom range.

This lens is the lightest in its class, weighing only 1355g(1), making it easy to use handheld. It’s superbly balanced, purposely built with a small 80-degree rotation angle and new “Inner Balance Technology”(2), which minimizes the weight shift caused by zooming.  Content creators will appreciate the minimal focus breathing, while the 5.5 stop optical VR3 will help to provide smooth video and sharp stills.

Primary features of the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S

• The first super-telephoto zoom lens in the NIKKOR Z lineup that covers a focal length range from 100 to 400mm.
• Multi-focusing system that utilizes two STMs (stepping motors), enabling fast, precise and quiet AF operation for both stills and videos.
• Employs an optical vibration reduction function with an effect equivalent to a shutter speed 5.5 stops faster, which is the highest among NIKKOR Z lenses.
• While lateral chromatic aberration is optically corrected, axial chromatic aberration is also significantly reduced via the adoption of Super ED glass and ED glass elements, providing clear images across the entire frame from maximum aperture.
• Nikon’s original Nano Crystal Coat and ARNEO Coat are both adopted to effectively reduce ghost and flare effects even in backlit situations.
• With the attachment of teleconverters, the focal length can be extended to 560mm and 800mm*4 while maintaining high resolution.
• Features the highest maximum reproduction ratio of 0.38x (at the maximum telephoto position) in its class*1 that lets users shoot flowers and insects in large size, with a minimum focusing distance of 0.75M (2.46 inches) to allow users to get closer to their subjects.
• The shortest*3 rotation angle of 80 degrees in its class for the zoom ring enables users to rotate the zoom ring from the wide-angle position to the telephoto position in just one motion, without adjusting lens holding.
• The click-less control ring realizes smooth operation and reduced operational sound during video recording. 
• Features a design with consideration for video recording, including effectively reduced shifting of a focus position when zooming in or out and the angle of view when adjusting focus.
• Superior dust- and drip-resistant capability*4, high reliability that comes from both robustness and weather resistance, and excellent anti-fouling performance via the employment of fluorine coat.

Price and Availability 

The new NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S will have an SRP of $2699.95*

1. Based on CIPA Standard. This value is achieved when attached to an FX-format digital camera, with zoom set at the maximum telephoto position.
2. SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Specifications, equipment and release dates are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer