Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens

Comments about Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens:

My previous review criticised the weight and that is still a con especially having recently walked through the mountains in Rio de Janeiro with this beast. But without a doubt this lens even with a 1.4 multiplier is fast to focus and pin sharp. The attached image even reduced in size for posting I think tells its own story. I am more and more loving this lens.

Comments about Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens:

This is a trully fabulous lens for wildlife photography.

I am still getting to know the lens and its capabilities. It works well with my Nikon 2x converter giving me up to 800mm reach if required.
It is a very heavy piece of technology so you need to select good support in order to get the best quality images. Hand holding is not really an option unless you are into weightlifting!!
Comes in its own case which is rather special.

It uses drop in 52mm filters which screw into a bespoke carrier. The circular polarising filter is a beautifully crafted piece of precision engineering but is expensive.

The lens is expensive but as ever, you pay for quality and this is definately top draw.

If in doubt, go and rent one to try. Be warned though, once you have tried it you had better start saving as you will want to buy one.

Comments about Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens:

On receipt of this lens despite being aware of the weight I was slightly disappointed by the size and weight. I had previously rented a Sigma and the Canon 100 to 400 to evaluate with my Canon 50D but I need a lens for my Nikon D300 so I bit the bullet and bought the Nikon 200 to 400 without a trial. Despite my early disappointment I am overwhelmed with the physical quality and image quality of the product. I have given it five stars because the image quality, VR and focussing etc are excellent, but in all honesty unlike the Canon it is too heavy for hand held shooting, a tripod or other support is a must, however the few hand held images I have taken are excellent even with a Tamron 1.4 extender. My photographic interest is mainly birds and wildlife and again unlike the Canon 100 to 400 it is difficult to maneuvre this lens quickly for in-flight birds but the static images are spectacular at 400mm and with the 1.4 extender. I have since done some Photoshop work to remove twigs and branches etc but the focus out of the camera is virtually as shot on the attached images. In summary I am pleased with the lens and would recommend it highly despite its weight.

Comments about Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens:

I did buy 3. But not all at once. I've had a weird relationship with the 200-400mm vr.
I bought my first one new, in about 2010. It lived up to it's reputation. Superb in every aspect. fast focus, sharp, great being able to zoom. The lot.
But I had a weak moment and sold it to a friend. No other reason than that I was using my 300mm 2.8vr most of the time.
I soon regretted selling it and promptly bought it back from him after a few months. It was great to have it back!
Then I did it again!! To a different person. Why, I'll never know. Just stupid!
He made it clear that he won't be selling it back to me, should I start to miss it again.
I did.
But the VrII came out in that time. :)
So, here I am again with the new 200-400mm vrII.
It's simply superb. Fast, sharp, vrII seems to be better. Contrast is better with the Nano coating.
I'm Keeping it! I promise. Slap me with a wet kipper if I dont.
It's a tad heavy, for handholding all day at airshows, like I do. But you get used to it.
The zoom is excellent for what I need. Its only about a quarter of a turn to go from 200-400mm.
I still like my primes, but this will definitely be staying in my collection of Nikon glass.
If you can afford it, you wont be dissapointed.

Comments about Nikon 200-400mm f4 G VR II AF-S ED Lens:

It comes at a price and some weight and size. But on a tripod with a Gimbal head its as light as a feather. I bought it after ages and ages of thinking about spending this much money. In the end I went for it along with the 1.4 TC for Bird photography in the UK along with my D300. Had it a couple of weeks and it is faultless and fast. Pin sharp goes w/0 saying Would love to take it abroad but how to get it on a plane? Oh Well.