Along with the Z9, Nikon has announced the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S. This lens will be available in February 2022.
The 100-400mm is a Super-telephoto zoom lens that has been designed with high optical performance and comfortable operability.
Key features
- Z-Mount Lens/FX Format
- Aperture Range: f/4.5 to f/40
- Six Super ED and Two ED Glass Elements
- ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coatings
- Multi-Focus Stepping Motor AF System
- Vibration Reduction Image Stabilization
- Programmable Control Ring
- Inner Balance Technology
- Information OLED Panel and L.Fn Button
- Weather-Sealed Design, Fluorine Coating
This is Nikon’s first Z mount super-telephoto zoom lens that covers a wide focal range.
Optical Design
The optical design of the lens consists of a combination of two Super ED and six ED glass elements. Chromatic aberrations and color fringing is claimed to be effectively eliminated throughout the zoom range for notable clarity and color accuracy.
ARNEO and Nano Crystal Coats are used to prevent ghosting, reflections, and flare in order to realize improved contrast and clarity when working in strong lighting and backlit conditions. The Nano Crystal Coat controls incidental light from a diagonal direction while the ARNEO Coat controls incidental light from a vertical direction.
Autofocus & Vibration Reduction
The lens’s multi-focus system incorporates two separate AF drive units, which are synchronized, to deliver especially fast and accurate focusing throughout the zoom range. This system uses stepping motors, which offer impressively smooth and quiet autofocus performance that is well-suited to both stills and video applications.
Full-time manual focus override is also possible and an internal focusing design is used, where only the internal lens groups are moved during focusing, to maintain the overall length of the lens during use and to promote faster focusing speeds.
The minimum focusing distance of 2.5′, along with a maximum magnification of 0.38x.
Vibration Reduction image stabilization helps to reduce the appearance of camera shake by approximately 5.5 stops to better enable handheld shooting in low-light situations.
Handling & Design
The lens has a short zoom throw rotation of just 80°, so that can quickly zoom from 100-400mm.
An updated zoom design prevents lens creep, regardless of whether the lens is pointing straight up or down, without having to adjust torque or tension settings.
A programmable Control Ring is, by default, set to adjust manual focus, but it can also be used to control aperture or exposure compensation.
The integrated OLED lens information panel allows you to quickly confirm the aperture setting, focus distance, and depth of field figures right on the lens in both bright and dark situations.
Two assignable L.Fn buttons work in conjunction with camera-based Fn buttons to provide seamless points for quickly changing exposure settings and other functions.
The lens features a sust- and moisture-resistant lens barrel, along with a front fluorine coating, benefits the lens’ use in inclement conditions.
Inner Balance technology helps maintain a consistent center of gravity when shifting the zoom position, offering greater stability when tracking moving subjects using a gimbal head.
The lens is compatible with optional Z-Teleconverter TC-1.4x and TC-2x to further extend the reach of this lens.
Price & Availability
The lens will be available to order from 10 am on the 2nd of November. it retails for $2,696.95 USD.
