Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S review

Sell your car and buy a Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S instead. It’s worth it!

5 Star Rating
Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Not many of us would dream of spending around $14,000 / £13,500 on a lens. But we’re still curious, in the same way that car buffs like to check out a Ferrari. The million dollar question, so to speak, is whether this Nikkor justifies its price tag. In one word… Absolutely. With its built-in 1.4x tele-converter, it’s like two lenses in one – a 400mm f/2.8 and a 560mm f/4. It delivers spectacular overall performance and stunning image quality in both configurations, has all the handling extras you could wish for, and is built to last a lifetime.

Pros

  • +

    Jaw-dropping performance

  • +

    Fast aperture

  • +

    Built-in tele-converter

Cons

  • -

    Heavyweight build

  • -

    Super-heavyweight price tag

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

The Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S adds real clout to the Z-system telephoto line-up. Lenses with built-in tele-converters are rare but not unique. Nikon and Canon both make DSLR-mount super-telephoto zooms with built-in tele-converters. This prime lens follows suit, combining a native 400mm f/2.8 configuration with a 1.4x extender that gives you 560mm at f/4. Not only much quicker to add into or take out of the equation with a simple flip of a lever, the internal teleconverter is designed specifically to match the optical characteristics of this particular lens.

Specifications

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.