Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR Officially Announced
Nikon has just announced their new superzoom lens for the Z mount, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR.
Official press release statements can be accessed here (in English and in Japanese), as well as the product page here (in English and in Japanese).
Based on the technical specifications released, the new lens weighs in at 725g, is 141.5mm long with 77mm filter threads.
Comparing this with the other Z superzoom already on the market, the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, which comes in at 570g, 114mm length and takes 67mm filters, the new lens is no doubt larger and heavier, but provides twice as much reach in the telephoto range.
MTF curves seem reasonable for a superzoom of modest aperture values - the new lens looks to have good contrast in the center of the frame with significant sharpness falloff outside the DX circle, and the telephoto side is a weaker performer than the wide side of the lens. The curves predict that fine detail resolution would deteriorate really fast once out of the center of the image circle, which is typical for most superzooms I think, and we will only know the extent of it after production samples get into the hands on reviewers and consumers I guess.
With this release, Nikon users now have an expansive selection of standard lenses to choose from, depending on one’s needs and budget:
24-50mm f/4-6.3 = smallest sized standard zoom
24-70mm f/4 S = compact standard zoom balancing size and quality very well (collapsible design)
24-70mm f/2.8 S = no-compromise standard zoom focused on image quality and focus speed
24-120mm f/4 S = moderately-sized 5x standard zoom that provides flexibility with very good performance throughout
24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR = 8.3x superzoom in a modestly compact size with good performance throughout
28-75mm f/2.8 = lightweight f/2.8 standard zoom
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 = improved version of the Nikon 28-75mm f/2.8 with better image quality and AF motors
28-400mm f/4-8 = 14.2x superzoom in a modest size
Having such a wide focal length coverage, I can foresee this lens being a popular lens for travel, or even as a all-in-one backup lens of sorts for working professionals.
One interesting note is its close focusing capabilities - it can focus down to 0.2m at the widest focal length (28mm), at which a magnification ratio of 0.35x is achieved. This would certainly come in handy for anyone using it for travel, since close-up shots of food and what not are possible in tight spaces without the need for a closer focusing lens, cementing its position as a do-it-all lens.
Anyway just for reference, here are the minimum focus distances at the various focal lengths:
28mm = 0.2m
35mm = 0.36m
50mm = 0.5m
70mm = 0.57m
105mm = 0.6m
200mm = 0.8m
300mm = 1.2m
400mm = 1.2m
Images of the lens show that the lens does extend very significantly when zoomed in, which is to be expected as it covers such a wide range of focal lengths. I guess it might be problematic for video users to balance it on a gimbal, so definitely a point to take note when considering this lens.
While the aperture values will not win any prizes for fastest superzoom lens produced (according to reports it slows down to f/8 at the 200mm mark), it seems like a pretty economical and convenient way to get access to the 400mm focal length, if the performance of the lens at that focal length meets one’s needs or demands.
That said, I think it is asking for the impossible to expect this lens to produce images like the S-line primes or S-line zooms, so one has to consider if the convenience of having a large focal length is more important that ultimate image quality at the expense of lugging extra weight and/or changing lenses in the field.
Oh, and did I also mention that the lens comes with a square hood? I actually like the design of the hood a lot lol.
**Edited on 2024/3/28 to include the newly announced Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 in the list.