New Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 is the most compact telephoto lens Nikon’s ever made

Nikon has announced Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 VR S, a brand new super-telephoto lens for its Z-mount mirrorless cameras. Despite the 400mm focal length, the lens is incredibly small and lightweight. In fact, Nikon claims that it’s “the smallest and lightest 400mm they have ever created.”

The Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 is essentially a compromise between reach, portability, price, and aperture size. The f/4.5 isn’t the fastest aperture you can get, but it’s what enables the lens to be as small and as it is. It’s also what makes it $10,000 cheaper than the Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8! It’s ideal for nature, wildlife, or sports photography, especially when you need to pack light or need to hike long distances.

Unlike another compact super-telephoto lens from Nikon, the 800mm f/6.3, the 400mm f/4.5 doesn’t use a Phase Fresnel (PF) element to achieve its compact size. It relies on more “conventional” specialized elements including Super ED, ED, and SR (short-wavelength-refractive) glasses. They promise to control all kinds of aberrations and color fringing. With a Nano Crystal Coat, the lens also promises to reduce flare when working in strong lighting.

The lens’s autofocus system uses stepping motors for quick and accurate focusing. Nikon also promises smooth and quiet AF, so you can use this lens for both stills and video. Vibration Reduction image stabilization reduces camera shake by approximately 5.5 stops. It compensates for the smaller aperture and better enables handheld shooting in low-light situations Synchro VR is also supported when paired with compatible cameras featuring sensor-shift VR, which combines in-body VR with optical VR for improved results of up to 6 stops of compensation.

If you’d like to further extend the reach of this lens, you can pair it with Z-Teleconverter TC-1.4x and TC-2x. They will provide you with 560mm f/6.3 and 800mm f/9 respectively.

Let’s take a look at the specs and a few more photos:

Focal Length	400mm
Maximum Aperture	f/4.5
Minimum Aperture	f/32
Lens Mount	Nikon Z
Lens Format Coverage	Full-Frame
Angle of View	6° 10'
Minimum Focus Distance	8.2' / 2.5 m
Maximum Magnification	0.16x
Optical Design	19 Elements in 13 Groups
Diaphragm Blades	9, Rounded
Focus Type	Autofocus
Image Stabilization	Yes
Tripod Collar	Removable and Rotating
Filter Size	95 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L)	4.1 x 9.2" / 104 x 234.5 mm
Weight	2.7 lb / 1245 g