Nikon 180-400 f4 TC lens announced
Nikon 180–400mm f/4E TC1.4
New lens with built in teleconverter
With an extra 20mm at the wide end, Nikon bring out their answer to the Canon 200-400 TC.
Available in March, at £11000
Just for completeness, we’ve also included the US Press info further down the page.
B&H & Adorama have preorder links
[orders through these types of links really do help run the site – I know not many people will buy this lens, but anything helps]
Nikon Lens info
NIKON EXTENDS TELEPHOTO VERSATILITY FOR SPORTS AND WILDLIFE PROS
RRP: £10,999/€12,400 | Sales start date: 8th March
London, UK, 9th January 2018: Nikon announces the AF-S NIKKOR 180–400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR, the first telephoto in the NIKKOR lineup to boast a built-in 1.4x teleconverter. Always sharp and always steady, this zoom lens allows 560 mm of reach the instant the action demands it.
[click on images to enlarge]
From stadium to mountainside, the AF-S NIKKOR 180–400mm f/4E TC1.4 lets you own every advantage out in the field. A solid, well-positioned lever ensures easy, comfortable activation of the teleconverter.
Photographers can increase the 180–400mm (f/4) focal-length range to 560 mm (f/5.6) without adjusting their hold on the camera, or taking their eye away from the viewfinder. The advanced optical design ensures photographers can extend their reach without compromising sharpness. And Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) allows a four-stop advantage, even with the teleconverter engaged. SPORT VR reliably tracks fast-moving subjects, and advanced autofocus ensures subject-acquisition performance is superb.
Ergonomic advantages include the fact that typical zoom- and focus-ring positions have been reversed for more balanced handling, and a fluorite lens element helps keep the weight down.
Emma Fergie, Product Manager: Sport Optics, Lenses & Accessories, Nikon UK, says: “This telephoto lens is built to withstand the intense demands that sports and wildlife pros may throw at it. Improvements in optics and design have allowed us to offer greater versatility and a longer reach without impacting on the performance. Extreme sharpness and advanced AF tracking mean you won’t ever miss that all important shot and the fully weather-sealed lens barrel make it the perfect companion for when you’re out in the field.”
Summary of key features
- Built-in 1.4x teleconverter: the 180–400 mm (f/4) focal-length range extends up to 560 mm (f/5.6).
- Sharp at any length: benefit from edge-to-edge sharpness throughout the zoom range, even when shooting wide open.
- Steady at speed: VR enables shooting speeds up to four stops slower than otherwise possible.[1]
SPORT VR reliably tracks fast-moving subjects. - Always on track: advanced AF tracking keeps pace with fast-moving subjects. An electromagnetic diaphragm ensures precise exposures at high frame rates.
- Field ready: every movable part of the lens barrel is fully weather-sealed. A fluorine coating actively repels water, dust, and dirt without compromising image quality.
FOOTNOTE: 1 Based on CIPA standards
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR specifications
| Principal specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens type | Zoom lens |
| Max Format size | 35mm FF |
| Focal length | 180–400 mm |
| Image stabilization | Yes |
| CIPA Image stabilization rating | 4 stop(s) |
| Lens mount | Nikon F (FX) |
| Aperture | |
| Maximum aperture | F4 |
| Minimum aperture | F32 |
| Aperture ring | No |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 9 |
| Optics | |
| Elements | 27 |
| Groups | 19 |
| Special elements / coatings | 1 fluorite + 8 ED elements and Nano Crystal + Super Intergrated + fluorine coatings |
| Focus | |
| Minimum focus | 2.00 m (78.74″) |
| Maximum magnification | 0.25× |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Motor type | Ring-type ultrasonic |
| Full time manual | Yes |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| DoF scale | No |
| Focus distance limiter | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 3500 g (7.72 lb) |
| Diameter | 128 mm (5.04″) |
| Length | 363 mm (14.29″) |
| Materials | Magnesium alloy |
| Sealing | Yes |
| Colour | Black |
| Zoom method | Rotary (extending) |
| Power zoom | No |
| Zoom lock | Yes |
| Filter thread | 40.5 mm |
| Filter notes | Uses drop-in filters |
| Hood supplied | Yes |
| Tripod collar | Yes |
| Other | |
| Notes | Has a built-in 1.4x teleconverter |
US Press info
LAS VEGAS — CES BOOTH #14018 (January 8, 2018)
Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Nikon Inc. announced the new AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR super-telephoto zoom lens, which is ideally suited for photographing sports and wildlife with astounding speed and clarity. This professional level FX-format lens is more versatile than ever, and has been updated with the newest NIKKOR lens technologies including Nikon’s first ever built-in teleconverter and an advanced optical formula to enhance performance and minimize weight.
“This lens is a great example of how Nikon continues to push the boundaries of innovation and what’s possible with pro-level optics and high-end imaging equipment,” said Kosuke Kawaura, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc.
Popular Pro-Level Lens Gets Even More Versatile
This new NIKKOR lens is a professional super-telephoto zoom lens, which is even more versatile with an extended wide range of 180-400mm, and a constant f/4 aperture to easily isolate a subject from the sidelines, even in challenging light. This is also the first NIKKOR lens to include a built-in 1.4X teleconverter, allowing photographers to seamlessly swap to a 252-560mm1 (FX-format) focal range. The teleconverter is engaged at the flick of a switch, and is easily operated with a single finger while looking through the viewfinder. When used on the Nikon D500 and other DX-format DSLRs, the focal length is the equivalent of 270-600mm (378-840mm with teleconverter engaged).
Whether capturing fast-moving winter sports on the slopes or elusive wildlife at a distance, photographers can shoot with confidence from this high performance NIKKOR lens. The new 180-400mm f/4 is optimized for high-speed capture, and features an electromagnetic diaphragm, helping to create smooth and consistent exposures while shooting high-speed bursts of images. What’s more, the AF tracking algorithm controlling the motor drive has been enhanced to increase tracking performance of fast moving subjects. When using cameras equipped with Nikon’s advanced 153-point AF system (D5, D500, D850), the outer row of AF points are activated as cross-type sensors to significantly enhance the AF coverage throughout the frame.2
Enhanced Performance with the Addition of New Technology
The lens now uses a fluorite element, which contributes to improved balance while minimising weight. To further enhance handling and agility, the lens has adopted a new ball-bearing tripod collar ring to create a seamless transition from shooting horizontal to vertical composition. The VR mechanism offers a normal and sports mode, with up to four stops3 of compensation to help create sharp images, even when handheld.
The lens construction includes the use of durable magnesium alloy for weight reduction, while the lens is also sealed against dust and moisture. A fluorine coating is also used to help repel water droplets and dirt.
The optical formula of the lens uses eight Extra Low Dispersion (ED) elements, doubling the amount of ED elements used by its predecessor, the NIKKOR 200-400mm. These help to provide extremely sharp and detailed images and 4K UHD / 1080p video, and is ideally mated to high resolution Nikon DSLR cameras. Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat is used to effectively suppress instances of ghosting and flare.
Price and Availability
The AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens will be available in March 2018 for a suggested retail price of $12,399.954. For more information on this NIKKOR lens and other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
1. When the built-in or an external teleconverter is used, the focal length may not be displayed correctly in shooting information / Image data.
2. This feature will be available with a firmware upgrade for the D5, D850 and D500 as of March 2018
3. Based on CIPA Standard. This value is achieved when FX-format compatible lenses are attached to a FX-format digital SLR camera and zoom lenses are set at the maximum telephoto position.
Never miss a new article or review - Sign up for our Newsletter (2-4 a month max.)
Enjoyed this article?
More lens use related articles
All articles and reviews are listed on our main Articles and Reviews page, or use the search box at the top of any page. Experimental items, hacks and how-to articles are all listed in the Photo-hacks category.
Some articles that may be of interest:
- Using a tilt/shift lens - what it is they actually do
- Focus with tilted lenses - lots more information about what's going on when you tilt a lens. See also: Focusing the view camera - External link to [very] detailed coverage of camera movements
- Keith's tilt table spreadsheet (zipped file)
- Using old lenses on your DSLR - fun with adapters
- Keith's lens reviews and lens related articles
More of Keith's articles/reviews (Google's picks to match this page)
Buying anything from Amazon (not just what's listed) via any of the links below helps Keith and Karen keep the site going - thanks if you do! [Amazon UK]