Lens News

It took a while, but I finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel. For years, I’ve wanted to upgrade from my AF-S DX Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR that I’ve been sharing with my wife. I use the lightweight and portable Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G on my trusty Nikon D2X DSLR and she uses it with her Nikon D90 during longer photo trips when bringing minimal gear is essential. For shorter forays, the super sharp Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 is my go-to lens, especially when shooting landscapes.

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR, by its name alone, sounds like something special. And for those who love wildlife or sports photography, this lens may, indeed, be something special.

Chances are if you take a poll of what photographers picked for their first telephoto lens, it would be the 300mm. For one thing, it’s a good choice for those starting out in wildlife or sports photography and, given the nature of millimeters, it’s relatively inexpensive as compared to the big guns like the 400, 500 or 600mm lenses. 

Creating photo books on American railroads are a good part of my workload, so telephoto lenses are what I often turn to for my train photography. Extremely heavy and often dangerous, locomotives and rolling stock require a wide berth for safety’s sake. Furthermore, in the wake of the September 11th attacks, security has tightened around railroad property, demanding more distance between the photographer and subject. 

Nikon just announced the AF-S DX Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR, a versatile DX-format lens designed for advanced and enthusiast photographers. The Nikkor 16-80mm features a combination of Nikon lens technologies typically found on the company’s pro glass including Nano Crystal Coat, which is appearing for the first time on a Nikon DX-format lens.

Nikon announced this morning that it is developing the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR, an FX-format (aka full frame) fixed focal length super-telephoto lens, which the company says will “strike the ideal combination of portability and performance.” Nikon did not release images of this upcoming lens; the photo above is of the AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens from 2015 for reference.

Nikon just announced a new Super Zoom, the NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, for Nikon Z series full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras. Boasting the highest zoom ratio in its class (14.28X) and a fast f/4 aperture at the 28mm end, it’s also the lightest in its class, weighing only 25.6 ounces (725g). For expanded versatility, the new zoom focuses to 7.8 inches (0.2m) at the maximum wideangle position and 3.9 feet (1.2m) at the maximum telephoto position. Additionally, the NIKKOR Z 28-400 f/4-8 VR features VR (Vibration Reduction technology equivalent to 5.0 stops efficacy.