NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S

I used the 80-400 as one of my most used lenses during my wildlife career in combination with the 500 f4 and 500 f5.6. This lens is a massive improvement on the 80-400. I tested the 180-600 and would rather use a shorter lens with better IQ, mobility and flexibility to use with a 1.4 TC when needed that the 180-600 that is much bigger and difficult to handle in a Safari truck or on foot hiking. I always use 2 bodies and lenses when on wildlife trips. I also use the 400 f4.5 with a TC1.4 with one camera and the 100-400 on the second for flexibility.

Great lens! I not only use it for wildlife but landscapes as well. I am able to zoom to a specific feature of the landscape with the 100-400mm. It makes for some really interesting landscape shots!

Absolutely love this lens. I initially rented this lens and used it on my Z9 during hiking Enchanted Rock in Texas and fell in love with it then. Once I returned back to Chicago I needed a lens for the Air and Water Show as well as a lens for my landscapes as well. I cannot be happier with this purchase. Was between a 2x TC for my 70-200, this lens or the 180-600. I wanted the sharpness this lens offered over the TC and the 180-600 and I absolutely love it.

This was purchased as a complement to the 600/ƒ6.3, which is a bit long for fairly confined-space garden/close-up work. With the effective demise of long-focal-length (i.e. >100mm) macro lenses with mirrorless camera bodies, this lens is about as close to long-focus macro as I can get. It primary use is for near-macro shots of flowers/insects-in-flight (the especially masochistic photographor will enjoy trying for in-focus, well-composed, properly exposed, entirely sharp photos of fast-flying dragonflies :-) for a community garden where I volunteer. Coupled to a Z8, it works magnificently, is easy to balance and control handheld, versatile, and the images are just about as clean and sharp as the 105 macro or the 600. No complaints whatever. Sample photo attached.

Great lens just learning how to use it and my Nikon Z 6iii. Easily to use manually focus for nature photography or even capturing images in the sky. Plan to get a 2x Converter as it will be great for Alaska or other types of long distance photography. photographer_Hosea

My photography includes birds, flowers, amphibians (frogs and turtles) and insects (dragonflies, bees, syrphids and beetles). This lens offers the ability to do near macro photography from about 3.25 ft. (to not spook the little creatures) and also shoot birds at the long end. The resulting images are sharp. I have a Canon 500D close-up lens which I plan to use with this zoom to enable full macro photography (almost 1:1) as l don't have macro lens.

Really enjoying the versatility of the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm lens by itself or coupled with the 2x tele-converter.

I enjoy capturing the beauty Mother Earth presents to us daily. Although I have the Nikkor Z 105 mm macro lens, capturing live insects up close has been frustrating until I got the Nikkor Z 100 - 400 lens. Adding the Nikkor Z 1.4 TC to this telephoto lens allows me to stand three feet of more away from my subject and capture them better than I have in 50+ years. It is a game changer capturing the minute details on flowers, birds, bees, insects, and butterflies.

I'm truly thrilled with this lens! It is exceptional quality and very easy to use as a hand-held package with my Z9. The results are superb for both wildlife and landscape photography, and accordingly I give the very highest rating. Kudos to Nikon!!!