Hands-On with the Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, the new innovative full-frame lens, offering x14.2 zoom in a lightweight package. Does it come with unacceptable compromises, or is it poised to become the ultimate Nikon Z lens for photographers?
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Nikon is no stranger to long zoom lenses. It had made a 28-300mm lens for its F-mount SLR cameras that was both convenient and optically decent. The DSLR era had a saturated market where almost everyone had a variety of long zoom lenses for every lens system.
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Since then, long-range zoom lenses for full-frame mirrorless cameras that exceed 200mm have been rare. Is this due to lack of demand? Nikon makes a 24-200mm f/4-6.3 lens for the Z series, and while it’s a good lens, it falls short in terms of zoom range. Recently, Panasonic released a 28-200mm lens for the L-Mount, which certainly added flexibility to that system. Now, however, Nikon has broken the mold with an extremely long 28-400mm f/4-8 superzoom.
Can a lens with such different focal lengths produce acceptable image quality? Will we see the rebirth of the superzoom lens?
The 28-400mm in the review is a pre-production sample, but the first findings on how this lens performs are here. A superzoom lens is a travel lens so the reviewer gives us some samples of the beautiful town of Nanton, Alberta, United States.
The Nikon Z 28-400mm uses STM motors to move the glass elements, and its focusing is smooth, though not particularly fast, at the telephoto end. Focusing from close to far can take a while, but that's not a problem in practical situations where you're mostly focusing at long distances. Also, the focusing speed when using the lens in the wide-angle to normal range is quite fast.
The Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 is surprisingly light, weighing just 725 grams. The lens balances well even on lighter bodies like the Z6.
Although it's lightweight, the 28-400mm extends quite far naturally and has a 77mm filter diameter, adding to its larger dimensions. This is an add-on when extended to 400mm, and even when zoomed to 28mm, it takes up quite a bit of space in the bag.
There's plenty of room on the barrel for a wide zoom ring, so even with the cap upside down, it's easy for anyone to operate. There's a nice lock switch to keep the zoom from drifting when you're out and about. There's also a customizable control ring. Focus controls have to be made on the body, and although the lens has VR, there's no switch to control it on the lens.
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A Good Compromise
Superzoom lenses typically have complex optical designs with lots of glass elements. The reviewer was concerned about shooting the lens against the sun because all that glass tends to cause internal reflections. But he was surprised to see almost no reflections and minimal flare. Even at a stopped-down aperture, the amount of flare is well controlled thanks to Nikon's excellent coatings.
The 28-400mm lens can produce shallow depth of field towards the end of the range despite its low f/8 aperture. Unfortunately, bokeh quality is not a strong point of the 28-400mm. It doesn't show the so-called "onion rings" in highlights, but there is a strange double circle around the edge.
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Using the 28-400mm lens for close-up shots is a pleasure as it achieves a roughly 1:3 life-size reproduction ratio, whether at 28mm or 400mm. This adds a lot of flexibility to the lens and allows for macro shots with a wide angle lens where the background is far away or compressed shots with a long working distance. Autofocus was accurate and sharpness was decent.
Because the reviewer had a production sample lens in his hands and only had an afternoon with it, he reports that "there wasn't enough time to shoot test charts to assess sharpness. When I evaluated the sample images over the next few days, I found the sharpness to be excellent at both ends of the lens' range. Corners hold up nicely and the lens performs well at the widest apertures. This is a good thing, too, because the Nikon Z 28-400mm doesn't let in much light."
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Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR leaves positive first impressions
Professionals and enthusiasts alike will certainly be happy to see the return of superzoom to more mirrorless camera systems, and Nikon is making a dramatic lineup of lenses while addressing the drawbacks well.
While the widest f/4 aperture is fine at 28mm, the aperture drops immediately as you zoom, and by 200mm it's already at f/8. This will be acceptable for casual shots on sunny days or as a summer travel lens, but serious wildlife photographers may want something brighter. As light conditions get lower, the ISO will have to be raised sooner than desired, and that's the main trade-off for such an extended zoom range.
Still, the larger dimensions and darker apertures are acceptable compromises for such a versatile zoom range. Some users may be perfectly happy with the 200mm maximum range that is common on the market, but there is no doubt that 400mm can make a big difference in the field.
No one should buy lenses like this expecting to have both their treat and their food. But if you want a lens that can do almost everything and produce beautiful images, Nikon has done it with great success.
Source: petapixel
