Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens USA

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I use this lens for birds photography. With the Nikon TC 1.4E II works as if is nothing in between the camera body and the lens, but doesn't do well with TCs 1,7 and 2.0, (autofocus becomes queasy and lose accuracy). But no complains at all, still is a tremendous gadget. After it, next step will be the 600 mm, but I suppose have to wait until the next Loto.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

Great lens but come on, 7+ pounds. You'll end up getting tired of lugging this thing around and then purchase Nikon's junk lens the 80-400. You'll miss most of your shots with the 80-400 but then again after an hour of lugging the 200-400 around you'll be so exhausted that you'll miss just as many shots. Think Canon 400 f/5.6 SORRY

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I really like this lens. It is sharp, has great contrast and color, and suits my shooting style better than the long primes Nikon offers. I use the lens primarily for birds and other wildlife in Florida and use those images to make 30X40 (and larger) prints to hang in my house. I am a retired professional shooting for myself and enjoying some of the equipment that I could never justify when I was working.
I found my percentage of keepers went up when I replaced the tripod foot and added a long lens support system. The lens is heavy and difficult for me to hand-hold, but I knew that before buying. A gimbal head on a very good tripod makes this lens much easier to use.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

Great for wildlfe photography. Flexibility to capture the animals from afar and as the herds envelop you. Much quicker and sharper than 80-400

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I put off buying a long lens for a year because I was not sure how much use it would get. I also debated between 200-40mm and the 400mm. I am no longer working and so it seemed the right time to buy this lens, before I waste my hard earned money on something less important, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are as good as steak.
My first time using this lens produced stunning results; I thought it would be a challenge to get a sharp image; with good support, this lanes takes sharp images and every focal length. The zoom feature is great to have to fine tune the compositions. I have no intention of handholding this lens and I use the best support system available.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I need a long lens to shoot wildlife, birds etc, however as I have some disability as a result of a stroke, lenses of 500mm and bigger are physically unmanageable. Although bordering on too bulky for me, the 200-400mm zoom with a 1.7X converter fits the bill. With typical Nikon high quality definition, fast enough in all but really poor light and very effective VR. From my pespective, the best feature is the huge zoom range from 200mm on it's own to up to 650mm with converter (plus crop factor) means less lens carrying and changing with my fumbling hands and provides me with ample range when teamed with a D300. Very happy.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I owned/used the previous VR version of this lens for six years.

Pros:
Very well-constructed, a joy to operate, super-smooth zooming.
Excellent bokeh.
Hand-holdable, but a monopod/tripod definitely requisite for longer shoots.
Very close-focusing for a 400mm optic, which opens "macro" possibilities.
Very fast, accurate focusing in reasonable light.
Excellent sharpness at closer range.
Little-to-no discernible distortion at all focal lengths.
Flexible, jack-of-many trades focal range.

Cons:
Noticeably weaker AF in low light, though still very useable.
Noticeably weaker sharpness at distance & maximum focal length; no match for a fixed 300/400 2.8.
A lot of weight to tote for a 200mm optic.
F:4 too small aperture for poorly-lit field sports.
Mostly useless with teleconverters beyond TC-1.4.
Long, and slightly awkward balance.

In most respects, this lens is a flexible winner. It's nice for air shows and daylight sports. It can be a really nice (albeit unconventional) portrait and close-up optic, as well. It's a lighter path to 400mm, but it's not a lightweight at seven pounds.

Where it's lesser is at distance (300+ feet to subject) and in low light. It loses contrast/sharpness at 400mm, too. Optically, most will be happy with its majority output. If you expect to shoot at 300/400 nearly exclusively, I would consider the 300/400 2.8 options instead, especially if you will be working under poorer lighting. The 400 2.8 I replaced my 200-400 with beats the latter on all fronts, with noticeably quicker AF in any condition. But, the 200-400 gets you to a very respectable 400, for a lot less money and weight.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I'm using this for sports and wildlife. Being just an enthusiast, with somewhat limited funds this seemed the best choice for a single long lens. It may not be the fastest or the longest but it is totally amazing. My first impression was how fast it focuses. Really impressive. It's solidly built and very easy to use in every respect. The VR works amazingly well and allows for some super handheld shots.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

Great for Wildlife & Sports photography. It is hand holdable, but you have to get use to the weight if you haven't had a big lens before. Very versatile with the the zoom. Sharp pics.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I purchased it for plane photography. Holdings are often found by the photography of the plane, but are not heavy as expected. It is size and weight to be able to show off enough. I expect it for future use.
I do not feel that autofocus is slow even if I attach 1.4 times tele-converter.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

Fast, sharp and reliable. What more do you need in a lens?

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

giving it 3 stars because Nikon needs to get in line with Canon on pricing. They are way overpriced right now.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

The perfect lens for wildlife photography; not too big and not too small

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

Wildlife photography in Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. Super crisp lens!

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

After trying 3 different samples of the original 200-400 I was disappointed by the lens ( non of the 3 would focus as well as I need ) and I was considering a 400 f2.8 instead and then Nikon released this Version 2 and after a trial shoot with a sample I was sold. This lens is as sharp as my 300 f2.8 and rarely misses focus. The results are stunning. This is worth spending the extra cash on especially if you shoot sports. I have not tried it with a 1.4 or 1.7 teleconverter so can't comment.

Comments about Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens:

I have only had the lens for 10 days but what fun! I will spare going into all the details as it is functionally the same as the 200-400 predecessor. It's a bit difficult to hand hold for any length of time (over an hour) but certainly doable. After spending 4 days with the 600mm, I can say this lens is way more manageable than you would think in comparison. I don't think it is Quite as sharp as the 600 but seems sharp enough to me. I figured that I did not need this lens as I could just turn my 70-200 2.8 into a 147-420 F4 by using a 1.4 TC and a DX camera. But by that reasoning I could just as well put this lens on my DX camera and have 300-600. Using with a Monopod, the weight penalty is taken care of and you can shoot all day with no fatigue. I wish I could post some samples but do not see a way to do this. No idea if the Nano coating helps but I am betting the VRii helps in my case. These two features were worth the extra $1,000.00 … to me anyway.