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Archive 2015 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Lance B
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Purchased a new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR a few weeks back and have been giving it a good workout ever since, bare and with TC's. An amazing lens, as are all exotic long tele's from Canon and Nikon, this lens is crazy sharp with stunning IQ. The new 400 is using now Fluorite elements which help reduce weight, especially at the front of the lens which made the old lens a little front heavy and unwieldy, but the new lens is similar in balance to my old 500 f4 VR. I can use a 1.4x TC and have essentially a longer lens at 560mm f4 with better IQ than my old 500, which is now up for sale. Not only that, but this new 400 accepts all the TC's with almost no degredation in IQ. AF speed is almost has no affected with the 1.4x TC. With the 1.7x TC AF is a ffected a little but still super fast and accurate for a great 680mm f4.8. The 2x TCIII does affect AF a tad more again but still fast and accurate for a very handy 800 f5.6. A very happy camper!

#1
D810 + 400 f2.8, f3.5, 1/1667sec, ISO224.

#2
100% crop of above:

#4
D810 + 400 f2.8 + 1.4x TCIII - 560mm - f5.6, 1/1250sec, ISO1425

#5
D810 + 400 f2.8 + 1.7x TCII - 680mm - f4.8 wide open!, 1/3333sec, ISO400

#6
100% crop of above

#7
D810 + 400 f2.8 + 2x TCIII - 800mm - f7.1, 1/1667sec, ISO1008

#8
100% crop of above

#10
D810 + 400 f2.8, f8, 1/400sec, ISO449 - cropped about 40%

#11
D810 + 400 f2.8, f4, 1/400sec, ISO504

#12
D810 + 400 f2.8, f4, 1/400sec, ISO713

#13
D810 + 400 f2.8, f3.5, 1/400sec, ISO713

#14
D810 + 400 f2.8, f3.2, 1/8330sec, ISO356

#15
100% crop of above

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:15 PM

arbitrage
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

What can I say but Ssssshhhhaaaaarrrpppppp!! Great images. My favourite is the hovering falcon and I like the use of empty space below the subject. I do notice false colours on the rabbit 100% crop but I guess that is from the AA less D810. Hopefully Nikon will update their 500 and 600 f/4 lenses to the weight and quality of this new 400.

TFS
Geoff

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:26 PM

rprouty
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Great images you should be very happy with that lens.

Rod

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:27 PM

doonie15
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Looks like you're off to a great start with the new lens ! Congratulations !

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:28 PM

Chris_88
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

1 and 12 are probably my favorites, but they all look very good and extremely sharp. I really seems that the newest batch of long primes take teleconverters very well.

Just out of curiosity, are you handholding this setup or did you use some kind of support?

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:29 PM

Taoguy
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

You are killing me Lance, Lighter and sharper than my 500/4 at 560mm. I really likely my 500/4 and now I'm actually considering an addition? Great shots BTW.

Gerard

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:33 PM

Herb Houghton
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Excellent variety Lance. I like the first two, the falcon and the roo shots. TFS

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:40 PM

morris
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Stunning images Lance. it is easy to see why you like this lens

Morris

Mar 14, 2015 at 08:58 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

arbitrage wrote:
What can I say but Ssssshhhhaaaaarrrpppppp!! Great images. My favourite is the hovering falcon and I like the use of empty space below the subject. I do notice false colours on the rabbit 100% crop but I guess that is from the AA less D810. Hopefully Nikon will update their 500 and 600 f/4 lenses to the weight and quality of this new 400.

TFS
Geoff

Thank you very much for your lovely comments and thoughts, Geoff!

Yes, I have noticed some moire/false colour creeping into my images due to the sharpness of the lens and the AA-less D810.

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:02 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

rprouty wrote:
Great images you should be very happy with that lens.

Rod

Thank you very much for your wonderful comments, Rod!

---------------------------------------------

doonie15 wrote:
Looks like you're off to a great start with the new lens ! Congratulations !

Thank you very much for your lovely comments, doonie15!

---------------------------------------------

Chris_88 wrote:
1 and 12 are probably my favorites, but they all look very good and extremely sharp. I really seems that the newest batch of long primes take teleconverters very well.

Just out of curiosity, are you handholding this setup or did you use some kind of support?

Thank you very much for your lovely comments and apraisal, Chris!

The new lenses are having to be produced for these new high Mp sensors. Exciting times!

All are handheld.

---------------------------------------------

Taoguy wrote:
You are killing me Lance, Lighter and sharper than my 500/4 at 560mm. I really likely my 500/4 and now I'm actually considering an addition? Great shots BTW.

Gerard

Thank you very much for your lovely comments and appraisal, Gerard!

---------------------------------------------

Herb Houghton wrote:
Excellent variety Lance. I like the first two, the falcon and the roo shots. TFS

Thank you very much for taking the time to look and for your lovely comments, Herb!

---------------------------------------------

morris wrote:
Stunning images Lance. it is easy to see why you like this lens

Morris

Thank you very much for your wonderful comments, Morris!

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:07 PM

ScottHM
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Very nice Lance...my friend is very happy with his, despite how long it took myself and another photographer to talk him into making the jump...I'm just happy from time to time he lets me shoot with it. Have fun with it...judging from these images I'm sure you will. Now if you were only closer I might buy your 500

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:08 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

ScottHM wrote:
Very nice Lance...my friend is very happy with his, despite how long it took myself and another photographer to talk him into making the jump...I'm just happy from time to time he lets me shoot with it. Have fun with it...judging from these images I'm sure you will. Now if you were only closer I might buy your 500

Thank you very much for your lovely comments and thoughts, Scott!

It took me a while to drum up the courage to buy it as I have to sell my 500. I wish I was closer too, as I would like to sell it to you.

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:11 PM

Chris_88
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

If I may ask (just out of curiosity and since I'm occasionally pondering whether I should get a long prime myself at some point), why did you decide to "trade" your 500 4 for the 400 2.8, Lance?

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:35 PM

Bob Kane
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Ouch. Painfully sharp. Quite a combination with the D810. Very nice work.

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:57 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Chris_88 wrote:
If I may ask (just out of curiosity and since I'm occasionally pondering whether I should get a long prime myself at some point), why did you decide to "trade" your 500 4 for the 400 2.8, Lance?

Versatility and better overall IQ.

The 500 is a wonderful lens, but the newer hi-res sensors are starting to show up it's limitations. Using it bare, it was an excellent lens adding the 1.4x TCIII made a very good 700 f5.6, but not outstanding. With the 400, I have a much more versatile lens, a 400 f2.8, a 560mm f4, a 680mm f4.8 and a 800mm f5.6. The lens bare is just stupid sharp and stunning IQ, it is literally as sharp wide open as it is stopped down!! Add the 1.4x TCIII and I have a 560mm f4 lens, again super sharp wide open with great IQ, a tad better than the 500 bare and much better than the 500 + 1.4x TC. Add the 1.7x TCII and I have a 680mm f4.8 lens that can be used wide open!!! see image #5 & #6, this is much better than the 500 + 1.4x TCIII. Add the 2x TCIII and I have a very handy, still super sharp 800 f5.6! see images #7 & #8.

The other much missed factor is the minimum focus distance of 2.6mts compared to the 500's 4mts. I often have been so close to a bird with the 500 that I've had to move back in order to focus! With small birds the 500 at minimum focus sometimes does not fill the frame with a small bird and by fill the frame I do not necessarily mean completely fill the frame but have the bird at a size that compositionally works without the need to crop. I used to have to resort to my 300 f2.8 VRII + 1.4 or 1.7x TC in order to get close enough.

The new 400 is 0.8kg or 2lbs lighter than the old 400 and is now the same weight as the 500 f4 VR. It is also better balanced than the old 400 as the front elements are lighter due to the use of Fluorite glass elements and handles similarly to my old 500 f4 VR. To me it's a no brainer of a lens.

Mar 14, 2015 at 10:33 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Bob Kane wrote:
Ouch. Painfully sharp. Quite a combination with the D810. Very nice work.

Thank you very much for your lovely comments and thoughts, Bob!

Mar 14, 2015 at 10:34 PM

birdied
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Wow !!! Fantastic shots Lance. Your work with the 500mm was always amazing . Now, this !!! Enjoy your new lens and please keep posting so we can enjoy your efforts.

Birdie

Mar 14, 2015 at 11:28 PM

Lance B
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

birdied wrote:
Wow !!! Fantastic shots Lance. Your work with the 500mm was always amazing . Now, this !!! Enjoy your new lens and please keep posting so we can enjoy your efforts.

Birdie

Thank you ever so much for your wonderful comments and encouragement, Birdie!

Mar 15, 2015 at 01:53 AM

Chris_88
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Lance B wrote:
Versatility and better overall IQ.

The 500 is a wonderful lens, but the newer hi-res sensors are starting to show up it's limitations. Using it bare, it was an excellent lens adding the 1.4x TCIII made a very good 700 f5.6, but not outstanding. With the 400, I have a much more versatile lens, a 400 f2.8, a 560mm f4, a 680mm f4.8 and a 800mm f5.6. The lens bare is just stupid sharp and stunning IQ, it is literally as sharp wide open as it is stopped down!! Add the 1.4x TCIII and I have a 560mm f4 lens,...Show more →

Thanks for the info, Lance. Much appreciated. Nikon not having updated the 500 4 probably made the 400 2.8 a comparatively easy choice. Canon complicated things, by updating the 400, 500 and 600.

Mar 15, 2015 at 03:02 AM

Lance B
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Testing my new Nikon 400 f2.8E FL ED VR - 15 images

Chris_88 wrote:
Thanks for the info, Lance. Much appreciated. Nikon not having updated the 500 4 probably made the 400 2.8 a comparatively easy choice. Canon complicated things, by updating the 400, 500 and 600.

I am sure Nikon will have an updated 500 f4 and 600 f4 this year with Fluorite elements.

Mar 15, 2015 at 03:26 AM

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