p.20 #3 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
Just got back from SA last night. The 400 was absolutely the right lens for me to bring as it performed beautifully.
I had a wonderful cheetah sighting as my girlfriend and I followed her for close to an hour and a half. It was just the 2 of us. We watched her hunt a group of impala and man-o-man could she move. Unfortunately she has an injured left eye. If you look at the photos you will see that it's severely swollen and her pupil is completed dilated like she has a cataract. Have no doubt it's effecting her hunting.
NIKON Z 9NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens400mmf/2.81/640s640 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 9NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens400mmf/2.81/800s640 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 9NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens560mmf/4.01/5000s1100 ISO0.0 EV
NIKON Z 9NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens560mmf/4.01/5000s1100 ISO0.0 EV
p.20 #4 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
robert_in_ca wrote:
Just got back from SA last night. The 400 was absolutely the right lens for me to bring as it performed beautifully.
I had a wonderful cheetah sighting as my girlfriend and I followed her for close to an hour and a half. It was just the 2 of us. We watched her hunt a group of impala and man-o-man could she move. Unfortunately she has an injured left eye. If you look at the photos you will see that it's severely swollen and her pupil is completed dilated like she has a cataract. Have no doubt it's effecting her hunting. ...Show more →
p.20 #5 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
robert_in_ca wrote:
Just got back from SA last night.
Nice captures! Hopefully I will visit Africa again in 2 years.
The amazing feature of this lens is the build-in TC. I captured the musk oxen in harsh wind and snowfall. Not the situation you like to change the converter all the time. With this lens it isn't an issue any more!
p.20 #7 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
Thank you… totally agree regarding having the built in TC. Also really nice done with the oxen.
NaturRosi wrote:
Nice captures! Hopefully I will visit Africa again in 2 years.
The amazing feature of this lens is the build-in TC. I captured the musk oxen in harsh wind and snowfall. Not the situation you like to change the converter all the time. With this lens it isn't an issue any more!
p.20 #12 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
Ross Martin wrote:
Love that swallow image, George! I was trying to shoot those a few days ago and it's quite a challenge for me just to keep them in the frame.
Thanks very much! Try using Auto Area, seems to work well for these!
"This is one of my favourite swimming grizzly shots captured in 2022. And...nope...this image was NOT shot with the Nikkor Z 600mm f4S. It was shot with the Z 400mm f2.8S TC VR S - WITH its built-in TC engaged. So at 560mm. And it was shot wide open at f4. I'm including it here - and labelled it with the "Z 600mm f4S Testing" watermark - because it provides insight to a key question I wanted answered when I field-tested the Z 600mm f4S against the Z 400mm f2.8S with its TC-engaged. That question? Does the image quality of the Z 400mm f2.8S compare favourably against that of the Z 600mm f4S when it is shot with its built-in TC engaged (so at 560mm)?
The short answer (as I found when I did head-to-head testing of the Z 600mm f4S against the Z 400mm f2.8S with its TC engaged): Yes, absolutely.
When I publish my review of the Z 600mm f4S I'll get far more into the nuances of how these two 600mm-ish options compare optically, but the bottom line is this: EXCEPT between f4 and f4.5 (where the Z 600mm f4S is very slightly sharper) the two lenses produce virtually identical images - both in sharpness and in the quality of the out-of-focus zones (or bokeh). So you are giving away almost nothing to the Z 600mm f5S if you shoot your Z 400mm f2.8S with its TC engaged.
Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed that just above I said "EXCEPT between f4 and f4.5 (where the Z 600mm f4S is very slightly sharper)". Does that mean the Z 400mm f2.8S is "soft" at f4 and f4.5? Nope...not at ALL. And that's where this image comes in - I invite you to check out the high resolution version of this shot (4800 pixels) linked to below to see what I mean. This image was shot wide open (@ f4) and I doubt anyone would consider it even remotely "soft". After what I learned in 2022 from systematically testing the Z 400mm f2.8S with its TC (and with the Z TC-2.0X) - and when shooting these lens/TC combinations in the field - I don't hesitate at all to shoot it wide open with TC's attached.
Finally, note that I am in no way trying to take away from how strong the Z 600mm f4S is optically - it's an absolutely great lens. But if you already own a Z 400mm f2.8S and don't regularly need focal lengths longer than 600mm...then you have little reason to add a Z 600mm f4S to your kit. So as one who needs the 400-600mm focal range more often than the 600-800mm focal range, it makes more sense for me to own the Z 400mm f2.8S rather than the Z 600mm f4S. I know the exact opposite would be true of many other wildlife photographers, especially those who work more with small birds than I do.
p.20 #17 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
Nikon1960 wrote:
(Eastern) Screech-Owl Snoozing.
The picture is lovely, but there is a confusing artifact above the owl's head... I'm curious about what that is, as its texture is completely different from the rest of the photo.
The 400 f2.8S is my dream lens, as it would replace two lenses that I currently use (400 f4.5 and 800PF). While I have absolutely no complaints about my lenses, the convenience of having a built in converter to hit 560mm and one-button DX crop on the Z9 (840mm FOV) at f5.6 would actually allow me to carry a smaller bag...
The 400 f2.8S is my ideal lens for my approach to wildlife, but its purchase comes at a super steep price.
cheers,
bruce
p.20 #18 · Official Nikon 400/2.8S image thread + some discussions
OwlsEyes wrote:
The picture is lovely, but there is a confusing artifact above the owl's head... I'm curious about what that is, as its texture is completely different from the rest of the photo.
The 400 f2.8S is my dream lens, as it would replace two lenses that I currently use (400 f4.5 and 800PF). While I have absolutely no complaints about my lenses, the convenience of having a built in converter to hit 560mm and one-button DX crop on the Z9 (840mm FOV) at f5.6 would actually allow me to carry a smaller bag...
The 400 f2.8S is my ideal lens for my approach to wildlife, but its purchase comes at a super steep price.
cheers,
bruce...Show more →
That is actually the inside of the hollowed out tree trunk out of focus!
