Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

I shoot professionally and have eyed this lens for quite a while but was unwilling to take the financial plunge. I used my 80-400 and determined that I could get by. After borrowing one from a photographer friend for a tryout, I could not wait to get my hands on one. The lens is simply awesome and I regret having put the purchase on the back-burner for the length of time that I did. I use the lens with either the D3S or D700 on a Gitzo carbon fibre tripod conmplete with a Wimberley sidekick. Every syllable in the word 'Awesome' should be written in capital letters.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

This product is new to me but find it very comfortable to use, even hand held and the performance is incredable, extremely sharp, clear and bright and am sorry I didn't add this one sooner it's fantastic and sure to be a legend.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Unparalleled sharpness & contrast. Despite the weight I mostly shoot this handheld (I have a Wimberly head on order) and am blown away by the results! I was on a wildlife tram ride in the Everglades and had no trouble shooting various birds on the fly with my D3 set to variable ISO (which enabled me to keep my shutterspeed above 1/1000). The images were uniformly high in contrast, low noise, brilliant color and AMAZINGLY sharp!

An absolutely incredible lens in every respect - worth every nickel.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

I use this lens on a Wimberly gimbal head and carbon fiber tripod. Monopod works as does handheld. Shooting with a Nikon D3, D200, and D100. I knew that this lens would be heavy, but that is great for the balance and control. That is just how it is. Lens hood could be made of stronger material, but with careful use it should last. TC1.4 II teleconverter works great as well. I highly recommend this lens. I also have a Nikon 600mm, but use this one more and more. Shooting in Alaska's backcountry demands the best.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Powerful zoom, works great on my D700

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Used this lens in Wyoming and its great for large animals. Suggest that you use a monopod or a tripod to get the best from this lens - otherwise not worth lugging around this much weight.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

great for wildlife or sports; clarity and sharpness are amazing. However, heavy and expensive. I think it is too expensive.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Great lens for wildlife

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Super, suppurb

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Great lens. sharp. attach to D3 or F4s and skip the gym that day. images are almost 3D. if in doubt, rent it first like i did.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Bought the Nikkor 200-400 VR lens 1 month ago. Using it on a Nikon D300, primarily for wildlife photography. "Replaces" my 7-year old Nikkor 80-400 VR as my "long" lens of choice. 200-400 is heavy, bulky and pricey but it is very sharp. It can be hand held but I primarily use it on a tripod with a Wimberly head. Still also use the Nikkor 80-400 VR for hand held/portable applications but image quality of 200-400 VR is clearly superior. [...]

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

[...] I shoot it on a D300, which gives me a lot of ISO at low noise. Combine this fast lens with a great sensor and you get photos that capture the action (I shoot rowing), are absolutely tack sharp, have no discernable CA, can be cropped and still make large enlargements, can accommodate a range of subjects (since it's a zoom), and can still be shot hand-held (did I mention this?). Wow! All I can say about focus, is that I found that shooting with a single point focus and exposure helped capture the rowing action with crystal clarity. The backgound bokeh is exceptionally pleasing behind a portrait (you just have to stand back a bit). ...and did I say "WOW" If you shoot high school sports, expect other parents to come ask you to email them photos of their kids -- you can't hide this lens. And while I did say thay you can hand-hold it, I greatly prefer not to when I'm somewhere that I can set up a tripod. I use the Wimberly gimble head and thoroughly enjoy effortlessly following the action and never losing a level horizon (yeah, it's expensive for a head, but you've already spent a bunch on the camera & lens, so make it work!). Last year I shot a D200 with the Tamron 200-500mm. That is a very high value combination, but there is no comparison to the D300 with the Nikon 200-400mm. I can't wait to shoot an airshow. If you have reason for it and can afford it, nothing comes close (but you knew that all along from my title).

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Good for close ups of animals but I found it difficult to get sharp focus on many of the shots I took.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

This lens is the sharpest lens I have ever seen. The reach you get is so much more when you consider how great crops look! I've made prints from huge crops that were better than full frame images with the 80-400. It is a bit heavy, but hand holding is no problem.

The AF-s provides very fast AF, especially when the focus limiter is set. Even with a 1.4x TC the focus is fast and accurate. Speaking of TC's, this lens still out-resolves the sensor on my D200 even with the TC-14EII attached.

If you are big on nature photography (what I use it for) you won't find a more versatile lens. Larger mammals can be taken care of at the wide end, while birds and things far off can be taken care of with the long end. The VR works great too! And the lens balances very nice on the tripod mount (though I did replace it with a RRS foot).

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

I've only used it a few times so far. Excellent piece of optics. I would recommend a gimbal head to use with it such as one of the Wimberely heads. That, & coupled with the Nikon TC-14E II, it makes a powerhouse combo.

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

I rented one this weekend to see if it met the hype of the reviews. What a GREAT lens! I used it to shoot college softball and baseball, as well as some waterfowl shots. Very-fast focus on my D2Hs. A little tiring to hand-hold, but worked great on my monopod. I'm using it to replace my 300mm F4, which always took great batting shots, but was difficult to use on defensive plays. It was either too close or too far to properly frame the action. I'm pushing the "go button" on my order just as soon as my bonus check clears!

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

The 200-400 VR replaces my "old" 4/500mm AIP; it took me some time to dare use this lens without a tripod, when I did I was amazed, the images of birds in flight are tack sharp. I had replaced the palce though by a Kirk one which enables me to carry it more easily

Comments about Nikon Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED, AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor, with Lens Hood and Case - USA:

Seems that the new technology in lens and zoom construction has closed the gap between fixed and zoom lenses. This is a very fast zoom. Focus response is as fast as a fixed one. Versatility makes it a great choice as you get a lot for sacrificing very little (one stop). A bit on the heavy side, but not heavier than 400 fixed. I spent sometime in doubt, 300 or 400 fixed, or this? I am very satisfied with it. Use it primarily for sports, nature and portraits. With VR you can get away without monopod.