Samples

The following images were taken with the Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S lens mounted on a 45MP Nikon Z9 camera for the images from the zoo and on a Z7 for the other images. All images were shot wide open as RAW files and developed in Lightroom 11.4.1/CRAW 14.4.1 from RAW to Adobe Color profile. RAW files from the Z9 were only corrected for CAs while images from the Z7 had also vignetting and distortions compensated with the built-in lens profile. Noise-reduction was set to 0 (even with images shot at high ISO), sharpening to 50/0.5/36/10. I applied exposure compensation plus some extra tone, color, or saturation adjustment to produce more pleasing images which are closer to what one would normally do when processing RAW files. The birds of prey were behind a wire-mesh fence, so there could be some artefacts in these images. But all other images were shot without a fence or glass interfering.

The individual exposure details are stated for each image. Some images are cropped to DX format in post-processing – which I’ve noted in the caption. The last image of the moon was shot with the Z TC-2.0x and cropped to DX format which gives an angle of view equivalent to a 1200mm lens! All of my high resolution Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S sample images are available to download in their original formats for analysis at Flickr. These files are for personal evaluation only and cannot be used in another publication or website without permission.

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 800 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S, cropped on the sides; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 125 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 320 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 500 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 180 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/1000, 400mm, f4.5, 64 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 140 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 1600 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 2500 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 1600 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 560 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/500, 400mm, f4.5, 64 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 450 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 560 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 220 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/1600, 800mm, f9.0, 800 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/800, 800mm, f9.0, 640 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 125 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/5000, 400mm, f4.5, 800 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/4000, 800mm, f9.0, 800 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/400, 400mm, f4.5, 180 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/250, 400mm, f4.5, 64 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S, DX-crop; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/500, 560mm, f6.3, 200 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-1.4x, DX-crop; click image for 4k version, here for large original

1/500, 800mm, f9.0, 640 ISO, Nikon Z 400mm f4.5 VR S + Z TC-2.0x, DX-crop; click image for 4k version, here for large original