This article shares my experience using the versatile Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S lens. I will not discuss the display in numerical terms, or detail its dimensions and physical characteristics. You can find that useful information in the original Photography Life review (HereInstead, I’ll focus on how and why this lens has become essential to my photography after nearly three years of use.
focal length
The first and most important feature, and my motivation for purchasing the lens in the first place, is its versatility in focal length. Switching from 100mm to 400mm focal length immediately helps create very different images from Animalscapes (see my recent article) Here) for wildlife pictures. This flexibility becomes invaluable in adverse weather or dusty environments, allowing you to change compositions without changing lenses.
When paired with the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 lens, another notable lens that I will discuss in a future article, this combination of focal lengths creates a versatile kit for nature photography. I once read an interview with a famous wildlife photographer who advised investing in a 24-105mm or 24-120mm lens along with a 100-400mm lens rather than saving up for a longer lens. He argued that the money could be better spent on trips to wildlife-rich locations.
Although I find that perspective a bit extreme, and I am a very happy owner of a wonderful 600mm f/4 lens, I can’t deny that many of my photos fall within the 24 to 400mm range. Covering this essential range well allows me to focus on photography without fear of equipment-related errors, and the photos I’ve taken with this 100-400mm are comparable to those with the 600mm f/4. There are no loose ends compared to the accompanying photos.
But back to the Z 100-400mm lens, I’ve found that to use it effectively, I have to “see” and “visualize” potential images in the scene around me before looking through the viewfinder. It pays to take a moment. This practice helps me avoid getting lost in the details and preserves my broader vision of the scene.
Maybe it’s related to my love of shooting animalscapes, but it was a huge breakthrough when I realized this little truth: you can find better and more diverse compositions just by looking with your own eyes.
optical properties
Autofocus on the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 is fast and accurate. The maximum aperture is a bit narrow at 400mm, which makes photography in low light a bit difficult (especially compared to the exotic 400mm f/2.8, but also compared to the 400mm f/4.5). But in any daylight, I never had any trouble capturing even the brightest subjects with this lens. In these everyday situations, it focuses just as fast as the foreign primes.
Additionally, the vibration reduction on this lens is highly effective. This works especially well in conjunction with the camera’s in-body image stabilization. But all this alone will not be enough if other optical quality is lacking. The Nikkor 100-400mm doesn’t disappoint here; It’s very sharp at all focal lengths, with only a slight leeway at 300-400mm, and nothing that hurts results.
Although not at the level of fast and bright lenses, the Bokeh is also decent. In this regard, it is important to remember that Bokeh is more influenced by the relative distance between the photographer, subject, and background than by your choice of aperture. Therefore, it is the photographer who can make the out-of-focus background more attractive by choosing the best shooting point.
However, in challenging shooting situations the 70-200mm f/2.8 can produce better out-of-focus renditions. But it stops at 200mm… and if you attach a teleconverter, you get results worse than what you could achieve with the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6, both in sharpness and in Bokeh Are.
As far as image quality is concerned, I find the 100-400mm to be sharp enough even for landscape photography. I actually quite like this long perspective of natural landscapes. I enjoy longer focal lengths to enhance detail and compress the scene.
other features
One of the main reasons the 100-400mm has become my favorite lens is that it is very durable and professional, and it can withstand extensive abuse without any problems. As you’ve seen in my photos, I’m often shooting in very cold, snowy or foggy environments and my gear has failed in the past. In comparison the Z 100-400mm feels confident and reassuring.
This lens is full of surprises and it has a hidden feature: it can focus very closely, making it suitable for close-up photography, especially for subjects that need to be a little closer than a 105mm macro lens. More distance is required. Although at close distances it can’t match the exceptional performance of the Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 Macro, it comes very close and is worth a try!
I mentioned that this lens has taken up a permanent place in my backpack. I always take it on my mountain trips, either in a neoprene tube or stored in the Lenscoat Bodybag Pro Sport mounted on my Nikon Z9. When “on the go and shooting”, I often attach the lens to my backpack using the BlackRapid Backpack Breather Camera Strap or the Peak Design Camera Clip. When travelling, it always remains with me as a companion to my 600mm f/4 lens.
conclusion
Do I think this lens is great? Although no lens can be considered perfect, the 100-400mm lens comes very close to the ideal wide-range telephoto zoom. This is probably Nikon’s best supertelephoto zoom, much better than the previous 80-400mm AF-S VR. (I don’t count the fantastic 120-300mm f/2.8 and 180-400mm f/4, which are in a different league for weight, brightness, and price).
According to my experience and my taste, its usefulness is better than the new Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR. My comparison is not about different performance levels, but about focal lengths. The ability to zoom out to 100mm means that the 100-400mm is a different type of lens than the 180-600mm. Even though some wildlife photographers may have difficulty choosing between the two, I don’t see these two lenses as overlapping. For me, if you want to take both “wide” wildlife shots and portraits, there is only one answer and that is the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6.
I hope you enjoyed this essay about the value of the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens in my wildlife photography. Even though I’m a Nikon shooter and I particularly like the Z 100-400mm, I’m sure if I shot with a Sony I would get Sony’s 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 and Canon’s 100- Would be equally happy with the 500mm f/. 4.5-7.1 if I shot with Canon. As someone who loves photographing large mammals, this type of lens is a perfect fit for my style of wildlife photography, and has become my most essential lens!
If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.
