Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR : Specifications and Opinions

Reviews

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Eustachio

sent on 26 Aprile 2026

Pros: Wide focal length of use, daytime, light

Cons: Doesn't excel at night handheld

Opinion: Purchased as a handyman, it is fully responding to my needs. I wanted a light lens on a light body ... for weights I always have the 750 ... Surprising night performance with the tripod, it gave me sharp and precise landscapes with beautiful color rendering. Happy with the choice I use it with a mirrorless z6II. On the tripod it does not suffer from the lack of a bracket, which I consider useless, also for the not excessive length of the lens. For trips, or excursions in company, it is my undisputed partner. When I am alone and I have more time available, I rely on the 750 and its set of lenses.

Agostini Renzo

sent on 21 Maggio 2025

Pros: Sharp, Light, great excursion.

Cons: At the moment none.

Opinion: I continue my choice of light and performing lenses for the problems I have in my hands and this 28-400 solves these problems greatly. I use it on the ZF and together we are about 1 kilo and a half, and considering the excursion it is a half miracle. I don't use it for birdlife and sports but a general use, and at the moment I can't be more than satisfied. It must be used carefully keeping in mind all the problems it presents but at the moment I must say that I get excellent results and I am fully satisfied with it

Sb.60

sent on 16 Maggio 2025

Pros: Sharpness, weight, focal range, easy handling

Cons: Practically nothing

Opinion: Truly sharp beyond expectations. Used on the Z8 certainly the focusing with the 3d and "birds" is not a lightning bolt in speed as the 180-600 Z can be and much less a fixed, but it does its dirty work and if you use the spot or pin focus, nothing to envy to anyone. Considering its focal range, it becomes a "daytime" travel companion on the most disparate occasions and since mirrorless cameras, thanks also to the daylight view of the viewfinder and the ISO hold, can recover a lot in the aperture brightness gap, you practically mount it and forget it there until the extreme cases in which you need another lens. Excellent

Matteop.

sent on 31 Gennaio 2025

Pros: Comfort

Cons: Zero

Opinion: Premise: I own 24/70 F2.8 and 24/120 F4. Obviously better and I wouldn't give up either of them for this. However... It has officially become my travel/excursion goal. Coupled with the 14/30 F4. I also had the 24-200 in the past and I resold it because it had too much of a "I would like to but I can't" flavor. Here, however, I found my square. As a matter of "laziness"/portability, it is currently my first choice when I "backpack on adventure". Strictly kissed by the sun, it is therefore not "nocturnal/reflective". My type of trip/excursion is daytime reportage. So few frills but mere "testimony". That said, it is therefore perfect. To be clear. Winter Brittany/Normandy. 3,700 KM traveled. Over 20 places visited, almost all outdoors. Photographic time slot 9.00/16.00. 95% of photos made with this. 4% with the 14/30 F4. 1% with the 180-600 (which I had because you never know). 0% with the 24/70 F2.8. +10 photos with the drone. But that's another story.

Apeschi

sent on 22 Maggio 2024

Pros: Very good on all focal lengths. Light. Compact at the lowest focal length, it lengthens by increasing the focal length. Very comfortable and creative lens. It allows you to range over any type of frame. Very good stabilization. It's not macro but it allows 'almost' macro shooting, meaning very close (obviously not at macro magnification but almost).

Cons: Dimly lit.

Opinion: I think it's a unique lens (at least until now), as it allows you to photograph from 28mm to 400mm. I find it very convenient (on bright days) for long walks, for trips, for excursions, for general photographs. Optical performance that once did not even exist with zooms with a shorter focal range and that today is really very good despite the considerable excursion. Well stabilized. What is it and what is it not? It is not (and should not be thought of) as a lens that replaces a kit. Optically (in terms of focal lengths) it certainly replaces a kit, but it is wrong to think that it is the same thing and you must avoid making comparisons with other kinds of lenses. It's pretty obvious (and it needs to be very clear) that a 28-400 f4/f8 can't (and shouldn't) be compared to any other lens. It will never be as good as a fixed camera, it will never be as good as a much brighter zoom with a shorter focal range. It is a fact linked to the type of project. When is it good? Always, whenever for whatever reason you want to have a wide focal range but you don't want to or can't carry numerous lenses with you. Comparisons like this should be avoided, but if I want to do macro I bring the 105 Micro Z vr or the 50 MC (very true but if I don't want to and can't take them with this I can settle for close-up shots even if not macro in the true sense of the term), but the 24-120 f4 is much better (certainly but it stops at 120), but the 28-400 starts from 28 and not from 24 (but what does it matter to you? bring the 14-30 if you need a wide angle, or bring the 24-120 if you don't have to go up to 400 which from 24 to 120 is certainly better), but the 70-200 f2.8 is another thing (obviously yes, but bring that and then also a 100-400 or a 180-600 or a fixed 400 and then you have to cover the focal lengths below 70 And if you don't need focal lengths below 70mm, what are we talking about? it's not the lens for you). Is it good for photo hunting? In my opinion it is not recommended as a lens for that purpose, but if you go out with only the 28-400 you can also do photographic hunting (but you don't have to choose it for that precise purpose, there is better). That is, it is an excellent lens (28-400 f4/f8, to be emphasized and kept in mind), versatile, universal, which knows how to do everything and in the best way (in bright light or going up in sensitivity with the sensor and then maybe using an excellent noise reduction SW), it has no terms of comparison with other lenses, as any other lens does not have this focal range, But it should also not be compared (in terms of quality and performance) to lenses with a shorter focal range designed for more specific uses. If you know a priori what you will have to photograph and you can bring brighter, fixed or zoom lenses with focal range, it is better to bring those, weight permitting. If, on the other hand, you photograph for pure pleasure, on a bright day, you have a camera with a sensor that holds noise well at high ISO (and maybe then uses the noise reduction SW), with the 28-400 you can take all kinds of photos from almost macro to super-telephoto with a single body and lens. Considering the excursion, it is really a very well made and correct optics.