Nikon 400mm F2.8 ED AI-S

[larry_menzin]

Does anyone have experience with this lens? I cannot find a single

review or evaluation of this lens on the net. How is optical quality,

handling characteristics, etc.? This lens is available for about

$2000 used, and with a 1.4x converter, I intend to use it for sports

and wildlife. Thanks for any info.

[lee hamiel]

Larry - I have one and it is a fantastic lens. Best places for reviews are Moose Peterson's books. Try the Nikon System Handbook & Magic Lantern Guides for Nikon Lenses. Hard to find online reviews but here's one:

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/telephotos/400mm.htm

 

You want the TC-14B teleconverter if it does not have one. I also recommend that you get one that has the trunk case for protection. They are not cheap to replace & a lot of pros use the soft large lens bags. Also make sure it has the lens hood.

 

The pros & cons:

 

Pros: Tack sharp, Fast, Focuses nicely, Beautiful construction, Permanently mounted front protection lens (replaceable by Nikon), and a perfect match w/TC-14B without any noticable loss in quality & gives you a 560mm focal length.

 

Cons: This lens is a beast and weighs over 11 pounds & is not as nimble as say a 300mm 2.8 lens.

 

I needed to check the specs on all of my tripods & heads for load ratings as I was not about to lose this lens due to an inadequate support. What I've done is use my early Bogen with a Manfrotto 393 head. This combo is great and makes for easy handling.

 

Take a look at:

 

http://www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&forum=DCForumID15&om=436

 

I've also used this lens a few times on a heavy duty Giotto monopod but I relax more when it's on the tripod.

 

I'd say a fair price is about $2000. for good optics with a fair amount of barrel & hood wear & more like $2800 - $3500 for cleaner examples. B&H sells new for $5889/List price is $9630. Greys in the UK sells for about $14000! So the used #'s are a bargain in my opinion.

 

Good luck & hope you get a nice one.

[larry_menzin]

Does this lens have a built-in hood? Is there an extension hood in addition to the built-in one?

[craig_bridge]

New it comes with an HE-3 lens hood, a trunk case, and a leather front lens pouch/cap. At 11.4 pounds it is a beast. If you want to use it on a mono-pod, Nikon makes a short replacement foot you really want to invest in. This is one of the non-auto focus sleepers, great optics, few made, not long enough for some things, too heavy to use without a support, but if it fits your needs, excellent performer.

 

Beware of Nikon's TC warning: "TC-301 or TC-14b (when used with smaller aperture than f/11 & high shutter speed, there may be uneven exposure)". Note, these are conditions opposite of the reasons why you buy a large aperture lens, so they don't apply often, but should you have high speed film, bright light, stopped way down and still have fast shutter speed...

[kevin_jones2]

I have used this lens extensively. I had the lens mount chipped by Rolland Elliot to enable matrix metering with my F5. I have used the lens with the TC-14B and currently with a modified Nikon 1.4x teleconverter (I don't recall the model number) I use the lens primarily for sports (Yes.. a manual focus lens for sports!) The lens yields excellent results wide open with and without the teleconverter. The results are considerably less positive when using the 2x converter. In fact, I only use the 2x converter with this lens when need the need for the focal length (800mm f5.6) outweighs the loss in photo quality. The comment about the weight of this lens is fair.. It is a massive lens. I shoot the lens primarily with a stout monopod. If you want to use it with a tripod, you will need a very sturdy one. The filter drawer accepts the common size 52mm screw-in filters. Forget about using the Nikon trunk, I recommend purchasing the long lens case by Domke for this lens. Forget about using this lens inconspicuously. Because of its size, you can't void being noticed!

[christiaan_phleger___honol]

Aloha!

I have owned and used this lens for nearly 10 years and I can vouch for all the comments mentioned above. Yes, it does have its own hood, and the HE-3 hood extension works well in combination. I managed to overscrew the hood out and had to use it stuck out for a few years until I managed to unstick it. The sealing of this lens is very good, much better than my 300 2. ais (version 1) which can suck in dust. Depending on which body you use it with, screen selection can really improve the focussing accuracy. I use the J and U with converters for the F4 and used to use the H3, H4 and U for F-3. H3 in low light High School football was really good, definitive in-focus 'POP' made follow focus a joy. I really recommend the H3 for F-3 use.

Enjoy the lens, it is really built well so even used example of this lens will preform well for years.

[greg s]

Don't own this own, rather a 600mm f/5.6 AIS. But, I always purused this site for quick evals of old primes. Seems like you've got a ton of info alread, but here's the link.

 

http://www.cs.kau.se/~nicke/private/photo/lenstest/

[lee hamiel]

After posting a response & reading comments - Kevin's advice about getting a lens bag is a very good point. I just got a Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 AW for my 400. This bag is great - accomodates up to a 600mm lens & is really well made. Now I'm only going to use the trunk for shipping for service.

 

Thanks Kevin

[ebogaerts]

This thread is over 6 months old, but I felt I just had to add that I strongly disagree with Lee's recommendation that Moose Peterson is the best source for reviews of Nikon lenses.

 

Does Moose ever have anything bad to say about a Nikkor? The answer is: Rarely, if ever.

 

Moose Peterson's books, on the other hand, are a terrific source of information about Nikon camera bodies, how they operate, ect. Plus there is also a lot of information about Nikon accessories. But that's just about it.

 

Bjorn Rorslett is the best source for reviews of Nikkor optics.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"Bjorn Rorslett is the best source for reviews of

Nikkor optics." --EB<br>

</em><br>

Here is the link...<br>

<br>

<a href="http://www.naturfotograf.com" target="_new"><u>http://www.naturfotograf.com</u></a>

<br>

<br>

Look for "Lenses" on the left.<br>

<br>

BTW Im not paid for dropping these links but I should be!<br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave.

[lee hamiel]

Eric:

 

I also agree that Bjorn Rorslett is the best reviewer.

 

However - the original question asked for hard to find reviews on the 400mm F2.8 ED AI-S and Bjorn Rorslett does not review this specific lens.

 

I looked all over for reviews & the Moose Peterson book & MIR website were the only sources I could find.

[ShunCheung]

Concerning Moose's book, it is very difficult to find even one Nikkor lens that he doesn't describe as fantastic, wonderful, or excellent, etc. Therefore, I have no doubt that he has a positive review on the 400mm/f2.8 AI-S. Whether you find those reviews useful or not is another matter. Personally, I find reviews that specify both pros and cons far more useful.

[david_h._hartman]

Sorry, I thought Bjørn reviewed that lens. I can�t find any reviews of the 400/2.8 ED-IF AIS.

 

I agree with Shun, Moose's likes everything Nikkor. You read the book to get a warm and fuzzy feeling about every Nikkor you own.

[lee hamiel]

I agree that Moose tends to wax poetic about most Nikon/Nikkor equipment.

 

However - I have to agree with every lens profile he's ever given in his books.

 

Furthermore - he will also state his opinions regardless of the newest versions of lenses. For example - for the 180 f/2.8 EDIF AIS or the 300 f/4.5 EDIF he points out that although they are great lenses the previous non-ED versions were probably using ED glass & are a better value. I still ended up getting the ED versions because I got a good deal on them. He will also point out the plastic or the pro finishes & the feel.

 

Granted - he writes Nikon books & has a vested interest in their performance ratings. But - he is a great source of information and all of the subtle details. I also feel that if he were not satisfied he would jump ship & write about Hasselblads or ... . I also enjoy Bjorn's reviews and tend to average everyone's opinions regarding equipment. You have to go through them all - Ken Rockwell's & the others as well to see who's used & rated certain lenses.

 

I searched long & hard before plunking down the funds for the 400 & he had one of the only reviews. And he was dead on in that it's a sweet lens along with being tack sharp wide open.

 

I simply trust his comments and he's never let me down whether it's bodies or lenses.

 

Lastly - the guy shoots great stuff - end of story.

[ebogaerts]

Wow - looking back I didn't expect a response to my comments.

 

Yes I have seen Moose's photography & it is very good.

 

Part of what bothers me about Moose's Nikon Handbook and his lens information centers along the lines of his recommendation that the 55mm or 50mm (forget which one) f/1.2 lens can be shot wide open with *no* loss in image quality. It's not just that piece of "advice" in particular, there are other examples. That just happens to be the most blatant.

 

I'm sorry, that's just flat out crosses the line into what I feel is sheer mis-information.

 

It's nice having a handbook that provides technical information about lenses (i.e. weight, aperture range, number of lens elements) like Moose's book, but the "reviews" are mostly pure fluff.