Author Topic: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced  (Read 32149 times)

MFloyd

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #105 on: March 22, 2018, 15:01:10 »
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Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #106 on: March 22, 2018, 15:23:14 »
Photozone's FX Nikon lens tests are all done with the D3X, as far as I know. So they're comparable with each other but may not show the differences between top performers as well as a 45MP camera might. I quite like their tests actually. My main issue with photozone is that they measure at a single distance only. By contrast, Lenstip uses a number of distances for their tests and average the results.  Lensrentals test at infinity focus but test multiple samples. So by combining the information from multiple sources one can get a more comprehensive picture.

The D850 180-400 ephotozine test shows a notable drop in sharpness at 400mm, so this was perhaps a bit unexpected, but tests at multiple distances are needed to confirm if this is an issue specific to the test distance (it might also be an error in the testing or a peculiarity of the test unit). Stopping down to f/5.6 appears to improve 400mm results a bit.  The built in TC by contrast seems to cause very little further drop in sharpness and CA is very low. It seems 400mm is not the sweet spot of the lens, and that one should engage the TC whenever needed rather than stop at 400mm and crop.

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #107 on: March 22, 2018, 15:28:45 »
And DxO entered into receivership.

http://entreprises.lefigaro.fr/dxo-labs-92/entreprise-444777577

But isn't it so that DxO Labs is the company that make the software whereas DxOMark is the test site and they were separated into two companies

https://www.thephoblographer.com/2018/01/11/dxomark-and-dxo-labs-split/

so this would suggest the software company is in financial difficulties, and not the company running the sensor and lens test site? Or both?

MFloyd

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #108 on: March 22, 2018, 17:31:51 »
You are right. But I wonder if this split will be acceptable in a court case. Cooking the books and putting all rotten assets into one entity, while preserving the « good apples » in another one, might give rise to many questions. If it’s proven to be true.

https://www.taj.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Cibles-en-RJ-12-mars-2018.pdf
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Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #109 on: March 22, 2018, 17:51:59 »

IMO the DxO software is the good bit and the test site is just entertainment. Of course, entertainment sells, but ...

JKoerner007

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #110 on: March 22, 2018, 19:53:06 »
Steve Perry already has his video up:

https://backcountrygallery.com/nikon-180-400mm-first-test-and-sharpness-comparison

Appears to be balanced and unbiased ... but a little quickly-done.

He briefly touches on the contrast, but I thought the 180-400 f/4 blew all the other lenses away in micro-contrast and 'pop' to its rendering of the colors on the map test.

Only the 600mm compared, barely, though the 600 f/4 was much sharper in the corners.
(The 180-400 was sharper than all the others zooms in the corners, by a wide margin, but was not as sharp as the 300 f/4 PF in the corners.)

Interestingly, the 300 f/4 PF was slightly superior, sharpness-wise, @ 300 (naturally), but the 300 FP was also equivalent sharpness-wise @ ~420 with a TC, compared to the 180-400 @ 400.
To me, what this test really showed was the value of the 300 f/4 PF ... especially for the price and with the manageable weight factored-in.
Still, the color-rendering and micro-contrast of the 180-400 was considerably better.

Edit: My takeaway, aside from splitting hairs on sharpness, if you click on each of the provided images, and zoom-in full-size, was how superb the 180-400 was in its micro-contrast & colors, as well as an utter lack of CA on the letters.

chambeshi

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #111 on: April 10, 2018, 09:07:21 »
Brad Hill just announced he's begun comparative testing of the 180-400 f4E TC.

http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html

This promises to be interesting. The results etc will be posted here http://www.naturalart.ca/artist/fieldtests/

antonoat

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #112 on: April 11, 2018, 22:44:18 »
Hi guys, this may be of interest.
Morten Hilmer(Danish wildlife photographer) has just received this lens to play with from Nikon, here is the link to his youtube channel so you can watch his findings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gqAkq5IiPU&t=46s

cheers
tony.
Tony Oaten

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chambeshi

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #114 on: May 21, 2018, 17:26:33 »

chambeshi

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #115 on: June 23, 2018, 12:44:46 »
First field tests of the 180-400 TC by Brad Hill. Mostly shot on the D5 in what he describes as challenging conditions on the NW Pacific coast

http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html#180-400_ShootKhutz

I faced the hard choice between this new zoom or the tried & tested 400 f2.8E FL. The short answer is I have a 400 f2.8E after 3+ years wait and planning! The latter's excellence on all fronts is v well known: not to overlook the MFD of 2.6m. Plus this fast 400 prime has the flexibility to extend to not only a 560 f4, but to 680 f4.8 and 800 f5.6 for subjects such as small birds. Coupling with a TC1.4E to 560 f4 exhibits remarkably sharp acuity and rendering edge to edge on the D850. Albeit, the 400 f2.8E is over 700g heavier than the 500 f4E FL.

Nevertheless, it is likely many will find this 180-400 the ideal solution for shooting sports and wildlife. Trying out the lens indoors earlier this year, I found the accessible built-in bespoke TC14 of the 180-400 is just superb. It will be interesting to see if any future Nikkors will have an integral TC. But, phew, the prices of these exotics do smack the wallet really hard!

chambeshi

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #116 on: June 30, 2018, 15:00:22 »
Latest report (No 3) by Brad Hill comparing the 180-400 f4E TC against Sigma 500mm f/4 Sport and Sigma 150-600mm Sport. His interesting result places the 180-400 with TC Engaged on parity with the 500mm f4 Sport. An impressive result, given that his previous comparisons of the best available Nikon-fit primes at 500mm (500 f4E Nikkor and Sigma Sport) placed them at parity.

http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html#Optical500

Brad Hill's next installment promises to report on optical performance of this new 180-400 Nikkor at 400mm - a 4-way comparison "between the Nikkor 180-400mm vs. the Nikkor 400mm f2.8E vs. the Nikkor 200-400mm f4 vs. the Sigma Sport 150-600mm f5-6.3."

I would be as interested, if not more, to see how the 180-400 compares with & without its bespoke TC at 400, given the 400 f2.8E Nikkor sets a formidable standard in optics and AF performance :-)

MFloyd

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #117 on: September 08, 2020, 13:09:17 »
Nikon Switzerland put a 180-400 mm at my disposal; main purpose photographing the oncoming 24h of Le Mans with this lens and the D6.

I just received the beast by post, this morning:


IMG_2990.jpg
here mounted with the D5.

This afternoon, lens calibration i.e. 4 calibrations, 180; 400; 252; and 560 mm; times 3: D6, D5 and D850.
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Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #118 on: September 08, 2020, 15:22:25 »
Nikon Switzerland put a 180-400 mm at my disposal; main purpose photographing the oncoming 24h of Le Mans with this lens and the D6.

Did you notice D6 FW 1.1 is now available for download? They mention fixing the following issue in the previous FW: "The AF fine-tuning options item could be used to store only one set of fine-tuning values for AF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lenses: users could store either values for use with the built-in teleconverter or values for use without, but not both."

Erik Lund

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Re: Nikon AF-S 180-400mm f/4 announced
« Reply #119 on: September 08, 2020, 23:05:09 »
Very nice of them! I like the lens hood design ;)


Do enjoy! Hope you get some good locations where it makes sense
Erik Lund