Nikon Nikkor VR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED Lens

Pros: Compact, sharp, great economic alternative to 400mm prime lenses, VR
Cons: Relatively slow focusing if compared to the AF-S lenses, as expected.

A very compact zoom for this focal range.
A very good buy. The VR system allows for slow shutter speeds impossible with the typical 400mm lenses.
Very sharp and crispy, contrasty images can be produced from a monopod or handheld.
I use it...

Pros: Decent performance even at 400mm, from 80 to 300 mm, superb.
Cons: A tad heavy, but I kept the tripod mount at home :)

Bought this lens recently although it has been around for quite some time. Someone asked me to wait for the AF-S version which may come out, but then it would probably be too heavy to carry and too expensive to own one. VR takes a second or less to ...

Pros: Reasonable weight for the focal range, VR outstanding, Bokeh amazing, solid build, my favorite, Recommended.
Cons: Your other lenses just won't get much use anymore.

I have been using this lens on my Nikon D70 since I got it 2 months ago, in fact, it's the only lens I've used since I got it. I researched long zooms for months before deciding on this lens. I looked at the Sigma 50-500mm, the Nikon VR 70-200mm AF-S ...

Pros: Great lens. VR works. Use for moving nature photos.
Cons: Price and weight.

I bought this lens right after it became avaible. I used it extensively off my boat for shooting whales. I was pleasantly surprised at the sharpness of the photos, even under adverse rocking conditions. Off the coast of Maine I shot an eagle at full...

Pros: Great quality optics, small and easy handling, great reach and VR.
Cons: Slower optics and focusing, not cheap to buy!

Yes, we expect quality from Nikon and get it here with the 80-400. But there are enough mixed reviews out there from people who just don't know enough to write a proper review, so let's address that first. 1) The 80-400 is NOT FAST GLASS. Instead it ...

Pros: Good overall range and sharpness. VR works as advertised. Aspherical. Causes lens envy amongst friends.
Cons: For the price no real cons. Heavy.

The pros and cons I mention sum it up: This lens is heavy, especially with the tripod collar attached. It is lighter than other 400mm long lenses, however. The zoom is a little stiff; the focus ring is smooth and silky. This lens has an easy way to...

Pros: Acceptable image quality at most apertures, VR works well in most circumstances.
Cons: Small minimum apertures, image quality not great, slow autofocus, minor durability issues, not best value.

Introduction The requirements of a recent assignment sent me looking for something longer than the end of my N ikon AF 80-200mm 2.8D ED zoom lens. The low-end 70-300mm Nikkors have noticeably inferior ...

Pros: Great telephoto range, VR feature works
Cons: Relatively small aperture, slow auto focus, heavy

This is simply a superb lens for daylight sports photography or other telephoto applications. OK, at f/4.5 to 5.6, this is not a lens to shoot night sports with. But neither is it a $5-6,000 lens like Nikon's fixed focus f/2.8 versions. The VR feature makes it easily hand holdable all the way out to the 400mm end of the range. It's auto focus speed is rather slow, but it's accurate. Optical quality is outstanding. I have used this lens for youth sports photography, sun sets and other applications requiring a long lens. If you have a lens limited to 200mm or less, this is the next logical step out to the long end. BTW, a good monopod helps both for shooting and to prop this heavy lens on between shots.

Pros: Small, stabilization works. Low flare
Cons: Slow AF, pictures a little soft at full aperture.

I bought this lens second hand at a photo fair and have tried it with a Nikon D70.
I then compared it with a couple of prime lenses: a 400mm f/5.6 AIS ED and a 300mm f/4 AF both by Nikon.
Both primes were definitely sharper especially on a subject of fine branches against a bright back lit sky.
This zoom had more chromatic aberration too.
I also spent an afternoon wandering around Paris taking pictures with it. The pictures are good, and the image stabilization surely helped.
It's a very compact lens, a bit heavy perhaps for the size, but so what, given the extreme range.
A fair number of other photographers have confirmed that it is quite good, but not bitingly sharp.

It is very well corrected against flare and does have very low distortion for a zoom.
You could use this as a very nice travel zoom, providing you realize that if you want to make commercial quality pictures you should probably look elsewhere.