NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S

Reviewers rank it with the best super-telephotos on any system. It is sharp across the frame at f/2.8, colour fringing is negligible, and the built-in converter costs very little resolution, far less than an external 1.4x on a comparable lens. Bokeh at f/2.8 is smooth and subject separation is excellent.

Autofocus is described as instant, silent and accurate, and on the Z9 and Z8 tracking is limited by the body rather than the lens. The main objections are the price, which was well above Canon's and Sony's 400mm f/2.8 lenses at launch, and the length when the hood is fitted.

Owners are mostly working sports, wildlife and press photographers, and they tend to call it the best lens they have used. The built-in converter is the feature they mention most, followed by the balance near the mount and the very high keeper rate on Z9 and Z8 bodies.

The complaints are mostly practical: cost, weight on long handheld sessions, and the bulk of the hood and case for air travel. A few owners say they had to learn not to knock the converter lever by accident, and that the memory-recall ring takes some setup.