New Nikon 80-400mm! f/4.5 - 5.6 G ED VR

It’s about time we had a replacement for the Nikon 80-400mm, and this looks like a worthy upgrade. I bought the original one when it came out back in 2001, and I never liked the lens. I sold it due to the atrociously slow autofocus. It is great to see that Nikon is updating this lens, which is a fantastic focal range for those wildlife photographers who don’t want to commit to larger and heavier (and more expensive) lenses. 

Press Release

MELVILLE, N.Y. (March 4, 2013) – Today, Nikon Inc. introduced the AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR, a versatile FX-format telephoto zoom lens designed to provide top-class performance and a long reach for a variety of shooting scenarios. Sporting a long 5x zoom range, the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G is capable of capturing vivid colors with exquisite sharpness, whether shooting stills or HD video. Ideal for sports and nature photography, the addition of the AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR reaffirms Nikon’s commitment to providing a stable of lensing options for all types of photographers.

“Nikon’s next generation of the 80-400mm lens gives advanced photographers yet another top-quality NIKKOR lens to help capture every precise moment with intense detail and exceptional clarity,” said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. “It’s a one lens solution that combines a versatile 5x zoom range, long focal length and core Nikon technologies to help create beautiful stills and HD video.”

High-Performance, High-Power Zoom Nikon’s newest telephoto zoom lens features a versatile 80-400mm focal length (5x zoom equivalent) that offers photographers a high-power FX-format lensing option to help capture stunning stills and HD video. Whether birding or shooting from the stands, the lens is also compatible with DX-format bodies to extend the maximum reach to 120-600mm (35mm equivalent). Additionally, alongside a 1.4x teleconverter, the lens can be expanded to an f/8 aperture to retain compatibility with the AF system on the most recent Nikon D-SLR cameras.

The AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is loaded with essential NIKKOR technologies to help ensure top performance for the advanced photographer, including Vibration Reduction (VR) allowing for up to four stops of image stabilization while Auto tripod detection VR allows for effortless stabilization when mounted on a tripod. The lens sports Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat to prevent ghost and flare, a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) to ensure fast and quiet AF operation, and two focusing modes including M/A (AF with manual override) and M (manual). A new optical formula features 20 elements in 12 groups and includes one Super ED Glass Element and four ED glass elements for maximum clarity in a wide variety of shooting environments.

You can pre-order the lens over at B&H.

Resource Magazine Winter 2013

Resource Magazine has some imagery and text from me in their Winter 2013 issue. It’s a photographers’ travel guide to Botswana, and if you have the time check it out.

Resource Magazine Winter 2013

Photo of the Day - Kolmanskop, Namibia

Sand, Doorways and Golden Light

Kolmanskop, Namibia. September 2012

Phase One DF, IQ160 digital back, 28mm lens, 1.6sec @ f/11, ISO 50

I am only days away from having all of the details planned out for a 2014 trip to Namibia. This trip will be done ‘overland’ style, which means we will take the opportunity to drive the vast country in private Land Cruisers. We will have more flexibility to stop to take photos along the way, as well as an ability to stop at locations that don’t have airstrips nearby. I am very excited to return to Namibia, a country that I have photographed many times since 2006, and my co-leader will be my good friend and talented photographer Joshua Holko. We will limit this trip to only 10 participants, so be thinking if this is something you might be interested in prior to the announcement. We will be in Namibia during the best time of the year for good clouds; late March and early April, and will have the details posted online soon.