Photography Life

PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels

  • Lens Reviews
  • Camera Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • Compare Cameras
  • Forum
    • Sign Up
    • Login
  • About
  • Search
Home โ†’ Reviews โ†’ Cameras and Lenses โ†’ Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Review

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Review

By Nasim Mansurov 33 Comments
Last Updated On January 26, 2024

«»

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E VR vs Nikon 200-400mm f/4G VR II

First, we will take a look at how the lens compares to its predecessor at the same focal lengths:

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 200mm

Nikon 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II MTF Performance 200mm

At 200mm, the new Nikon 180-400mm f/4E looks noticeably sharper compared to its predecessor, especially wide open. Note differences in corner performance as well, with the 180-400mm looking much better at all apertures.

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 300mm

Nikon 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II MTF Performance 300mm

Zoomed in to 300mm, the performance differences are there, but only wide open. Stopped down to f/5.6, the Nikon 200-400mm f/4G shows excellent sharpness that almost matches the sharpness of the 180-400mm f/4E lens. The only area where the 200-400mm f/4G cannot truly catch up is the corner sharpness.

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 400mm

Nikon 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II MTF Performance 400mm

Lastly, at 400mm, the Nikon 180-400mm f/4E once again shows better wide-open performance. However, the two lenses are nearly identical in center sharpness when stopped down to f/5.6. It is important to note that while the sharpness of the 200-400mm f/4G looks impressive, all images captured at maximum aperture (f/4) show visibly reduced contrast compared to f/5.6. The Nikon 180-400mm f/4E does not show the same problem – its contrast is very high, even at maximum aperture.

How do these lenses compare when using the 1.4x teleconverter?

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 560mm

Nikon 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II MTF Performance 560mm

Interestingly, my sample of the 200-400mm f/4G lens showed very similar performance degradation with the Nikon TC-14E III, as the Nikon 180-400mm f/4E lens did with its built-in teleconverter. I expected the sharpness difference to be bigger. Although I probably ended up with a very good copy of the TC-14E III that coupled extremely well with the 200-400mm lens, field use showed a different story in terms of autofocus performance. The inferior autofocus motor of the 200-400mm f/4G coupled with a full stop of light with the TC resulted in AF accuracy issues, whereas the 180-400mm did not seem to suffer as much in comparison.

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E VR vs Nikon 400mm f/2.8E VR

Let’s take a look at how the Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR compares to the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens at 400mm:

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 400mm

Nikon 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR MTF Performance

As expected, the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E VR is a significantly sharper lens when it is stopped down to f/4. Wide-open, both lenses are quite similar, but look at the difference at f/4 and f/5.6 apertures – it is a night and day difference in center sharpness.

Here are both lenses when using them with 1.4x teleconverters:

Nikon 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR MTF Performance 560mm

Nikon 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR 560mm MTF Performance

The differences are pretty clear – the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E VR is a much better candidate to shoot with when coupled with the 1.4x teleconverter. It is significantly sharper wide open, and even better when stopped down to f/5.6.

A similar sharpness comparison can be made with other Nikon super-telephoto primes like the 500mm f/4E FL ED VR or the 600mm f/4E FL ED VR, both of which offer better sharpness at all apertures and when used in combination with the TC-14E III teleconverter.

While it is expected that such prime lenses as the Nikon 400mm f/2.8E VR and 500mm f/4E VR are going to easily beat the 180-400mm f/4E VR zoom in sharpness, let’s not forget about the differences in versatility – the primes obviously cannot offer shorter focal lengths, so their use can be limiting in some situations.

As I have already pointed out earlier, there is always going to be a trade-off between versatility and sharpness when choosing between super-telephoto primes and zooms like the 180-400mm f/4E. So choose lenses according to your needs.

Table of Contents

  • Overview
  • Optical Features
  • Lens Comparisions
  • Summary
  • More Image Samples
  • Reader Comments
«»
Looking for even more exclusive content?

On Photography Life, you already get world-class articles with no advertising every day for free. As a Member, you'll get even more:

Silver ($5/mo)
  • Exclusive articles
  • Monthly Q&A chat
  • Early lens test results
  • "Creative Landscape Photography" eBook
Gold ($12/mo)
  • All that, PLUS:
  • Online workshops
  • Monthly photo critiques
  • Vote on our next lens reviews
 
Click Here to Join Today
 
Disclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support Options

Learn

  • Beginner Photography
  • Landscape Photography
  • Wildlife Photography
  • Portraiture
  • Post-Processing
  • Advanced Tutorials
Photography Life on Patreon

Reviews

  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews
  • Best Cameras and Lenses

Photography Tutorials

Photography Basics
Landscape Photography
Wildlife Photography
Macro Photography
Composition & Creativity
Black & White Photography
Night Sky Photography
Portrait Photography
Street Photography
Photography Videos

Unique Gift Ideas

Best Gifts for Photographers

Site Menu

  • About Us
  • Beginner Photography
  • Lens Database
  • Lens Index
  • Photo Spots
  • Search
  • Forum

Reviews

  • Reviews Archive
  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews

More

  • Contact Us
  • Workshops
  • Support Us
  • Submit Content

Copyright © 2025 ยท Photography Life

You are going to send email to

Move Comment