Nikon AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4 E FL ED VR Review

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4 E FL ED VR Performance

Sharpness is excellent, especially in the centre of the frame. All apertures from f/4 to f/16 show excellent sharpness at the centre, remaining good even at f/22, although that smallest aperture is clearly not the best option unless depth of field is the major requirement. This makes the widest aperture totally usable, which is very useful where higher shutter speeds are required.

The edges reach a very good standard of sharpness from the start, rising to excellent at f/11 and f/16 before diffraction takes its toll and we drop to good levels at f/22.

All of this would be in vain if camera shake were to take the edge off the sharpness, but fortunately, the VR system is highly efficient. Shutter speeds are possible that would have been unthinkable before the technology was available. At least four stops advantage from the conventional wisdom is very realistic, meaning a shutter speed of not 1/600 sec but perhaps even 1/30 sec is a reasonable expectation. This is fine for still subjects, but with moving ones a high shutter speed will still be needed to arrest movement.

MTF
 

How to read our charts

The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. 

The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution as LW/PH and is described in detail above. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. 

For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon D750 using Imatest.

Technically, the lens is free from flare and distortion. Imatest measured just +0.356% of barrel distortion. CA (chromatic aberration) levels were extremely low and not visible in even quite demanding shots. This is very superior to long telephoto lenses of the past, which tended to suffer from CA.

CA
 

How to read our charts

Chromatic aberration is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.

Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.

For this review, the lens was tested on a Nikon D750 using Imatest.

The Nikkor 600mm f/4 E FL ED VR lens delivers very sharp images, with beautiful, smooth bokeh. This is reinforced by the total absence of flare, which is hardly surprising given the enormous lens hood provided. In all the shots out in the field flare could not be induced and images were full of contrast and sharpness regardless of the direction of the light. Pictorially, a very satisfactory optic.

Value For Money

At £9650 this lens will be beyond the price bracket of many of us. VFM becomes a moot point in some ways as professional sports and wildlife photographers will simply seek the best tool for the job, and arguably this is it. There will be some amateurs who can also afford this, and if they do so they will have a very special optic in its own field. Canon users have their own equivalent, the EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM at £8895.

Alternatives abound if it's the focal length that is the requirement and Sigma offer two versions of their 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG HSM OS lens, one in the contemporary range at £739 and one in the sports range at £1199. The Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD is priced at £749.

Sigma also offer two prime lenses, the 500mm f/4.5 APO EX DG HSM (£3599) and the 800mm f/5.6 APO EX DG HSM (£4299) although none of these match the fast f/4 aperture of the Nikon.

Looking at smaller formats, the MFT users have two very fine Olympus lenses that offer the same field of view as the Nikkor 600mm. The 300mm f/4 IS PRO is as bright and priced at just £2199. The older 300mm f/2.8 is actually a faster lens again, priced at £5689. For more options have a look at to Top 5 Best Nikon Lenses of 2015.

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