Nikon Discontinues a Popular Telephoto Lens

Nikon has created some iconic lenses during its DSLR range. Options such as Nikkor 40mm f2.8G, 85mm f1.4G, and 180-400mm f4E TC1.4 FL ED VR showcase the company’s innovation and commitment to performance. With the company now moving to mirrorless, they are trying to recreate the same magic as they did in the DSLR age. However, it has come to our attention that the company has recently discontinued one of its telephoto lenses. Here’s a look.

According to Asobinet, the company has discontinued Nikon’s AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR. The lens is ideal for travel photography, especially those who work with more than one genre. The publication states that per MAP Camera, and other retail stores across Japan, the lens have been discountined.

While this is only happening in Japan, the chances of it gradually discontinuing in other parts of the world are. At the moment, the Nikon 80-400mm is available in the US on the companies official website. So, if you wish to grab it, it is a good time to go.

For the unituated, the 80-400mm was originally launched in 2013. It has a close focusing distance of 1.75m, magnification of 0.2x, and a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:5. It has a 77mm filter thread, 9 aperture blades, and weighs 1.59 kg. As we had said in the past, “Not only is it compact and offering an extremely fast aperture range for the zooming power that it is, but it is light, sharp, and focuses extremely fast. Granted, it’s not cheap–but if you’re in the market for a killer superzoom lens, then this is the one to spring for. Wildlife photographers, sports photographers, and adventure photographers can surely utilize this lens to the max.”

Considering Nikon is going completely mirrorless, it makes sense that they are gradually discontinuing DSLR lenses. In fact, to make things easy for Z series users, the company has launched the Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, which carries on the legacy. As we said in our review, “The portability and semi-palatable price point make the Nikon Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 a solid choice for many wildlife and action photographers. While there’s less bokeh than the Z 400mm f4.5 or the 400mm f2.8, the lens is easy to shoot handheld, and it fits in a typical camera bag. Image quality is excellent with great sharpness and color.” There is also the Tamron 50-400mm f.5-6.3, which is another excellent option.

The company has discontinued many DSRL lenses, and it seems that they will continue to do so. While these lenses are available on eBay, many photographers are moving to the mirrorless segment. And so, if the company is focusing on its future, that’s pretty great, too.