Specifications#
Equivalent focal length on different cameras#
Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).
| Camera format | At 400 mm | Equiv. aperture (DoF) |
|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 400 mm · 6° | f/3.5 |
| APS-C | 600 mm · 4° | f/5.2 |
| APS-C (Canon) | 640 mm · 4° | f/5.6 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 800 mm · 3° | f/7.0 |
Depth of field & background blur#
Computed on its native Full frame format (CoC 30 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index. Full table: 400 mm f/4 on full frame.
| Focal | Aperture | at 1 m | at 2 m | at 5 m | at 10 m | Hyperfocal | Blur @2 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 mm | f/3.5 | 0.1 cm | 0.4 cm | 3.0 cm | 12.6 cm | 1.5 km | 79.4% |
| 400 mm | f/4 | 0.1 cm | 0.5 cm | 3.5 cm | 14.4 cm | 1.3 km | 69.4% |
| 400 mm | f/8 | 0.2 cm | 1.0 cm | 6.9 cm | 28.8 cm | 667 m | 34.7% |
Handheld & night-sky limits#
NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).
| Body | Min. handheld shutter (longest focal) | 500 rule at 400 mm | NPF at 400 mm, f/3.5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1/400 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| APS-C | 1/640 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| APS-C (Canon) | 1/640 s | 1 s | 1 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 1/800 s | 1 s | 1 s |
Compatible cameras#
Bodies in our database with a native Nikon F mount.
- Nikon D6 2020
- Nikon D780 2020
- Nikon D3500 2018
- Nikon D7500 2017
- Nikon D850 2017
- Nikon D5600 2016
- Nikon D3400 2016
- Nikon D500 2016
- Nikon D5 2016
- Nikon D5500 2015
- Nikon D7200 2015
- Nikon D4S 2014
- Nikon D750 2014
- Nikon D810 2014
- Nikon D3300 2014
- Nikon D7100 2013
- Nikon D5300 2013
- Nikon D610 2013
- Nikon Df 2013
- Nikon D3200 2012
- Nikon D4 2012
- Nikon D5200 2012
- Nikon D600 2012
- Nikon D800 2012
- Nikon D5100 2011
- Nikon D7000 2010
- Nikon D3100 2010
- Nikon D3000 2009
- Nikon D300S 2009
- Nikon D3S 2009
- Nikon D5000 2009
- Nikon D60 2008
- Nikon D3X 2008
- Nikon D700 2008
- Nikon D90 2008
- Nikon D3 2007
- Nikon D300 2007
- Nikon D40x 2007
- Nikon D40 2006
- Nikon D80 2006
Adapt it to other systems#
Similar lenses#
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 400mm f/2.8G ED VR f/2.8
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/4G ED VR f/4
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR f/5.6
- Nikon Nikkor AI-S 500mm f/8 Reflex f/8
- Tokina 500mm f/8 RMC Mirror Lens f/8
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR f/4
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 600mm f/4G ED VR f/4
- Nikon Nikkor AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR f/5.6
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 400mm f/3.5 full frame?
Yes — it covers the full 36 × 24 mm frame.
What is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 400mm f/3.5 equivalent to on APS-C?
On a 1.5× APS-C body it frames like 600 mm, and like 640 mm on Canon APS-C.
What is the Nikon Nikkor AI-S 400mm f/3.5 good for?
As a super-telephoto prime it suits birds, wildlife and field sports from a distance.
Sources & licences#
- Lensfun lens database — CC BY-SA 3.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources