5 ED elements... so looks like an optical redesign.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens 2208 B&H Photo
The MTF (tele) actually looks pretty decent for a zoom like this. The wide end isn't that much worse. There are
a lot of surfaces in there, so overall contrast will never be close to a prime.
Agree, but the price is insane :
Sigma 120-400mm f4.5~5.6 OS : US$ 949
Canon 100-400mm f4.5~5.6 IS : US$ 1499
Old Nikon 80-400mm f4.5~5.6 VR : US$ 1698 (now in rebate)
Nikon 80-400mm f4.5~5.6 VR : US$ 2697
Nikon 20E-II+70-200 f5.6 VR : US$ 2865
So the price of the very old design Nikon was already brutal, now is insane.
The other disappointing part is that I was hoping that Nikon was about to move to "modern" lens design with the inclusion of fluorite elements. Fluorite leads, as seen on the 800mm f5.6 VR, to extraordinary optical quality, light weight and more compact lenses.
Tamron is producing some excellent optics recently. The 24-70 f2.8 VC is competitive with Nikon's. Clearly it's not a match for the new Canon, but it's good.
Brand lenses still have advantages, more in this word of fine tuning, mixed bag production quality and digital corrections, but this lens, for me it better be an extraordinary performer.
Best regards,
J. Duncan
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* All prices taken from B&H