Sharpness at 300mm

The sharpness tests for this review were carried out using a real-world subject rather than a test chart. The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens was attached to a Nikon D850 camera body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. We also used a release cable and mirror lock-up to prevent any blurring that may result from camera or mirror movement.

The full frame at 300mm

Centre sharpness is very good at f/4, and reaches outstanding levels at f/8. The edges are very slightly blurred at f/4 but sharpen up nicely upon stopping down to f/5.6, and peak sharpness is again achieved at f/8.

Aperture	Centre Crop	Edge Crop
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
f/22
f/32