Nikon Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR AF-S ED-IF 300mm
A constant f/4 aperture, Vibration Reduction stabilization, and extra-low dispersion glass combine to deliver sharp handheld shots at 300mm, aided by a fast, quiet Silent Wave Motor. Weighing 1438g, this compact super-telephoto stays portable for fieldwork, and its nine-blade rounded diaphragm yields smooth bokeh with instant M/A manual override. Best for wildlife and sports photographers on Nikon F-mount DSLRs who need a lightweight stabilized 300mm prime with high contrast.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong stabilization (95th percentile) 95th
- Strong bokeh (77th percentile) 77th
- Strong optical (75th percentile) 75th
- Strong aperture (65th percentile) 65th
Cons
- Below average build (19th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
Based on 10 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 300 |
| Focal Length Max | 300 |
| Elements | 16 |
| Groups | 10 |
| ED Elements | 1 |
| Coating | Fluorine coating |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/4 |
| Min Aperture | f/4 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
Build
| Mount | Nikon F |
| Format | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 kg / 3.2 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 77 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | AF-S |
| Stabilization | Yes |
| Stabilization Stops | 4.5 |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 1400 |
| Max Magnification | 1:4.2 |
vs Competition
| Spec | Nikon Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR AF-S ED-IF 300mm | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | Viltrox Pro AF 27mm f/1.2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 300mm | 16-300mm | 17-70mm | 12-35mm | 18-135mm | 27mm |
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/3.5 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/3.5 | f/1.2 |
| Mount | Nikon F | Sony E | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E | Sony E |
| Stabilization | true | true | true | true | true | false |
| Weather Sealed | true | true | true | true | false | true |
| Weight (g) | 1440 | 615 | 544 | 306 | 326 | 560 |
| AF Type | AF-S | HLA | RXD | Autofocus | Linear motor | STM |
| Lens Type | telephoto | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | prime |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AF | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | User Sentiment | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikon Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF VR AF-S ED-IF 300mm | 53.8 | 77 | 18.9 | 41.9 | 75.4 | 65.3 | 63.8 | 33.7 | 40.1 | 95.3 |
| Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare | 53.8 | 84.5 | 64.2 | 87.4 | 99.2 | 76.6 | 0 | 99.6 | 81.9 | 99.2 |
| Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Compare | 53.8 | 86.4 | 69.1 | 85.5 | 91.2 | 83.3 | 63.8 | 89.6 | 86.1 | 82.4 |
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 Compare | 53.8 | 81.1 | 85.7 | 50.7 | 86.6 | 83.3 | 63.8 | 80.6 | 86.1 | 96.9 |
| Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Compare | 98 | 74.6 | 73 | 40.3 | 78.7 | 76.6 | 44.7 | 95.8 | 90.2 | 82.4 |
| Viltrox Pro AF 27mm f/1.2 Compare | 86.8 | 98.4 | 67.9 | 38.5 | 82.4 | 98.6 | 91.2 | 33.7 | 90.2 | 36.8 |
Price
Value & Pricing
We started tracking prices for this product on Jun 4, 2026. The chart appears once we have more data.
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
