We've always been fans of Nikon's 300mm f/4. But by far the biggest drawback for most users is its lack of VR. This replacement Nikkor 300mm f/4E lens solves that problem while adding some other features that make it quite compelling.

First things first: The VR is rated at up to 4.5 stops, which means you can shoot this lens hand-held down to a mind-boggling 1/15 sec and not suffer from camera shake. That is pretty crazy.

The next big change with this lens is the "E" in its name. That stands for electronic diaphragm, and is Nikon's first step away from their traditional linkage-operated aperture. The upshot is more accurate shot-to-shot exposure, especially during burst shooting.

Finally, we get to the PF in the name. That stands for "Phase Fresnel", an uber-fancy type of lens element. Unless you're an optical engineer, it's really too nerdy to discuss in detail here. We'll just say this: It kills chromatic aberration (CA) and also allows the lens to be much smaller and lighter, which this lens most certainly is! When it first arrived, we couldn't believe how small and light it is, especially compared to the lens it replaces. Seriously, this thing is tiny for a telephoto.

So there you have it. An awesome replacement with lots of new technology that makes a serious improvement in the affordable telephoto range for Nikon shooters.