Contrary to popular belief, a super telephoto does not have to be a massive lens, proven here with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR. Taking exceptionally long reach and giving it a hand-holdable form factor, this 500mm prime utilizes a unique Phase Fresnel element to greatly reduce the size and weight compared to previous versions of the focal length. This PF element, along with three extra-low dispersion elements, also helps to virtually eliminate color fringing and chromatic aberrations in order to achieve a high degree of clarity, sharpness, and color fidelity. Complementing this advanced optical design, individual elements also feature both Nano Crystal and Super Integrated Coatings to suppress flare and ghosting, as well as a protective fluorine coating to guard the optical system from dust and moisture.

Benefitting the optical design, this telephoto features a Silent Wave Motor AF system that produces fast, near-silent focusing performance to suit both stills shooting and movie recording, and which can instantly be manually overridden by simply turning the focus ring. Further contributing to photographing in fast-paced situations and difficult lighting, VR (Vibration Reduction) image stabilization compensates for the effects of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting. Additionally, an electromagnetic aperture mechanism is integrated into the lens design to provide greater exposure control stability that is especially beneficial when working with faster continuous shooting rates.