Nikon filed a patent application in Japan for a AF-S 100-400mm f/4-5.6G VR ED lens. Here is the lens design:
Rumors about this lens have been floating for a while. At one point it was expected that this lens will be the replacement of the current Nikkor 80-400mm, but later Nikon filed two different designs for new 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 lens (see here and here).
An updated version of 80-400mm or a new 100-400mm are high on my list of expected lenses for 2011.
Details after the break:
