This Nikon 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens review is by Con Foley:
In March 2013 Nikon started shipping the AF-S 80-400VR lens, and I quickly got a copy and did a brief review.
I got the 80-400VR because it allowed me to do some wildlife photography I couldn’t do before, handheld and more spontaneous than tripod mounted photography. And it has really been an excellent lens, sharp & durable. I have really given it a workout, with around half of all the wildlife photos over the past two years taken on this lens. The other half on my staple tripod mounted 600VR.
And then in July 2015, Nikon started shipping the new AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4E FL ED VR; and again I quickly picked up an early unit.