The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 203mm. The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 with a length of 137mm, is 66mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 96mm compared to the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6's 79mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 weighs 1020g, which means it is 550g (35%) lighter than the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR which has a weight of 1570g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
80-400mm and the fastest aperture of
F4.5 - F5.6.