The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM and the Nikon 300mm f4E PF 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. Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 233mm. The Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR with a length of 148mm, is 85mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 128mm compared to the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR's 89mm 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. Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR weighs 750g, 64% (1350g) lighter than the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM's weight of 2100g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon 300mm f4E PF 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 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
640mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450mm.
