The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM and the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II 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 200-400mm f4G ED VR II is the longer of the two lenses at 366mm. The Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM with a length of 349mm, is 17mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM has a larger diameter of 163mm compared to the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II's 124mm 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 200-400mm f4G ED VR II weighs 3360g, 37% (2010g) lighter than the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM's weight of 5370g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM and the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon 400mm f2.8L IS USM has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II 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 f2.8L IS 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 200-400mm f4G ED VR II has a focal range of 200-400mm and 2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 600mm.
