The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 1200mm F8L and the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR 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 RF 1200mm F8L is the longer of the two lenses at 537mm. The Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR with a length of 304mm, is 233mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 1200mm F8L also has a larger diameter of 168mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR's 128mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon RF 1200mm F8L and Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Canon RF 1200mm F8L and the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR Size and Weight 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 AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR weighs 3250g, 2% (90g) lighter than the Canon RF 1200mm F8L's weight of 3340g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 1200mm F8L has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR has a 112mm 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 RF 1200mm F8L:
And these are the 112mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 1200mm F8L has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount . Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R6 V , Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount and Nikon D6 , Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF 1200mm F8L is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 1200mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
1920mm .
On the other hand, the Nikon AF-S 120-300mm F2.8E FL ED SR VR has a focal range of 120-300mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 180 - 450mm .
