The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM and the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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. Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM is the longer of the two lenses at 352mm. The Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR with a length of 237mm, is 115mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM also has a larger diameter of 102mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 61mm 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. Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM weighs 1260g, which means it is 200g (13%) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR which has a weight of 1460g.
Filter Threads
Both the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM and the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR have the same Filter thread size of 95mm.
Below are links to the 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R100, Canon R8 and Canon R50 for the Canon RF Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 800mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
1280mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 750mm.