The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR and the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 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. PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 with a length of 61mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR also has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6's 60mm 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 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 weighs 180g, 61% (291g) lighter than the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR's weight of 471g.
Filter Threads
The PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 has a 41mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR:
And these are the 41mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount whereas the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 has the Nikon 1 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount and Nikon 1 J5, Nikon 1 S2 and Nikon 1 J4 for the Nikon 1 Mount.
Focal Range
PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has a focal range of 55-300mm and
5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 1 VR 30-110mm f3.8-5.6 has a focal range of 30-110mm and 3.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 81-297mm when used on a 1" format camera.
