The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR and the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G 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 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 171mm. The Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G with a length of 117mm, is 54mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR also has a larger diameter of 91mm compared to the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G's 74mm 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 70-300mm f4-5.6G weighs 425g, 68% (915g) lighter than the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR's weight of 1340g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR and the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Focal Range
Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR has a focal range of 80-400mm and
5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
120 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 70-300mm f4-5.6G has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.