The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR and the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF 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 500mm f4D ED-IF II is the longer of the two lenses at 394mm. The Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR with a length of 148mm, is 246mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR's 89mm 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 300mm f4E PF VR weighs 750g, which means it is 3050g (80%) lighter than the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II which has a weight of 3800g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II has a 52mm 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 300mm f4E PF VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR and the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II 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 300mm f4E PF VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
450mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II 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.