The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR and the Nikon 50mm f1.8D 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 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 85mm. The Nikon 50mm f1.8D with a length of 39mm, is 46mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Nikon 50mm f1.8D's 64mm 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 50mm f1.8D weighs 155g, 68% (330g) lighter than the Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR's weight of 485g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon 50mm f1.8D 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 50mm f1.8D:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 50mm f1.8D has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 16-85mm and
5.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-127.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 50mm f1.8D is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75mm.
