The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED and the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 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. Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED is the longer of the two lenses at 79mm. The Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 with a length of 42mm, is 37mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED also has a larger diameter of 68mm compared to the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6's 58mm 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 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 weighs 115g, 54% (140g) lighter than the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED's weight of 255g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 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 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED:
And these are the 41mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 has the Nikon 1 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 1 J5, Nikon 1 S2 and Nikon 1 J4 for the Nikon 1 Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED has a focal range of 55-200mm and
3.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 1 VR 10-30mm f3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 10-30mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-81mm when used on a 1" format camera.