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 VR and the Nikon 200mm f2G ED VR 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 200mm f2G ED VR II is the longer of the two lenses at 204mm. The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR with a length of 100mm, is 104mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200mm f2G ED VR II also has a larger diameter of 124mm compared to the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR's 73mm 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 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR weighs 335g, which means it is 2595g (88%) lighter than the Nikon 200mm f2G ED VR II which has a weight of 2930g.
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR and the Nikon 200mm f2G ED VR II have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 200mm f2G ED VR II 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 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR 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 200mm f2G ED VR II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 200mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300mm.
