The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR and the Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR 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 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 123mm. The Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR with a length of 112mm, is 11mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR's 71mm 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. Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR weighs 466g, 12% (64g) lighter than the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR's weight of 530g.
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR and the Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR have the same Filter thread size of 58mm.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR has the Pentax KAF2 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 , and for the Pentax KAF2 Mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
55-300mm but while Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the fastest aperture of
F4.5 - F5.6, the Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR's widest aperture value is
F4.0 - F5.8.
