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 Nikon 200-400mm f4G 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 200-400mm f4G ED VR II is the longer of the two lenses at 366mm. The Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR with a length of 123mm, is 243mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II also has a larger diameter of 124mm compared to the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR's 77mm 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 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR weighs 530g, which means it is 2830g (84%) lighter than the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II which has a weight of 3360g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 200-400mm f4G 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 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 55-300mm and
5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II has a focal range of 200-400mm and 2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 600mm.
