The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR 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 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 268mm. The Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR with a length of 203mm, is 65mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR also has a larger diameter of 108mm compared to the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR's 96mm 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 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR weighs 1570g, 31% (730g) lighter than the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR's weight of 2300g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Focal Range
Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR has a focal range of 200-500mm and
2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
300 - 750mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR has a focal range of 80-400mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 120 - 600mm.