The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D 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 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 358mm. The Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR with a length of 171mm, is 187mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR also has a larger diameter of 160mm compared to the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR's 91mm 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 f4.5-5.6D ED VR weighs 1340g, 64% (2460g) lighter than the Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR's weight of 3800g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR has a filter size of 41mm whereas the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D 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 41mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D 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 400mm f2.8E FL ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
600mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D 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.
