The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 500mm F4E FL ED VR and the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF 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 500mm F4E FL ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 387mm. The Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II with a length of 352mm, is 35mm shorter. On the other hand, the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II has a larger diameter of 160mm compared to the Nikon 500mm F4E FL ED VR's 140mm 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 500mm F4E FL ED VR weighs 3090g, which means it is 1710g (35%) lighter than the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II which has a weight of 4800g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime 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 500mm F4E FL ED VR has a filter size of 40mm whereas the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF 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 40mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 500mm F4E FL ED VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 500mm F4E FL ED VR and the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II 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 500mm F4E FL ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
750mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 400mm f2.8D ED-IF II 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.