The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR with a length of 237mm, is 129mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II also has a larger diameter of 124mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 106mm 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR weighs 1460g, which means it is 1900g (56%) lighter than the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II which has a weight of 3360g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a filter size of 95mm 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 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Nikon 200-400mm f4G ED VR 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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 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.
