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 200-500mm F5.6E 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR with a length of 237mm, is 31mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR also has a larger diameter of 108mm 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 840g (36%) lighter than the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR which has a weight of 2300g.
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR have the same Filter thread size of 95mm.
Below are links to the 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E 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 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 200-500mm 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.
