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 85mm f1.8G for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 237mm. The Nikon 85mm f1.8G with a length of 73mm, is 164mm shorter. On the other hand, the Nikon 85mm f1.8G has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 61mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Nikon 85mm f1.8G weighs 350g, 76% (1110g) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's weight of 1460g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Nikon 85mm f1.8G 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.
Nikon 85mm f1.8G is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.