The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II and the Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 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 f4D ED-IF II is the longer of the two lenses at 394mm. The Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 II with a length of 208mm, is 186mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 II's 90mm 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 Z 70-200 F2.8 II weighs 1180g, 68% (2620g) lighter than the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II's weight of 3800g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 II 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 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 II:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Nikon Z 70-200 F2.8 II has the Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II 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 Z 70-200 F2.8 II has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.
