The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR and the Nikon 500mm f4D ED-IF II 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 500mm f4D ED-IF II is the longer of the two lenses at 394mm. The Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR with a length of 391mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 140mm.
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 500mm f4D ED-IF II weighs 3800g, 2% (80g) lighter than the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR's weight of 3880g.
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 500mm f4G ED VR and the Nikon 500mm f4D 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
Both lenses have the same focal range of 500mm and the fastest aperture of F4.0.