The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR and the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM 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 AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 203mm. The Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM with a length of 85mm, is 118mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM's 72mm 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. Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM weighs 305g, 78% (1125g) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR's weight of 1430g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM has the Sony Alpha 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 Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR 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.
On the other hand, the Sony DT 55-200mm F4-5.6 SAM has a focal range of 55-200mm and 3.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 82.5-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
