The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S and the Nikon 300mm f4E PF 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 400mm F4.5 VR S is the longer of the two lenses at 235mm. The Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR with a length of 148mm, is 87mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S also has a larger diameter of 104mm compared to the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR's 89mm 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 300mm f4E PF VR weighs 750g, 39% (495g) lighter than the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S's weight of 1245g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR 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 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
600mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450mm.
