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 Z 20mm F1.8 S 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 Z 20mm F1.8 S with a length of 109mm, is 126mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S also has a larger diameter of 104mm compared to the Nikon Z 20mm F1.8 S's 85mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S and Nikon Z 20mm F1.8 S to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 20mm F1.8 S weighs 505g, 59% (740g) 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 Z 20mm F1.8 S 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 Z 20mm F1.8 S:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 400mm F4.5 VR S and the Nikon Z 20mm F1.8 S has the same Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Z lenses are Nikon Zf, Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z30.
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 Z 20mm F1.8 S is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 20mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 30mm.