The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S and the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED 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 Z 600mm F4 TC VR S is the longer of the two lenses at 437mm. The Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR with a length of 237mm, is 200mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S also has a larger diameter of 165mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 106mm 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR weighs 1460g, 55% (1800g) lighter than the Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S's weight of 3260g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR has a 95mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S:
And these are the 95mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Z 600mm F4 TC VR S has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED 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 Z 600mm F4 TC VR S is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 600mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
900mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR 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.
