The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S and the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 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 800mm F6.3 VR S is the longer of the two lenses at 385mm. The Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR with a length of 222mm, is 163mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR's 98mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S and Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR 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 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR weighs 1355g, 43% (1030g) lighter than the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S's weight of 2385g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 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 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S and the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR 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 Z 800mm F6.3 VR S is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 800mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 150 - 600mm.