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 400mm F2.8 TC 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 400mm F2.8 TC with a length of 380mm, is 5mm shorter. On the other hand, the Nikon Z 400mm F2.8 TC has a larger diameter of 156mm compared to the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S's 140mm 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 400mm F2.8 TC 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 800mm F6.3 VR S weighs 2385g, which means it is 565g (19%) lighter than the Nikon Z 400mm F2.8 TC which has a weight of 2950g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon Z Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S and the Nikon Z 400mm F2.8 TC have the same Filter thread size of 46mm.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon Z 800mm F6.3 VR S and the Nikon Z 400mm F2.8 TC 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 400mm F2.8 TC 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.