The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW and the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E 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 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 268mm. The Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW with a length of 242mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR also has a larger diameter of 108mm compared to the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW's 95mm 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. Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW weighs 2000g, which means it is 300g (13%) lighter than the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR which has a weight of 2300g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E 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 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW:
And these are the 95mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount whereas the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW has a focal range of 150-450mm and
3.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
225 - 675mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR has a focal range of 200-500mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 750mm.
