The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 and the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D 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. Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 318mm. The Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR with a length of 171mm, is 147mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 112mm compared to the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR's 91mm 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 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR weighs 1340g, 36% (775g) lighter than the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3's weight of 2115g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED 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 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Focal Range
Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has a focal range of 200-600mm 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
300 - 900mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR has a focal range of 80-400mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 120 - 600mm.
