The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Nikon 500mm f4G 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 500mm f4G ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 391mm. The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD with a length of 199mm, is 192mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD's 86mm 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. Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD weighs 1135g, which means it is 2745g (70%) lighter than the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR which has a weight of 3880g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Nikon 500mm f4G ED VR has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is also available in the Canon EF mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD 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.
On the other hand, the Nikon 500mm f4G 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.
