The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD and the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF 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. Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is the longer of the two lenses at 227mm. The Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF with a length of 223mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF's 90mm 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 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD weighs 1237g, which means it is 203g (14%) lighter than the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF which has a weight of 1440g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF 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 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD is also available in the Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 LD has a focal range of 200-500mm and
2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
320 - 800mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 300mm f4D ED-IF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450mm.
