The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 105mm F2 and the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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 AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 237mm. The Venus 105mm F2 with a length of 99mm, is 138mm shorter. On the other hand, the Venus 105mm F2 has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 61mm 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. Venus 105mm F2 weighs 745g, which means it is 715g (48%) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR which has a weight of 1460g.
Filter Threads
The Venus 105mm F2 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Venus 105mm F2:
And these are the 95mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR:
Lens Mounts
Both the Venus 105mm F2 and the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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.
Venus 105mm F2 is also available in Sony E , Canon EF, Pentax KAF2 and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Venus 105mm F2 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
157.5mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF 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.