Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR vs Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4
Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.
Verdict at a glance
- Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4 is faster by 1 stop (f/4.0 vs f/5.6), letting in more light.
- Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4 is lighter by 920g.
- Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4 goes wider (200mm vs 500mm).
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR reaches further (500mm vs 200mm).
| Spec | AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR | AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Nikon | Nikon |
| Mount | Nikon F | Nikon F |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Focal length | 500mm | 200mm (wider) |
| Max aperture | f/5.6 | f/4.0 (faster) |
| Released | 2018 | n/a |
| Blades | 9 | n/a |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Groups | 11 | 5 |
| Af motor | SWM | none |
| Elements | 19 | 5 |
| Weight g | 1460.0 | 540.0 (lighter) |
| Filter mm | 95 | n/a |
| Length mm | 237.0 | 126.0 |
| Stabilized | Yes | n/a |
| Diameter mm | 106.0 | 68.0 |
| Min focus m | 3.0 | 2.0 (closer focusing) |
| Max magnification | 0.18 | n/a |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR
A 2018 super-telephoto that weighs just 1.46kg thanks to a Phase Fresnel element. It has VR and a 95mm filter thread.
Pros
- Light for 500mm
- VR
- Close focus of 3m
- Sharp
Cons
- f/5.6 aperture
- PF flare near bright lights
- Large 95mm filter size
Nikon AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4
A light manual-focus 200mm f/4 introduced in 1975, with a 52mm filter thread and a weight of about 540g. It focuses down to 2m.
Pros
- Light at about 540g
- 52mm filter thread
- Compact
- Sharp stopped down
Cons
- Manual focus only
- Slow for low light
- Some fringing wide open