The score in the “features-department” is 1[-]/6[0]/6[+]. The minus-point being the high price. All in all there’s not much to differentiate Nikon’s newest offering from the competition. You may prefer its constant aperture of f5.6 but then the lens offers a smaller zoom-range and less reach. The tripod-collar and mount weighs 208g and looks much sturdier than the flimsy collar of the Nikon 80-400mm zoom. It can be completely removed from the lens when you’ve detached the lens from the camera. Unfortunately my tests showed that the shutter slap of the D810 still introduces unwanted blur at shutter speeds around 1/25. So be careful and use electronic first curtain to eliminate this source of shake if you shoot from a tripod. In general the impression of build quality is that of an upmarket/enthusiast albeit not pro-level lens: A high quality metal/plastic construction combined with a weather sealed metal lens-mount, and nine rounded aperture blades. The Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR is designed very differently than the 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G VR or the 150-600mm variable aperture lenses from Tamron and Sigma. With a total weight of 2,300 grams, it is noticeably heavier than the 80-400mm at 1,570 grams, the Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 VC at 1,951 grams, and the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM at 1,930 grams. Weight-wise, it is probably more appropriate to compare it to Sigma’s Sport version of the 150-600mm lens, which is 560 grams heavier in comparison. Despite the fact that it is the only lens with a fixed aperture of f/5.6 in this group of super-telephoto zooms, it does not have the same reach opportunities – those 100mm on the long end surely do make a difference!

Lighter: At only 1440 g (3.17 lbs), the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S is nearly half the weight of the Nikon 200-500, making it easier to carry for longer periods. The shape of the camera grip fits the hand perfectly, resulting in a sure grasp at all times. There is also no rubber peeling off the grip, which annoyed me a lot with previous cameras. The tilting display is very helpful for shooting from odd angles, although shooting in live view does hamper the AF performance. These brands don't make the effort to update years-old lenses to work with new cameras; they step away from the issue like a hot potato and hope you buy a new lens from them instead seven years from now.

The good news is that it's not that heavy; it's easy to hand-hold and shoot. The superb vibration reduction makes it trivial to shoot hand-held in any light hand-held. The biggest issue with lenses like the Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E VR is sample variation. As discussed in this review, two out of five tested copies of the 200-500mm VR exhibited disappointing sharpness at the long end of the zoom range. We saw pretty large discrepancies during lab testing as well, with one lens performing below average at 500mm, especially with a teleconverter. If we limited testing to a single lens copy, our results could have been potentially misleading, especially if we ended up with the inferior lens copy. Unfortunately, given the zoom range and the low price point, sample variation is always going to be an issue, irrespective of the manufacturer.

The 200-500mm’s lens length of 267.5mm (10.5 inches) and weight of 2.3 kg (5.1 pounds) can’t be described as feather-light. But compared to some exotic super-telephotos, it’s not so bad. My favorite Nikon 400mm f/2.8G VR weighs 4.6 kg (10.2 pounds). That’s literally twice as much! Since you asked about sharpness, my 80-400 is sharp all the way to 400, and even rivals my trusty 300 AF-S + 1.4 tc (@420), especially for close subjects. My 200-500 might have had a slight edge at 380+, but I think both are close enough in the field that sharpness shouldn’t be the driving concern. Bunny Fencing, 29 October 2015. Nikon D810, Nikon 200-500mm VR at 500mm and Nikon TC-14E III, wide-open at f/8 at 1/1,000 hand-held at Auto ISO 1,100. bigger or camera-original 36MP file to explore on your computer (most portable devices can't show all the pixels in the full resolution file).

An affordable and versatile Nikon super-telephoto lens which performs superbly for sports and wildlife photography

I think it really boils down to what you actually want to use the lens for. Is it intended to be your main telephoto lens? Is reach the end all goal? What are your intended subjects, and how far off are they? Of course it won't autofocus on manual-focus 35mm cameras, and VR won't work on some of the oldest 35mm cameras either —but that's the case with all lenses on these cameras. When photographing larger birds or mammals, you might not even notice this problem. However, fast-moving small birds will often be beyond the focusing capabilities of this otherwise great zoom. Sometimes, the lens hesitates in the initial phase to really start focusing. It’s as if it needs some convincing that you really, seriously want to photograph the flying bird. DSLR Lenses Canon Fit Lenses Nikon Fit Lenses Lens Accessories Lens Caps Lens Hoods Lens cloths and cleaning kits Lens Attachments

Despite its size, the 200-500mm is still relatively easy to use, whether handheld or with a camera support To put things into perspective, even the highly-regarded Nikon 300mm f/2.8 VR II, known for its impressive close-focusing capabilities, has a similar MFD of 2.3m (7.5 ft). However, the Nikon 200-500 outperforms it since it has a 200mm advantage. This allows you to fill the frame more with stunning detail. E: Electronic diaphragm, just like Canon has been doing since 1987. This means it only works on the newest Nikon cameras. On my F4 (1988), autofocus, all metering modes and auto and manual exposure work perfectly, with f/5.6 being the only aperture setting.Sharper: As expected from a prime lens, Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S is sharper than the Nikon 200-500. However, this advantage disappears when using a teleconverter on the Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S. And now let me go through some of the strengths and weaknesses of this camera and lens, as I’ve experienced them over the years. Nikon D500 Strengths Autofocus But aside from that, the combo has worked without a single issue. My D500 has 140,599 shutter actuations at this point, which is still less mileage than that of my Toyota. According to Nikon’s specs, the shutter should be somewhere around three-quarters of its life. (I know how that feels!) This explains why some photographers out there highly praise the 200-500mm VR, while others are rather disappointed. My recommendation would be to test the lens for sharpness as soon as you receive it so that you could exchange it for another copy, which will hopefully be better. We have written a number of articles and guides at Photography Life on how to properly test lenses, so I would recommend giving those articles a thorough read so that you don’t end up getting frustrated.

One issue with the lens is that its weight is less well-distributed than other telephoto lenses since it is not concentrated close to the camera body end. Nevertheless, the lens boasts an exceptional five stops of VR, significantly improving its hand-holdability and making it easier to use in tight spaces and challenging terrains. A and M modes indicate P mode in the finder—and everything works at f/5.6 just fine with auto or manual exposure and meter modes as you've selected. Faster autofocus: The Nikon 300mm f/4 AF-S has faster, snappier autofocus than the Nikon 200-500mm.

While you're here, notice how the spider webs are exceptionally sharp are in the center where they are in focus. The sides are out of focus; this isn't shot straight-on. Auto Focus: AF-S with SWM (silent wave motor), so it does work on D3x00/5×00-bodies. Manual-focus override is by simply turning the focus ring. Same with the competition. [+]