Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR vs Nikon NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S

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AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR compared with NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S

	NikonAF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR	NikonNIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S
Overview
Released
Released	September 2018	October 2023
Optics
Lens type
Lens type	Prime	Prime
Focal length
Focal length	500 mm	600 mm
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/5.6	f/6.3
Minimum aperture
Minimum aperture	f/32	f/32
Optical construction
Optical construction	19 elements in 11 groups	Twenty-one elements in fourteen groups
Special elements
Special elements	Three ED glass elements and one Phase Fresnel element	Two ED, one SR and one Phase Fresnel element
Coatings
Coatings	Nano Crystal Coat and fluorine coating on the front lens surface	Nano Crystal Coat and fluorine-coated front element
Aperture detail
Aperture detail	Electromagnetic E-type automatic diaphragm	f/6.3–32
Diaphragm
Diaphragm	Nine rounded blades	Nine rounded blades
Angle of view
Angle of view	FX 5°; DX 3°10′	FX 4°10′; DX 2°40′
Mount and compatibility
Mounts
Mounts	Nikon F mount	Nikon Z mount
Image circle
Image circle	Full frame	Full frame
Compatibility
Compatibility	Nikon F mount with FX coverage, also usable on DX; Nikon warns that some cameras impose E-type lens restrictions. Nikon USA confirms Z6 and Z7 use with the FTZ mount adapter	Nikon Z mount; full-frame FX and DX cameras
Image circle detail
Image circle detail	–	Physical 600 mm focal length; 900 mm full-frame-equivalent angle of view on DX, as both reviews note
Teleconverter support
Teleconverter support	Nikon confirms compatibility with the AF-S TELECONVERTER TC-14E III	Nikon Z TC-1.4× and TC-2.0× supported; Nikon states 840 mm and 1200 mm respectively with AF and VR retained
Focus and stabilisation
Autofocus
Autofocus	Yes	Yes
Minimum focus distance
Minimum focus distance	3 m	4 m
Maximum magnification
Maximum magnification	0.18×	0.15×
Optical stabilisation
Optical stabilisation	Yes	Yes
Autofocus detail
Autofocus detail	Nikon internal focusing with an ultrasonic motor; manual focus possible	Stepping motor for quiet autofocus
Focus distance detail
Focus distance detail	Minimum 3 m from the focal plane; focus limiter selects the full range or infinity–8 m	Internal focusing; minimum 4 m; range limiter FULL (4 m to infinity) or 10 m to infinity
Magnification detail
Magnification detail	–	Maximum 0.15×
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Four stops under CIPA testing in Normal mode on a full-frame/FX DSLR; Normal and Sport modes, with tripod vibration reduction supported	Lens-shift VR using voice coil motors; 5.5-stop CIPA rating in Normal mode on FX, or 6.0 stops in Normal mode with a body supporting Synchro VR. Sport mode stabilises the viewfinder during continuous shooting. VR settings accessed through the camera, as TechRadar notes
Video features
Video features	–	Quiet operation, stable exposure and reduced focus breathing according to Nikon
Design
Dust and moisture resistant
Dust and moisture resistant	Yes	Yes
Filter diameter
Filter diameter	95 mm	95 mm
Maximum diameter
Maximum diameter	106 mm	106.5 mm
Length
Length	237 mm	278 mm
Weight
Weight	1,460 g	1,390 g (better)
Controls
Controls	Focus ring, focus-mode switch, focus limiter and VR switch; Photography Blog identifies focus-function buttons and memory recall	One L-Fn and four L-Fn2 buttons, memory-set button, programmable control ring, focus ring, A/M and focus-limit switches; memory recall requires the latest compatible camera firmware according to Nikon's launch announcement
Filter detail
Filter detail	95 mm screw-in filters; 1.0 mm thread pitch	95 mm screw-in filters, 1.0 mm pitch
Weather resistance
Weather resistance	Nikon specifies dust- and drip-resistant construction with seals at moving barrel parts and other locations; fluorine coating helps repel dirt and water on the front lens surface	Rubber gaskets protect moving parts and the mount against dust, dirt and moisture. Nikon says dust and drip resistance is not guaranteed in every situation or condition
Dimensions detail
Dimensions detail	Approximately 106 mm maximum diameter × 237 mm length from the lens mount flange	Approximately 106.5 mm maximum diameter × 278 mm from the lens mount flange
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 1,460 g	Approximately 1390 g without tripod collar; 1470 g with it
Tripod mount
Tripod mount	Rotating tripod collar; Photography Blog describes the locking knob for switching between horizontal and vertical orientation	Removable tripod collar
Lens hood
Lens hood	HB-84 bayonet hood included	HB-105A included
In the box
In the box	LC-95 front cap, LF-4 rear cap, HB-84 hood and CL-M5 lens case	LC-95B front cap, LF-N1 rear cap, HB-105A hood and CL-C6 case
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon USA announced availability on 13 September 2018; Nikon Japan records sale on 14 September 2018	Nikon USA's October 2023 announcement states late October availability. Exact earliest global and first UK retail day unconfirmed, so month precision retained