AF-S NIKKOR 200–500mm f/5.6E ED VR

Released September 2015

A full-frame F-mount super-telephoto zoom with constant f/5.6 aperture, optical VR and a removable tripod collar.

Mount: Nikon F mount
Focal length: 200–500 mm
Max aperture: f/5.6
Stabilisation: Yes
Weight: 2,090 g

What reviewers say

Both praise image quality, consistent sharpness, useful reach and effective stabilisation. Photography Blog particularly likes the low aberrations, smooth blur and sturdy tripod foot but finds the weight tiring for handheld use and autofocus slower than some alternatives. Digital Camera World also finds autofocus effective and considers it good value for a Nikon super-telephoto, while highlighting the incomplete weather sealing and shorter range than 150–600mm rivals. Its tests find more visible colour fringing at 500mm than Photography Blog reports.

From photographyblog.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Optics

Lens type: Zoom
Focal length: 200–500 mm
Maximum aperture: f/5.6
Minimum aperture: f/32
Optical construction: 19 elements in 12 groups; internal focusing
Special elements: Three ED elements
Coatings: Super Integrated Coating
Aperture detail: Constant f/5.6 maximum and f/32 minimum; electromagnetic diaphragm for consistent exposure during high-speed bursts
Diaphragm: Nine rounded blades
Angle of view: FX 12°20′–5°00′; DX 8°00′–3°10′

Mount and compatibility

Mounts: Nikon F mount
Image circle: Full frame
Compatibility: Nikon F mount with full-frame/FX coverage; also usable on DX cameras
Teleconverter support: Nikon lists TC-14E, TC-14E II and TC-14E III with autofocus only on f/8-compatible cameras; TC-17E II, TC-20E, TC-20E II and TC-20E III are compatible without autofocus

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus: Yes
Minimum focus distance: 2.2 m
Maximum magnification: 0.22×
Optical stabilisation: Yes
Autofocus detail: Silent Wave Motor with manual focus override
Focus distance detail: Minimum 2.2 m from focal plane throughout the zoom range; Photography Blog confirms full-range or 6 m–infinity limiter and internal focusing
Magnification detail: Maximum 0.22× according to Nikon; Photography Blog's measured 1:4.3 is not substituted for the maker specification
Stabilisation detail: 4.5-stop CIPA claim in Normal mode on an FX DSLR at maximum telephoto; Sport mode assists tracking moving subjects

Design

Dust and moisture resistant: No
Filter diameter: 95 mm
Maximum diameter: 108 mm
Length: 267.5 mm
Weight: 2,090 g
Controls: Separate zoom and focus rings, focus-distance window, focus-mode and range-limiter switches, VR controls and zoom lock
Zoom design: Barrel extends when zooming; Photography Blog confirms the transport lock operates at 200 mm only
Filter detail: 95 mm screw-in filters, 1 mm pitch; front does not rotate during focusing according to Photography Blog
Weather resistance: Both reviews describe a rubber mount gasket but no comprehensive weather sealing; main weather-resistance flag is false
Dimensions detail: Nikon global specifies approximately 108 mm maximum diameter × 267.5 mm from mount flange, used for main values. The UK table instead lists 107.3 × 266.8 mm; this discrepancy is retained rather than averaged
Weight detail: Nikon global specifies approximately 2,090 g without the collar, used for main weight; 2,300 g with collar is also confirmed by Nikon USA's launch release. The UK table instead lists 2,500 g without explaining its basis
Tripod mount: Removable collar allows camera rotation; supplied foot and 90° rotation markings confirmed by Photography Blog
Lens hood: HB-71 included
In the box: LC-95 front cap, LF-4 rear cap, HB-71 hood and CL-1434 case
Release detail: Nikon USA's August 2015 release states mid-September retail availability; earliest exact global and first UK day unconfirmed, so month precision retained. Photography Blog's 16–35mm image captions are editorial errors within the exact 200–500mm review

Pros and cons

Pros

Constant f/5.6 aperture
Optical VR with Normal and Sport modes
Removable tripod collar

Cons

2,090 g without the tripod collar
Barrel extends when zooming
No comprehensive weather sealing

Closest rivals

Model	Mount	Focal length	Max aperture	Stabilisation	Weight	Released
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR	Nikon F mount	180–400 mm	f/4	Yes	3,500 g	Mar 2018
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR	Nikon F mount	500 mm	f/5.6	Yes	1,460 g	Sept 2018
NikonAF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR	Nikon F mount	500 mm	f/4	Yes	3,090 g	Jul 2015

Sources

Photo: Nikon UK lens photograph

AF-S NIKKOR 200–500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens, opposite three-quarter view with tripod foot: nikon.co.uk/globalassets/digizuite/148291-en-afs_200_500e_angle2-v2A362E0A192B.…

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