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Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR vs Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD

Product Comparison: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR vs Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD

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Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Zoom Lens

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Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Nikon DSLR Cameras

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General Specifications

Brand

Nikon

Tamron

Model

AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD

Origin

China

About the Product

Powerful zoom with extended reach. With a 200-500mm focal length range and constant f/5.6 aperture, this FX-format lens introduces a new level of super-telephoto versatility. Whether you shoot wildlife, birds, planes, or fast-paced sports, this lens delivers unwavering performance.

Capture the power and beauty of wildlife, birds, travel destinations, and exciting sports action close-ups with this high-performance 150 - 600mm long-range zoom. VC (Vibration Compensation) and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) enable you to shoot crisp images of fast-moving, distant subjects handheld, while proprietary Tamron optical technology, including eBAND Coating, works to suppress flare and ghosting for impressively clear, vibrant images.

Key Specs

Mount Type

Nikon F-Bayonet

Maximum Aperture

5.6 /f

5 /f

Minimum Focal Length

200 millimeters

150 millimeters

Maximum Focal Length

500 millimeters

600 millimeters

Lens Type

Telephoto zoom

What customers say about "Key Specs"

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Zoom Lens

Great lens, clear and precise, love the constant aperture. Recommend mono or tripod with it, it does get heavy after awhile.
The aperture size is really nice. It gives max exposure of the subject. Excellent choice for outdoor and even event photography if correct focal lengths are chosen.
This lens is absolutely wonderful. It is very sharp and very capable in lower light situations. Nice to have a constant aperture throughout the entire zoom range.
Would recommend this lens for wildlife day time shooting. Not great for real low light situations with 5.6 aperture.
As a sports shooter the f5.6 aperture isn't the best, but the worst element is the inability to rack out or rack in the lens without having to twist, regrip, twist again--whereas with the 200-400mm can reach the entirety of its range with a slight twist in the necessary direction.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Nikon DSLR Cameras

400-600mm is a lovely zoom range. Filling a frame is much easier.
Unlike my other lenses the Tamron 150-600mm offers a huge range of focal length which would be great for an all around wildlife/sports lens if not for the size.
Sharp from 150 to 400-450mm, even wide open. Very sharp at the wide end.(although that's not where you are likely to use it!)
On APS-C, this lens gives you 900mm of reach (~ small telescope range).
The front element too large for common filters. Canon's 400mm has a 77mm common thread so finding filters is cheap and easy.

Size & Weight

Height

4.2 in.

4.13 in.

Width

4.2 in.

4.13 in.

Depth

10.5 in.

10.1 in.

Weight

81.2 oz.

68.8 oz.

What customers say about "Size & Weight"

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Zoom Lens

I particularly like it's light weight as i will be climbing mountains and waterfalls for my photography needs.
The weight of the lens definitely requires the need for a sturdy tripod and/or Monopod.
It takes a little time to get accustomed to the weight but this certainly is not an issue when one sees the results.
It's a pity, but it's too heavy for me.
Lens is bulky.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Weighs only 4 lbs, which is very light for a lens with 600mm focal length.
I was suprized at the weight factor it's a beefy lens but feels great.
Relatively light weight. Can be handheld but a tripod or monopod is better.
Front element is 95mm, making the lens very front-heavy. 95mm filters are uncommon and expensive.
Heavy for a lens, but light for a long-lens.

Imaging

Minimum Focus Distance

86.6 in.

106.3 in.

Field Of View

FX 12°20' - 5° / DX 8° - 3°10'

16°25' - 4°8'

Zoom Type

Rotating

Manual

Focus

Manual Focus, Auto Focus

Auto Focus, Manual Focus

Optical Stabilization

Yes

What customers say about "Imaging"

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Zoom Lens

Great Image quality , well worth the money, rivals much more expensive lenses. Auto focus is a tad slow for some moving objects.
Images have been very sharp as I mostly shoot small birds.
Great lens. The focus is fast, and the images are sharp.
It is a awesome lens for birds. This lens produces clear sharp images.
Amazing lense for the price. This lense captures outstanding images even when shooting handheld. The VR is excellent and focusing is acceptably fast.

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Fast focus, very good image stabilization handheld "VC" (Although it's not that easy to keep using it handheld due to the weight), and most importantly a very good IQ and sharpness even at 600mm.
VC (image stabilization) works well, just turn it off when on a tripod. Focus is reasonably-fast in most cases with a decent hit rate in servo mode, provided your camera is set up correctly.
Very good resolution edge-to-edge. Very quiet and accurate auto-focus.
Heavy vignetting on Full-Frame bodies. Be prepared to handle it in your RAW processor.
Only 1 mode for VC aka Image Stabilization.

Features

Brand Compatibility

Nikon

Sensor Type Compatibility

FX Format / DX Format

Full-Frame

Lens Groups and Elements

19 Elements in 12 Groups

20 elements in 13 groups

Number of Aperture Blades

Filter Diameter

95 millimeters

Extras

AF-S (Silent Wave Motor), Zoom Ratio 2.5 x, Electromagnetic Diaphragm Mechanism, ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) Glass, IF Lens, Super Integrated Coating, Vibration Reduction

VC (Vibration Compensation), USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), Equipped with full-time manual focus mechanism, Moisture-resistant construction, Protection rubber, New eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating

What customers say about "Features"

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Zoom Lens

Purchased for someone who needed to add to their equipment. They were very happy with the features.
Through trial and error, I discovered that I actually get betters results hand holding. This is where the VR feature comes into play.
I have read almost all of the online reviews, talked to camera experts and tried the Sigma and Tamron 150-600 mm's, they are good lens and have great features, but in direct comparison I think this Nikkor 200-500 mm is by far the best.
The VR helps to alleviate the rather mediocre aperture setting, so you can compensate for the lower light with a longer shutter speed.
This lens is sharp! It can be used on full frame or crop sensor cameras. The build quality is very good and for a zoom lens that reaches out to 500mm, the price is fantastic!

Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Nikon DSLR Cameras

Integral focus motor is very quick and accurate with Phase Detection AF.
Lens collar includes integrated tripod food with grip.
Minimal distortion for a long lens. Minimal vignetting on APS-C bodies.
The manual focus ring is very well damped. Front element is massive at 95mm, and this just pulls in light and if you have the sun around, the flare and ghosting is pretty evident - so would help to keep the hood on always. The lens cap can be removed with the hood on though!
I also liked the lock feature at 150mm which is much easier than the lock ring mechanism at the 100-400.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

6 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

Manufacturer

Link

Manual

Download

MSRP

1399.95 $