Wildlife, Sports & Portrait Telephoto — AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR (2012): The sensible telephoto choice for Nikon DSLR shooters — weather-sealed, VR-equipped, and optically superb at a fraction of the f/2.8 price.
Wildlife & Sports Photography On A Budget — 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary (2020): The best-value telephoto zoom for Sony FE — 400mm reach, OS, and weather sealing for under £800. Punches well above its price at every focal length.
Who should buy what
Quick take: The 100-400mm f/5-6.3 dg dn os contemporary is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR (2012) | 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £849 | £749 |
| Sensor | f/4 (constant max aperture) | f/5-6.3 (variable max aperture) |
| Video | 100cm minimum focus distance | 160cm minimum focus distance |
| Autofocus | Silent Wave Motor (SWM) — fast and quiet with full-time manual override | HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) — fast and near-silent for a telephoto zoom |
| Stabilisation | 4-stop VR (Vibration Reduction) | 4-stop OS (Optical Stabiliser) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A | N/A |
| Weight | 850g | 1140g |
| Dimensions | 78mm diameter × 178.5mm length | 86.4mm diameter × 199.2mm length |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | N/A |
| Screen | N/A | N/A |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (FX / DX) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | N/A |
| Connectivity | N/A | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR | 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — |
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