AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VRvs A6400
Nikon
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR (2012)
Starting from £849 new
Best for Wildlife, sports & portrait telephoto
View AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
Quick take: The af-s nikkor 70-200mm f/4g ed vr is the most affordable; only the af-s nikkor 70-200mm f/4g ed vr is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR (2012) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £849 | £899 |
| Sensor | f/4 (constant max aperture) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | 100cm minimum focus distance | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Silent Wave Motor (SWM) — fast and quiet with full-time manual override | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 4-stop VR (Vibration Reduction) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 850g | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 78mm diameter × 178.5mm length | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (FX / DX) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR | A6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — |
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