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

A handholdable 500mm at 1.46kg thanks to a Phase Fresnel element — the wildlife favourite for D500 and D850 owners. 4-stop VR, sealing, a tripod collar and teleconverter support.

Starting from
£3499 new
Available at 2 retailers
Check price at Clifton Cameras
✓ Available at 2 retailers 🔒 No signup needed 📦 UK stock only
RetailerPrice
Clifton Cameras
Clifton Cameras
£3499
Check on Clifton Cameras →
Amazon
Amazon
—
Check on Amazon →
Prices are synced live from UK retailers. Not every product will be stocked by every retailer; older models may only be available second hand.
Value & Depreciation
£3699
Launch price
→
£3499
Today
=
5%
Value drop
Over ~8 years, this camera has cost roughly £25/year to own (buy at launch price, sell today). That's one of the lower cost-per-year cameras in its class.
Core
Released
2018
Focal Length
500mm
Aperture
f/5.6
Compatible Mount
Nikon F-mount
Filter Size
95mm
Dimensions
106mm diameter × 237mm length
Weight
1460g
Weather Sealed
Yes
Optics & Focus
AF Motor
Silent Wave Motor (SWM)
Optical IS
Vibration Reduction (VR), 4 stops
Aperture Blades
9
Magnification
0.18x
Min. Focus Distance
3m

Select up to 2 cameras to compare against the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR. It's always pinned as the baseline.

Select 1–3 cameras to compare

1 camera compatible with the Nikon F-mount mount.

Nikon D780
Nikon
Nikon D780
£1999
GearScore™ — Suitability by Genre

Base score — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. Camera Match adjusts it for your skill level and priorities.

Portrait
6.1
Street
3.9
Travel
4.7
Wedding & Events
6.1
Filmmaking
3.9
Documentary
5.0
Sports & Action
7.7
Landscape
5.5
Wildlife
7.2
Casual
4.3
Food
5.1
Architecture
5.5
Underwater
5.4
✅ Great For
⚡
Sports & Action 7.7 Strong on autofocus, focal length and burst-speed support.
🦅
Wildlife 7.2 Strong on focal length, autofocus and weather sealing.
⚠️ Not Ideal For
🎬
Filmmaking 3.9 Held back by video handling and focal length.
🌆
Street 3.9 Held back by portability and focal length.
📷
Casual 4.3 Held back by focal length and value for money.
📝 How suitability scores are calculated GearScore™ genre scores are calculated from this camera's verified specifications — autofocus, sensor, weight, weather sealing and more — weighted by what matters for each type of photography. Where a spec sheet misses something (e.g. a manual-focus rangefinder for street), we apply a documented editorial adjustment. Scores are not based on customer reviews. See our full methodology →
Price History — AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR