About the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
A powerful, far-reaching lens
For outstanding wildlife and sports photography, you need a lens that brings your subjects within easy reach. This 200-500mm super telephoto lens brings distant subjects within easy reach. Nikon's Silent Wave motor technology lets you focus quickly and quietly, while the manual focus ring lets you override autofocus at any time to fine-tune your shot. An electronic diaphragm mechanism ensures consistent exposure with high-speed continuous shooting so you can capture thrilling action sequences. Vibration Reduction keeps your shots sharp and steady so you can use slower shutter speeds in lower light, and Sports Mode compensates for camera shake when panning to track moving subjects.
Product highlights:
- AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR telephoto zoom lens
- compatible with Nikon FX and DX digital SLR cameras
- 35mm equivalent focal length: 300-750mm with APS-C (Nikon DX format) sensor cameras
- built-in Vibration Reduction enables sharper shots at slower shutter speeds (up to four shutter speeds slower)
- Silent Wave Motor for smooth, quiet, and precise autofocus
- internal focusing design maintains overall lens length during focusing for greater consistency and faster performance
- manual and autofocus modes
- Super Integrated Coating on lens elements provides excellent color richness and contrast
- minimum focus distance: 7-1/4 ft.
- minimum aperture: f/32
- lens construction: 19 elements in 12 groups
- 3 ED (extra-low dispersion) lens elements for high resolution and contrast
- 9-blade circular aperture for natural rendering of out-of-focus background elements
- Electromagnetic Diaphragm Mechanism for accurate aperture blade control when using auto exposure during continuous shooting
- attachment/filter size: 95mm
- lens is 4-3/16" in diameter, 10-3/4" long
- weight: 5.1 lbs.
- warranty: 1 year
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
Supplied Accessories:
- accessory hood, front and rear lens caps, and lens pouch
- MFR # 20058
What's in the box:
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR owner's manual
- AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR (#20058) with attached tripod collar
- LC-95 Front lens cap (installed)
- LF-4 Rear lens cap (installed)
- HB-71 Lens hood
- CL-1434 Soft lens pouch
- User's Manual
- Warranty card
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More details on the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

Features & specs
General | ||
---|---|---|
Mount Type | Nikon F-mount | |
Sensor Size | Full frame | |
Image Stabilization | Yes | |
Lens Type | Super Telephoto | |
Focal Length | 200-500mm | |
Maximum Aperture | f/5.6 | |
Weight | 81.2 ounces | |
Parts Warranty | 1 Year | |
Labor Warranty | 1 Year |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens is a super telephoto zoom lens. It is ideal for photographing birds and wildlife, sporting events, and more. The lens comes with an attached tripod collar, the HB-71 lens hood and the CL-1434 soft storage pouch.
FX-format Lens: This lens is optimized for use on Nikon FX-format (full frame) cameras, but it is also compatible with Nikon's DX-format cameras. When used on a DX-format camera, such as the D5300 or D7100, the lens has an equivalent focal length of 300-750mm.
Nikon Technologies: The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens is equipped with the following Nikon technologies:
- Vibration Reduction (VR): Vibration Reduction technology reduces blur caused by camera shake, which allows you to to use shutter speeds up to 4.5 stops slower than normal, using Sports Mode. The VR Mode can be set to Normal or Sports, and Vibration Reduction can be turned on or off via separate two-way switches on the lens barrel.
- Electromagnetic Diaphragm Mechanism (E): The lens has an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism in the lens barrel to provide accurate aperture blade control during auto-exposure during continuous shooting. Conventional lenses (D/G types) have mechanical linkage levers to control the diaphragm blades.
- Extra-low Dispersion (ED) Glass: This lens contains Extra-low Dispersion optical glass developed by Nikon for optimum correction of chromatic aberrations.
- Internal Focusing (IF): The lens features a system in which only the internal lens group moves during focusing, eliminating changes in the physical length of the lens during auto focusing, and enabling closer focusing distances.
- Super Integrated Coating: The lens features a multi-layered coating of the optical elements.
- Silent Wave Motor (SWM): The exclusive Nikon Silent Wave Motor (SWM) uses ultrasonic vibrations, instead of a gear system, to enable fast, accurate, and quiet auto focus.
Focus Mode Switch: The Focus Mode switch on the barrel of the lens lets you switch between focus modes: M (manual) and M/A (autofocus with manual override). For Auto Focus mode, the camera must be in AF mode and the lens switch in the M/A position. In this mode, the lens will focus when the camera shutter is pressed halfway, however, you can override the focus by rotating the lens focus ring. You can easily switch to full manual focus by moving the Focus Mode switch to the M position (even if the camera is in AF mode). If the camera is in Manual Focus (MF) mode, autofocus will not operate.
Focus Limit Switch: The two-way Focus Limit switch determines the focus distance limits for autofocus. You can select Full to use the entire focus range, or ∞ (infinity)-6m if your subject will always be at least 6 meters (19.7') away.
Zoom Ring Lock: You can lock the zoom ring to prevent the lens from extending under its own weight while the camera is being carried from place to place.
Tripod Collar: The lens has an attached tripod collar for mounting the lens and camera. This provides much better balance, and takes pressure off of the camera's tripod socket. The tripod collar can be loosened, allowing you to rotate the lens and camera between wide ("landscape") and tall ("portrait") orientations. There are markings every 90° to use as a guide. The tripod collar can also be removed, if desired.
Lens Hood: The included HB-71 lens hood blocks stray light from getting into the lens causing flare or ghosting. It also protects the front of the lens from direct contact, as well as keeping dirt, rain, and snow out. When mounted, the lens hood adds approximately 4" to the overall length of the lens. It can be inverted and reverse-mounted when not in use.
Optional Teleconverters: The zoom power of the AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR can be extended through the use of optional Nikon teleconverters. The lens is compatible with the TC-14E, TC-17E, and TC-20E series teleconverters to extend the reach by 1.4x, 1.7x, or 2.0x, respectively.
Specifications
- Type of Lens: Type E AF-S lens with a built-in CPU
- Type of Mount: Nikon F-bayonet type
- Focal Length: 200mm-500mm
- Filter Diameter: 95mm
- Lens Construction: 19 elements in 12 groups (including 3 ED lens elements)
- Closest Focus Distance: 7.22' (2.2m)
- Focusing Method: Nikon Internal Focusing (IF) system with AutoFocus controlled by a Silent Wave Motor, and a separate focus ring for manual focus
- Diaphragm: Rounded 9-blade
- Aperture Range: f/5.6 (minimum) to f/32mm (maximum)
- Angle of View: 12°20' - 5°00' (FX-format cameras), 8°00' - 3°10' (DX-format cameras)
- Dimensions: Diameter=4.165" (Height with tripod collar=5.137") Length=10.75" (11.44" w/lens caps)
- Weight: 5 pounds 1.2 ounces (with tripod collar), 4 pounds 9.8 ounces (w/o tripod collar)
The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR replaces these items

- super telephoto zoom lens captures faraway objects in low light
- second-generation Vibration Reduction allows up to 4 times slower shutter speeds when hand-held
- Silent Wave Motor technology allows for fast, efficient, and silent autofocus performance
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