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: 5 years with Nikon registration
- 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
Featured review
have not had an opportunity to use this lens to its potential, It is sturdy which adds to the weight and will mostly be using with tripod or monopod traveling around photographing birds
Amy from Katonah, NY
Customer Q&A
Q
Will this lens fit a Nikon D50?
A
Yes it will,and Work correctly.Pesonally, I would Upgrade to a newer Camera.
12 reasons to shop with us
Reason #12
Trusted since 1974
Here talking gear for many a year.
REVIEWS
Customer reviews
Loading reviews...
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR reviews
Average review:
Customer photos
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
richard from Port Orchard, WA on 5/5/2018
I have had the 200-500 Nikkor lens for 2 weeks plus. 5he prior reviews were spot on. Photos are tac sharp and the vibration reduction is excelan. Can shoot easy 3 to 4 stops slower on shutter speed. The weight is not a big issue if you are used to shooting a long lense. Thanks again for all the help with transactions Crutchfield. Will always buy my photo equipment from your company.
Pros: Great price for this lens, quality you would expect from a much more costly lenses.
Cons: Non at this time and don't expect any.
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Amy from Katonah, NY on 11/1/2017
have not had an opportunity to use this lens to its potential, It is sturdy which adds to the weight and will mostly be using with tripod or monopod traveling around photographing birds
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 4 found this helpful
Awesome zoom lens
George from Visalia, CA on 9/25/2017
I've owned this lens less than 2 months and in many ways it my be my favorite lens. I'm shocked how sharp it is and despite test scores that might say different the pictures I have seem to say this is sharper than my other 4 Nikon lenses, I bought it for zoos and sporting events mainly. My first test was to our local baseball team and I got great shots of the starting picture throwing off the mound. My biggest test came yesterday at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and it worked like a charm. It is a big and heavy lens but can be managed using a sturdy monopod or tripod which I advise. You can handhold in a pinch but the monopod I used at the zoo made it much more easy. Included are just 3 of the hundreds of photos I have taken with this lens. Despite the price tag for the lens (which is more than most people have in all there camera equipment unless you're serious about this like me) I will get my worth out of it. It's the perfect lens when you need more reach out of a lens and so far I'm very happy.
Pros: Very sharp lens that despite my cons the pictures it produces will supersede all of them. Great Lens Bokeh. F5.6 throughout the whole zoom range.
Cons: Heavy Expensive You can't go from 200 to 500 zooming without releasing and getting a new grip because of how much you have to turn it. Supplied lens collar doesn't lock tight enough to actually keep it from be able to move. Crutchfield could and should have boxed the lens for shipping with more bubblewrap/peanut packing inside the box all around as the lens in it's box is not encased in Styrofoam.
2 of 4 found this helpful
Amazing Lens. Get It!!
William from Pennsylvania on 4/16/2017
I sold a bunch of stuff to purchase this lens. I have had it for 1 1/2 years. I love it. When I got it people who didn't own it said don't zoom out to 500. Keep it at 450 or less and always have it at F8. Just assuming it would not be sharp if you didn't do this. When I got it I tried these suggestions and compared them to wide open at 500mm. It is just as sharp at 500mm and wide open at 5.6 than it is at 450 F8. So I never zoom back unless I need to for composition. Which rarely happens. (You never have enough lens for birds.) This lens is actually on my camera 95% of the time. Even after all these images and a year and a half of use it still amazes me how sharp it is. And I am using it on a 10 year old camera. The Nikon D300. I get great images with them. I dream of a D500 but I don't see it happening any time soon. Or far. LOL Only thing that was weird is when the VR is on Normal it jumps around in the viewfinder when you take a photo. It can change the composition and more importantly the focus point. But in sport mode it does not do this. I read up on Nikons VR and found you shouldn't use it unless you need it. Meaning if your shutter is high enough to get clear images don't use the VR. I have it on sport most of the time. Only switch it to normal when my shutter speeds get to below 1/500 sec. This has worked fine. And don't press the shutter to activate the VR and instantly take photos. Unless you have to. It is sharper to let it run for a second before taking pictures
Pros: Sharp. Well built. Great for wildlife. Affordable.
Cons: None.
2 of 2 found this helpful
My favorite lens
Sid from Athens, WV on 4/11/2017
This has become my favorite lens. Nice and sharp. Match it with a crop sensor camera and extend the reach to 750mm. Highly recommended.
Pros: Sharp Seems well made
Cons: Little heavy but not bad
1 of 1 found this helpful
The Best Lens for the price!
Ramon De Jesus from Ponce, PR on 3/6/2017
Very happy to purchased the Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 VR lens. It is very sharp in 500mm too. (Muy contento en haber comprado el lente Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 VR. Es muy nítido en 500mm también)
Pros: Great in 500mm and Excellent VR
Cons: Heavy Weight
1 of 2 found this helpful
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
Crutchfield customer from Boerne, TX on 2/3/2017
0 of 1 found this helpful
Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR
George from Endicott, NY on 2/3/2017
This Nikon / Nikkor zoom is one big lens. I love all the features and picture quality. Seems to work well with my FX Format Nikon D610 which I happened to purchase from Crutchfield. Watch out wildlife, here I come.
Pros: Well built lens / Nikon quality, Sharp pictures, Excellent price
Cons: Little heavy, but all the features overcome this issue.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Awesome Lens
LaDean from Washington, IL on 1/14/2017
Wondering why I waited so long to get this lens. I am loving the quality and detailed pictures I am getting, even hand holding the monster. While large and heavy, the quality makes up for it.
Pros: Quality sharpness and detail
Cons: weight
0 of 1 found this helpful
Great zoom!
Mark from Milwaukee, WI on 11/29/2016
The lens lives up to all the reviews I've read. It can't be beat for the price. Crutchfield's sales and service is the best.
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nikon 200-500 5.6 ED VR AFS
Bob G from Charlottesville, VA on 6/11/2016
This is a very nice lens. Having said that, I need to add a warning. It is a heavy lens to carry around, and it will require you to up your game at photography skills to get the most out of it. Initially, I had trouble dealing with it, but after a week or so of increasing ISO and shutter speed and working with focus/metering settings I began to get a high percentage of great photos. The glowing reviews I have read are all true. The lens is capable of yielding very sharp photos once you hit your stride with it. I have used it for distant as well as near objects and am encouraged by the results. So, stop reading, and go get one!
Pros: Great Value
Cons:
1 of 2 found this helpful
A NIKON GEM
Nick from Bay Shore, NY on 4/19/2016
Nikon has created a fine quality Nikkor Auto Focus Stabilized 200 - 500mm FX f/5.6E that is affordable to the general public, without breaking the bank... Even hand holding at 500mm can produce very high quality results equal to much more expensive lenses. DX camera format extends it to 700mm. A great addition to those interested in an excellent performing telephoto lens. 35+ years as a professional photographer and I can honestly say, " this is a keeper ".
Pros: All around a solid 5 out of 5.
Cons: none, except a tripod will help support the added weight, like all high quality lenses, it's a wee bit heavy...
1 of 1 found this helpful
nikon 200-500mm nikon AF lens
Sam M from Cambria Heights, New York on 3/21/2016
Nikon did it again,another superior lens. The focusing on any length is crystal clear, I have a nikon D3X focusing with this lens is on point. For the price, you get more than your money worth. When you couple it with the Nikon teleconverter TC 20III focusing is still on the money. Pictures come out crystal clear at all the focal lengths.
Pros: Everything,about the lens is right.
Cons: None.
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nikon 200-500 5.6 ED VR AFS
Tone1958 from rome, NY on 3/9/2016
I was skeptical at first,mainly because because of the price point. After putting through it's paces, I am Satisfied with it through all Focal lengths, and it's fast and Sharp
Pros: Lightweight 5.0 lbs
Cons: Not as sharp as the 7200.00 200-400 But can't be expected to be.
0 of 1 found this helpful
Super Lenses
jlgad from Tennessee on 1/31/2016
First long lenses I've ever owned. After reading a ton of reviews of how great this lenses is . They where all true !
Pros: Super Sharp
Cons: None
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 E Review
Brian from Blairsville, GA on 1/31/2016
This Nikon lens is great for distance photography. I use for Birds and deer pictures along with landscape of long range shots. The pictures are clear and the focus is fast for a large lens. Highly recommend.
Pros: Picture sharpness, VR capability and Nikon glass.
Cons: Its heavy weight and size. Makes for more challenging carrying around.
0 of 0 found this helpful
Nikon Got It Right!
RYIU from California on 10/4/2015
Just received this behemoth two days ago. My initial impression is : Nikon Got It Right On This One ! It looks and feels very well built, heavy but worth all the lifting. VR really does give a 4.5 + Stops advantage. I have taken reasonable sharp pictures at 500mm with shutter speed as low as 1/10 seconds. Crazy huh? Best of all, the bokeh produces by the 9-round-blade-diaphram is superb. For a Nikon Lens of this class and performance, $1399.00 USD is a "steal".P.S. It is very sharp, all zoom range, even at f/5.6 !
Pros: Well Built Professional Grade (Solid and Heavy) Fast focusing 4.5-Stop+ VR Improvement CONFIRMED Beautiful Bokeh Excellent Pricing Includes Lens Shade and Tripod Colar Super Cool Looking
Cons: The included lens bag is a joke
6 of 6 found this helpful
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 | 5 Years w/registration | |
| Labor Warranty | 5 Years w/registration | |
Product Research
Features
Specifications
Warranty Information
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)
Warranty Information
Warranty Terms: Nikon offers a 1-year parts and labor warranty on this lens. An additional 4-year Extended Service Coverage is available at no charge if you register the product with Nikon within 10 days of purchase.
Loading accessories...
Customer Q&A
Q Crutchfield asked: Why did you buy this?
3 questions already asked
Loading articles...
