Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F4E FL ED VR

Focal length: 500 mm
Aperture: f/4
Weight: 3090 g
Filter diameter: 40.5 mm
Min. focus distance: 360 cm
Length: 387 mm

At a Glance

This telephoto prime pairs a 500 mm focal length with an f/4 maximum aperture for Nikon F-mount on full frame. It has an optical stabilizer and fluorite elements, and it weighs 3.1 kg. The minimum focus distance is 3.6 m. It suits wildlife, birds and sports.

Good for

Wildlife
Birds
Sports

Worth knowing

At 3.1 kg it is heavy: a monopod or tripod helps for longer sessions.

Derived from the manufacturer data, not from our own tests. How we check

Technical Specifications

Min. focal length: 500 mm
Max. focal length: 500 mm
Max. aperture (min. zoom): f/4
Max. aperture (max. zoom): f/4
Min. aperture: f/22
Elements: 16
Groups: 12
Weight: 3,090 g (6.81 lb)
Filter diameter: 40.5 mm
Min. focus distance: 360 cm (141.73 in)
Max. magnification: 1:6.7 (0.15×)
Length: 387 mm (15.24 in)
Diameter: 140 mm (5.51 in)
Released: July 2015

Manufacturer data: imaging.nikon.com, nikon.com

Last checked: October 13, 2026 (against the manufacturer data) · How we check

Simulate depth of field and angle of view

Compare with other lenses

Which cameras does the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F4E FL ED VR fit?

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm F4E FL ED VR is a full-frame lens for Nikon F-Mount cameras. On full-frame bodies it uses the whole sensor; on APS-C Nikon F-Mount cameras its field of view equals 750 mm in full-frame terms.

Nikon F-Mount cameras

Full frame:: Nikon D6,Nikon D780,Nikon D850,Nikon D5,Nikon D810A,Nikon D4S,Nikon D810,Nikon D750,Nikon Df,Nikon D610,Nikon D4,Nikon D800,Nikon D800E,Nikon D600,Nikon D3S,Nikon D3X,Nikon D700
APS-C:: Nikon D3500,Nikon D7500,Nikon D500,Nikon D3400,Nikon D5600,Nikon D5500,Nikon D7200,Nikon D3300,Nikon D7100,Nikon D5300,Nikon D3200,Nikon D5200,Nikon D5100,Nikon D7000,Nikon D3100,Nikon D300S,Nikon D5000,Nikon D3000,Nikon D90,Nikon D60

With the Nikon FTZ II / FTZ the lens can also be used on Nikon Z (DX/FX) cameras.