Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR

Focal length: 500 mm
Aperture: f/4
Weight: 3880 g
Filter diameter: 52 mm
Min. focus distance: 400 cm
Length: 391 mm

At a Glance

The AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR is a telephoto prime for Nikon F-mount on full frame. It combines a 500 mm focal length with an f/4 maximum aperture and an optical stabilizer. At 3.9 kg it is heavy, and it focuses down to 4 m. It is used mainly for wildlife, bird and sports shooting.

Good for

Wildlife
Birds
Sports

Worth knowing

At 3.9 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: 14
Groups: 11
Weight: 3,880 g (8.55 lb)
Filter diameter: 52 mm
Min. focus distance: 400 cm (157.48 in)
Max. magnification: 1:7.1 (0.14×)
Length: 391 mm (15.39 in)
Diameter: 139.5 mm (5.49 in)
Released: November 2007

Manufacturer data: nikonusa.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 f/4G ED VR fit?

The Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4G 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.