billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Interesting, I found just the opposite. Interesting.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Lost detail in the white.

SoCal Dave

200-500 3 ED elements
80-400 4 ED elements - 1 Super ED element

ED Glass is an optical glass developed by Nikon that is used with normal optical glass in telephoto lenses to obtain optimum correction of chromatic aberrations. Super ED glass exhibits an even lower refractive index and lower light dispersion than ED glass, while excelling at eliminating secondary spectrum and correcting chromatic aberration.

Good glass costs money.

Hear Moose Peterson discuss the 80-400:
https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/camera-lenses/af-s-nikkor-80-400mm-f%252f4.5-5.6-g-ed-vr.html#lightbox:/Video/Moose-Peterson-audio.mp4

Finally, the 80-400 accepts a common 77mm filter. The 200-500 takes a 95mm filter.

CWGordon

I think the 200-500 is a fantastic lens. The price is unbelievable for the quality. My 80-400 may not be as good. However, it is excellent and much less weight to haul around. When I need more length I use either the 500f5.6 or the Tamron 150-600. Mine was the newer issue. Both are terrific lenses. I thought I would sell one or two of them, but so far cannot bring myself to part with any of the three. 80-400 is the “go to” lens for most purposes.
Good luck w/your choice.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Not according to the judges at the Ohio State Fair, first place, imagine that.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Sorry, I never have used a filter on my 80-400, 300 2.8, 200-400 4, 200-500 5.6, or 500 PF. Why? The front of the lens is already heavy, why would you add a filter to make it heavier.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I have owned both the 80-400 I and II, after I bought the 200-500 I found, after many many exposures, that my images at 500 mm on the 200-500 were sharper than those at 400 mm on the 80-400.

SoCal Dave

Often used with polarizer for foliage/water. It's less than an ounce.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Compare test shots done with the two lenses yourself...

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=915&Camera=614&Sample=0&FLI=3&API=1&LensComp=1035&CameraComp=614&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

At focal lengths they share:

400mm... To me they look very similar.
300mm... The 80-400mm G looks sharper, esp. in the corners and, to a lesser degree, the mid-frame.
200mm... The 80-400mm G is sharper throughout, especially in the corners and mid-frame.

Note that all these "tests" are significantly magnified (see: https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Help/ISO-12233.aspx).

Also, all the comparisons I made were with the lenses at the max aperture, which is where most lenses are at their worst. Probably both would improve if stopped down a bit.

Comparisons are set up to show both lenses on the same 24MP camera model (FX). Higher resolution... or smaller format with the same 24MP, which makes for a more densely crowded sensor... may be more challenging for either lens. Alternative test shots for both lenses that were done with 36MP FX camera can be seen. Even higher resolution 46MP FX is also available to view, but only for one of the two lenses (the newer, 200-500mm), so comparison isn't possible.

Finally, the comparisons are on full frame (FX) camera. No tests were done with a crop sensor camera. If you happen to be using on a cropper (DX), the "corner" image quality comparisons shown will be irrelevant. The "mid-frame" will actually be the corners, after the crop that occurs on an APS-C camera.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

By detail in the feathers against the white. This may not be due to the lens could be technique, I tend to shoot towards the left as I can recover detail out of the highlight, but blowing the highlight you lose detail. The negative effect of this technique is if you look into shadows you can blow them.

(Download)

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Ops, another one, sorry about that. Nikon D850, 1/2500 sec. f8, 200-500. Snowy Egret the moment he caught a minnow.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

It appears your Great white Egret is a Great gray Egret.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Only way to get detail.

lschiz Loc: Elgin, IL

Yup! Id say excellent, notwithstanding other opinions.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

But to change color on a white bird to get detail? There are other ways you know.