The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 135mm f2.8 SF and the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 150mm. The Canon 135mm f2.8 SF with a length of 98mm, is 52mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Canon 135mm f2.8 SF's 69mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 135mm f2.8 SF weighs 390g, which means it is 760g (66%) lighter than the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM which has a weight of 1150g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 135mm f2.8 SF has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 135mm f2.8 SF:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 135mm f2.8 SF and the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Canon 135mm f2.8 SF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
216mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS Macro HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 150mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 240mm.