The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM and the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS 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 APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 204mm. The Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM with a length of 136mm, is 68mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM's 83mm 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 200mm f2.8L II USM weighs 765g, which means it is 875g (53%) lighter than the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1640g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a 86mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM and the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS 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 APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sigma SA and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Canon 200mm f2.8L II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 200mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
320mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 288mm.