The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samyang 85mm F1.4 and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS is the longer of the two lenses at 126mm. The Samyang 85mm F1.4 with a length of 75mm, is 51mm shorter. On the other hand, the Samyang 85mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS's 77mm 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. Samyang 85mm F1.4 weighs 539g, which means it is 71g (11%) lighter than the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS which has a weight of 610g.
Filter Threads
The Samyang 85mm F1.4 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has a 58mm 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 Samyang 85mm F1.4:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Samyang 85mm F1.4 and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Samyang 85mm F1.4 is also available in Canon EF , Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Samyang 85mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.