The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM and the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 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. Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM is the longer of the two lenses at 343mm. The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM with a length of 182mm, is 161mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM also has a larger diameter of 163mm compared to the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM's 86mm 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. Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM weighs 1160g, 59% (1680g) lighter than the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM's weight of 2840g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a 67mm 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 EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM and the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 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 Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
640mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.
