The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM and the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 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 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 291mm. The Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM with a length of 146mm, is 145mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 124mm compared to the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM's 80mm 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 EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM weighs 710g, which means it is 2240g (75%) lighter than the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM which has a weight of 2950g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM has a 105mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM:
And these are the 105mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM and the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 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 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 480mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM has a focal range of 120-300mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 192 - 480mm.
