The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR and the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC 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 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 102mm. The PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR with a length of 89mm, is 13mm shorter. On the other hand, the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM's 74mm 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 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM weighs 420g, 10% (51g) lighter than the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR's weight of 471g.
Filter Threads
The PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR and the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has the same Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF3 lenses are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Sony Alpha, Sigma SA and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Focal Range
PENTAX 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 ED WR has a focal range of 55-300mm and
5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has a focal range of 50-200mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 75-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
