The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR and the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG 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 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 271mm. The Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR with a length of 146mm, is 125mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 113mm compared to the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR's 81mm 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. Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR weighs 680g, which means it is 1920g (73%) lighter than the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 2600g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG 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 Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR:
And these are the 105mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR and the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM 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.
Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM is also available in Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR 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.
On the other hand, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM has a focal range of 120-300mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 180 - 450mm.
