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 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 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. Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 146mm. The Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM with a length of 101mm, is 45mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR also has a larger diameter of 81mm compared to the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM's 79mm 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 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM weighs 628g, 7% (52g) lighter than the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR's weight of 680g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM has a 72mm 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 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E ED VR has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM has the Sigma SA lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Sigma SD1 Merrill, Sigma SD1 and for the Sigma SA Mount.
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (DX), Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha, Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F (DX), Pentax KAF3 and Sony Alpha 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 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM has a focal range of 18-250mm and 13.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-375mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.