The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG 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 300mm f4E PF VR is the longer of the two lenses at 148mm. The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG with a length of 122mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG's 77mm 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG weighs 550g, 26% (200g) lighter than the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR's weight of 750g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sigma SA, Canon EF, Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon 300mm f4E PF VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
450mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG 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.
