The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II 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 Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II with a length of 83mm, is 19mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II's 71mm 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 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II weighs 335g, which means it is 85g (20%) lighter than the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM which has a weight of 420g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II has a filter size of 52mm 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 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount whereas the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF Mount.
Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM is also available in Pentax KAF3 , Sony Alpha, Sigma SA and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6G VR II has a focal range of 55-200mm and
3.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-300mm 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 80-320mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.