The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR and the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG 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-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR is the longer of the two lenses at 363mm. The Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM with a length of 219mm, is 144mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR also has a larger diameter of 128mm compared to the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM's 104mm 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 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM weighs 1970g, 43% (1530g) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR's weight of 3500g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR has a filter size of 41mm whereas the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a 95mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 41mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR:
And these are the 95mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR and the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS 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 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-S 180-400mm F4E TC VR has a focal range of 180-400mm and
2.2X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
270 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a focal range of 50-500mm and 10.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 75 - 750mm.
