The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR and the Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG is the longer of the two lenses at 726mm. The Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR with a length of 268mm is 458mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG also has a larger diameter of 237mm compared to Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR's 108mm diameter.
Weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR weighs 2300g, which means it is 13400g (85%) lighter than the Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG which has a weight of 15700g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR and Sigma 200-500mm F2.8 EX 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 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range