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 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 544mm. The Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR with a length of 268mm, is 276mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 157mm compared to the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR's 108mm diameter.
The 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 3580g (60%) lighter than the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 5880g.
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 the Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG 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 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon 200-500mm F5.6E ED VR has a focal range of 200-500mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 300 - 750mm.
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has a focal range of 300-800mm and 2.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450 - 1200mm.