The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED and the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC 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 28mm F1.4E ED is the longer of the two lenses at 101mm. The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM with a length of 63mm, is 38mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM's 74mm 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 30mm F1.4 DC HSM weighs 435g, 32% (210g) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED's weight of 645g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM has a 62mm 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 AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM is also available in Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-S 28mm F1.4E ED is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 28mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
42mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 30mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 45mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.