The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 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. Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is the longer of the two lenses at 237mm. The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM with a length of 126mm, is 111mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's 61mm 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. Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM weighs 1130g, 22% (330g) lighter than the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR's weight of 1460g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 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 85mm F1.4 DG HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon AF-S 500mm F5.6E PF ED VR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 750mm.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.