The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II and the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport 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 600mm f4D ED-IF II is the longer of the two lenses at 455mm. The Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport with a length of 380mm, is 75mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II also has a larger diameter of 166mm compared to the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport's 145mm 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 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport weighs 3310g, 43% (2590g) lighter than the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II's weight of 5900g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime 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 600mm f4D ED-IF II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport has a 46mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport:
Lens Mounts
Both the Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II and the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport 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 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon 600mm f4D ED-IF II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 600mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
900mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport 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.