The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S 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. Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport is the longer of the two lenses at 380mm. The Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S with a length of 278mm, is 102mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport also has a larger diameter of 145mm compared to the Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S's 107mm 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. Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S weighs 1470g, which means it is 1840g (55%) lighter than the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport which has a weight of 3310g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S has a filter size of 95mm 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 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S has the Nikon Z lens mount whereas the Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Nikon Z Mount and Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount.
Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S 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.
