The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS 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. Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS is the longer of the two lenses at 206mm. The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM with a length of 182mm, is 24mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 86mm.
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. Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS weighs 1120g, which means it is 40g (3%) lighter than the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1160g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
100-400mm and the fastest aperture of
F5-6.3.
