The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS 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. Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW is the longer of the two lenses at 242mm. The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS with a length of 126mm, is 116mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS's 77mm 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS weighs 610g, 69% (1390g) lighter than the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW's weight of 2000g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 86mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has the same Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF3 lenses are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Pentax D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW has a focal range of 150-450mm and
3.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
225 - 675mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.