The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM and the Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC 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. Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 132mm. The Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM with a length of 106mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 101mm compared to the Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM's 75mm 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 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM weighs 555g, 51% (596g) lighter than the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM's weight of 1151g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Sigma SA Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Sigma SA Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM and the Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM has the same Sigma SA lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sigma SA lenses are Sigma Quattro, Sigma Quattro H and Sigma SD1 Merrill.
Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Canon EF mounts.
Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM has a focal range of 12-24mm and
2.0X zoom ratio .
On the other hand, the Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM has a focal range of 8-16mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 12-24mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.