The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 and the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW 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 560mm F5.6 ED AW is the longer of the two lenses at 522mm. The Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 with a length of 252mm, is 270mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW also has a larger diameter of 130mm compared to the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3's 95mm 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 150-500mm F5-6.3 weighs 1780g, which means it is 1260g (41%) lighter than the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW which has a weight of 3040g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 has a filter size of 86mm whereas the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW has a 112mm 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 Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3:
And these are the 112mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 and the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW 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 Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 has a focal range of 150-500mm and
3.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
225 - 750mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 560mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 840mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
