The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM and the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO 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 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 137mm. The Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO with a length of 84mm, is 53mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO's 70mm 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. Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO weighs 382g, 57% (513g) lighter than the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM's weight of 895g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a 62mm 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 Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO:
Lens Mounts
The Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM has the Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount and OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 150mm.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a focal range of 12-40mm and 3.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-80mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
