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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 with a length of 72mm, is 65mm 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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6's 66mm 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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 weighs 220g, 75% (675g) 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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 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 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM and the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 has the same Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Four Thirds lenses are Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620.
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 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 has a focal range of 40-150mm and 3.8X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 80-300mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
