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 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD 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. Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD is the longer of the two lenses at 157mm. The Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM with a length of 137mm, is 20mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM's 80mm 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 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM weighs 895g, which means it is 100g (10%) lighter than the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD which has a weight of 995g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD has a 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM and the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD 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 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD has a focal range of 50-200mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 100-400mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
