The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG 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 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 215mm. The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG with a length of 122mm, is 93mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 119mm compared to the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG's 77mm 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG weighs 550g, 77% (1850g) lighter than the Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM's weight of 2400g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG 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 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM and the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF and Sigma SA mounts.
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha, Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
450mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG has a focal range of 70-300mm and 4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.
