The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM 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 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 544mm. The Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM with a length of 350mm, is 194mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 157mm compared to the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM's 123mm 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 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM weighs 3150g, which means it is 2730g (46%) lighter than the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 5880g.
Filter Threads
Both the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM have the same Filter thread size of 46mm.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Pentax KAF and Sigma SA mounts.
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
750mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has a focal range of 300-800mm and 2.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450 - 1200mm.
