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 Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II 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 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 350mm. The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II with a length of 196mm, is 154mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 123mm compared to the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II's 95mm 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. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II weighs 1500g, 52% (1650g) lighter than the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM's weight of 3150g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a 77mm 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 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II:
Lens Mounts
The Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount.
Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Pentax KAF and Sigma SA 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 Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-400mm and 5.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 600mm.
