The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S and the Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Sigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S is the longer of the two lenses at 203mm. The Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR with a length of 144mm is 59mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR's 80mm diameter.
Weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both Sigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S and Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR 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 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S is also available in Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 300mm.
Nikon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR 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 an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 105 - 450mm.