The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 387mm. The Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 88mm, is 299mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 146mm compared to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM's 86mm diameter.
The 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. Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM weighs 725g, which means it is 3145g (81%) lighter than the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM which has a weight of 3870g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 136mm.
Canon 500mm f4.0L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 800mm.