The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG is the longer of the two lenses at 122mm. The Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA with a length of 115mm, is 7mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA has a larger diameter of 89mm 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, 47% (500g) lighter than the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA's weight of 1050g.
Filter Threads
The Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA has a filter size of 77mm 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA 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 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
202.5mm.
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.
