The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM and the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS 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 APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 204mm. The Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM with a length of 45mm, is 159mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM's 70mm 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 DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM weighs 150g, which means it is 1490g (90%) lighter than the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1640g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a 86mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM and the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX) and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Sony DT 30mm F2.8 Macro SAM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 30mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
45mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 270mm.