The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM and the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM 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. Sony 500mm F4 G SSM is the longer of the two lenses at 368mm. The Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM with a length of 117mm, is 251mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM also has a larger diameter of 140mm compared to the Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM'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. Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM weighs 460g, which means it is 3000g (86%) lighter than the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM which has a weight of 3460g.
Filter Threads
The Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM has a 42mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM:
And these are the 42mm filters that we recommend for the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM and the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM 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.
Focal Range
Sony DT 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 SAM has a focal range of 55-300mm and
5.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sony 500mm F4 G SSM 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.
