The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 and the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS 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 FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 205mm. The Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS with a length of 197mm, is 8mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS's 86mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 and Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS weighs 1135g, 18% (260g) lighter than the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6's weight of 1395g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS has a 67mm 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 FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 and the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS is also available in Leica L and Fujifilm X mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
100-400mm but while Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 has the fastest aperture of
F4.5-5.6, the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 OS's widest aperture value is
F5-6.3.