The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD and the Sigma 120-300mm 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 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 289mm. The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD with a length of 199mm, is 90mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 114mm compared to the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD's 86mm 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. Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD weighs 1135g, which means it is 1815g (61%) lighter than the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM which has a weight of 2950g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a 105mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD:
And these are the 105mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD is also available in the Canon EF mount.
Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Tamron 100-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di VC USD has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a focal range of 120-300mm and 2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 192 - 480mm.
