The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD and the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC 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 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 102mm. The Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD with a length of 83mm, is 19mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD's 72mm 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 AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD weighs 300g, which means it is 120g (28%) lighter than the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM which has a weight of 420g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (DX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD and the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has the same Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (DX) lenses are Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600.
Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD is also available in Canon EF and Sony Alpha mounts.
Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron AF 55-200mm f4-5.6 II LD has a focal range of 55-200mm and
3.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
82.5-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sigma 50-200mm F4-5.6 DC OS HSM has a focal range of 50-200mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 75-300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.