The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 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 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 252mm. The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD with a length of 197mm, is 55mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 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 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD weighs 1470g, which means it is 310g (17%) lighter than the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1780g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD and the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 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 A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (FX) mounts.
Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3 and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 VC USD has a focal range of 70-200mm and
2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 300mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM has a focal range of 150-500mm and 3.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 225 - 750mm.