The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 70-200mm F4 and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG 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 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 544mm. The Tokina 70-200mm F4 with a length of 168mm, is 376mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 157mm compared to the Tokina 70-200mm F4's 82mm 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. Tokina 70-200mm F4 weighs 980g, which means it is 4900g (83%) lighter than the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 5880g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina 70-200mm F4 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has a 46mm 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 Tokina 70-200mm F4:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 70-200mm F4 and the Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM is also available in Sigma SA and Canon EF mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina 70-200mm F4 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 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM has a focal range of 300-800mm and 2.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 450 - 1200mm.