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 70-200mm 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 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Tokina 70-200mm F4 with a length of 168mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 86mm 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 450g (31%) lighter than the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1430g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Tokina 70-200mm F4 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM has a 77mm 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 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 70-200mm F4 and the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS 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 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sony Alpha and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
70-200mm but while Tokina 70-200mm F4 has the fastest aperture of
F4.0, the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM's widest aperture value is
F2.8.