The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro and the Sigma APO 180mm 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 APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 204mm. The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro with a length of 95mm, is 109mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro's 73mm 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 100mm f2.8 Macro weighs 540g, which means it is 1100g (67%) lighter than the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM which has a weight of 1640g.
Filter Threads
The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX 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 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro:
And these are the 86mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Sigma APO 180mm 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.
Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro is also available in the Canon EF mount.
Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sigma SA and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma APO 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 288mm.
