The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX and the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX 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 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 198mm. The Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX with a length of 135mm, is 63mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX's 78mm 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 50-135mm f2.8 DX weighs 845g, which means it is 505g (37%) lighter than the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM which has a weight of 1350g.
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 Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC 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 50-135mm f2.8 DX:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX and the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX 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.
Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX is also available in Canon EF mount.
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is also available in Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina 50-135mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 50-135mm and
2.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
75-202.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM has a focal range of 50-150mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 75-225mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.