With today's introduction of the Sigma 200mm f/2 for only the Sony FE mount, we once again get a differing option that sets one of the main three mounts apart in terms of telephoto options that hit 200mm or more.
Leaving out APS-C lenses and SuperZooms that are wide angle to telephoto, I get:
Canon RF (14 options)
- Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
- Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Z
- Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS
- Canon 75-300mm f/4-5.6
- Canon 100-300mm f/2.8L IS
- Canon 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS
- Canon 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS
- Canon 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS
- Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS
- Canon 600mm f/4L IS
- Canon 600mm f/11 IS
- Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS
- Canon 800mm f/11 IS
- Canon 1200mm f/8L IS
Nikon Z (11 options)
- Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 VC
- Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
- Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3
- Nikkor 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S
- Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 VC
- Nikkor 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR
- Nikkor 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S
- Nikkor 400mm f/4.5 VR S
- Nikkor 600mm f/4 TC VR S
- Nikkor 600mm f/6.3 VR S
- Nikkor 800mm f/6.3 VR S
Sony FE (20 options)
- Tamron 50-300mm f/4.5-6.3 VC
- Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 VC
- Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 OS
- Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 OS
- Sony 70-200mm f/2.8GM OSS
- Sony 70-400mm f/4G Macro OSS
- Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G OSS
- Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3
- Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6GM OSS
- Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 OS
- Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 VC
- Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 OS
- Sigma 200mm f/2 OS
- Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS
- Sony 300mm f/2.8GM OSS
- Sigma 300-600mm f/4 OS
- Sony 400mm f/2.8GM OSS
- Sony 400-800mm f/6.3-8 OSS
- Sigma 500mm f/5.6 OS
- Sony 600mm f/4GM OSS
Canon has been highly restrictive about protecting their lens mount, and as a result, outside of their core set of fast lenses in the 200-600mm range, I find the RF choices somewhat restrictive, and a bit weak.
Nikon has been slightly less restriction in that they've allowed Tamron to play in the Z mount, but again outside the core set of fast lenses in the 200-600mm range, the choices are few, though less restrictive aperture-wise than in the RF mount.
Sony, of course, has about a five-year head start in selling full frame mirrorless bodies, which makes the installed base bigger. Coupled with their licensable mount, this has opened up more choices in the FE mount.
That said, most people need no more than three telephoto lenses: (1) a fast 70-200mm, (2) a fast 400, 500, or 600mm, and (3) something flexible as a one-carry solution (e.g. 100-400mm). All the mounts cover that decently.
On the flip side, some of us photographing specific sports or from specific positions sometimes do need options that are currently only found in one of the mounts. In the case of "super telephoto," that would be Canon's 1200mm f/8L IS. In the case of short-but-faster telephoto, that's where the Sigma 200mm f/2 fatboy in the Sony FE mount makes its case. The Nikon Z-mount doesn't have a unique lens like those at the moment, tough I have no doubt that over time they will.
In Nikon's case, if they're holding Sigma out of the full frame Z mount because of past bad blood between the two, as some believe, then it's hurting them now. Sigma now has three telephoto lenses that would really help fill in positions in the Nikon telephoto needs, but you can only get them in the Sony FE mount. Foot, can I introduce you to gun?
