Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Lens (Nikon Mount) compatible with a nikon D5200?

Is this lense usable with A Nikon D5200?
Because i really like how it has A Macro function and its on sale at Jb Hi-fi

Yes, it will work on your camera.

The word "Macro" when it comes to lenses is sometimes deceptive.

Sometimes macro lenses are not really macro - are close up at best. This is one of the camera world's dirty secrets - these lenses do not do true macro.

True macro is defined as a 1:1 ratio, and generally requires a prime lens. You will this find this lens has a 1:2 "macro" magnification at 300mm, which makes it a close up lens, not a macro.

A 1:1 macro ratio is life-size, while a 1:2 ratio is half-life size. In other words, a true macro will show an object twice as large as this lens. Life size means if a bug if 1/2" long in true life, it will cover 1/2" of the sensor.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/...6-dg-macro

This lens has a 59" minimum focusing distance, also enforcing the "close up" rather than "macro" lens.

This has gotten so out of hand that Nikon now classifies their true "macro" lenses as "micro" to differentiate this industry practice of deception (and yes, Nikon used to partake in this deception too).

When shopping for a macro lens, make sure it has a 1:1 or better ratio. 2:1 for instance is a "super macro" lens with the object being twice life size. But not 1:2 is just a close up with the object being half size.

Also, true macro lenses are primes - not zooms.

There are no issues using a full frame lens on a DX (cropped) camera.

Nikon 5200 is crop sensor camera which means that it would work best with DX lens or any lens designed for 1.5 crop factor, sigma lens you mentioned above has a nikon mount but a FX mount so it is not predominantly designed to be used on cameras like 5200 but that dosent mean zou can't use it on 5200. So yes you can, it is compatible with it but youre focal lenght will change to 105-450mm.

keep in mind that this is not very expensive lens and true macro lens are far more expensive, this lens in particular can probably shoot great close ups but not completly true macro since true macro has 1:1 ratio of the image and the subject, this lens has 1:2 which definitely isn't bad if you arent in professional photography

Yes it will mount, but it will not autofocus. You would need an HSM model from Sigma to get AF with your camera. It is similar, maybe even better, than the Nikon 75-300 G model.

I won't labor the point that this is not a macro lens. Marketers have changed the meaning of macro to "close focus", and they are not even close to the same thing. Macro is a short form of the word "photomacrography". It has nothing to do with close focus.

Sigma have an annoying habit of attaching the word "macro" to a lot of their entry level lenses.
It is not true macro - it just means it can focus quite close.

The cheapo 70-300mm lenses are a waste of money. Image quality at 300mm is not good. The "macro" is not only mild macro, it is useless, because the maximum magnification is at 300mm where its quality is worst. If you have the 18-55mm that gets you 0.31x magnification at 55mm and is actually useful.