Sigma 70-200mm F/28 Ex Dg Apo Os Hsm Review

Sigma 70-200mm f/ii.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens Review

A lens with a 70-200mm focal length range, a wide, stock-still max f/two.eight discontinuity and optical stabilization is destined to become a critical role of nigh people's lens kit. With this lens model at present offered by many manufacturers, "Which one is right for y'all?" is a bigger question than "Can I brand use of this lens?" And that is the bigger question this review will try to help you lot answer, simply I'll answer the easier/latter question kickoff.

That answer is "Definitely." You will use such a lens for portraits, for weddings, parties, concerts and other indoor events, for indoor and outdoor sports, for landscapes, for large and/or close wild fauna and for not-so-wild life:

You will notice many other uses for one of these lenses - including chasing the kids and grandkids around to their various events. The wide-every bit-it-gets on a seventy-200mm zoom lens f/2.8 aperture allows this lens to stop activeness in low low-cal and to create a strong background blur as shown in the to a higher place sample photo.

I took thousands of pictures with the Sigma seventy-200 OS, but the ones I liked all-time came from this same late solar day session at the corral (the sample pictures volition reflect this). While out by the barn, allow'south take a await at the 70-200mm focal length range.

These images were captured with a full frame DSLR with an f/viii aperture setting. A seventy-200mm lens on an APS-C/1.6x FOVCF format body will deliver an angle of view like a full frame 112-320mm lens. A 70-200mm focal length range makes a lot of sense in either format kit. And this lens volition look good in that kit.

Optical stabilization is a central ingredient for making a lens such as this 1 so useful. Especially for the indoor events (parties, weddings, concerts ...). While this is the quaternary Sigma 70-200mm lens I've endemic, it is the first to comprise Bone, which nigh automatically makes this my favorite version so far.

Sigma'south iv-stop OS organisation is nicely implemented and includes the Style 2 panning option. Bone causes no significant viewfinder framing shift on startup. The Sigma 70-200'due south optical stabilization makes an aural click when starting upwards and over again when shutting downwards. Moving the lens while Bone is active will generate some low-cal clunking sounds.

I volition be comparing the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Os HSM Lens to the Catechism EF 70-200mm f/2.8 Fifty IS Two USM Lens and the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens throughout this review. In these particular optical stabilization (OS) vs. image stabilization (IS) vs. vibration command (VC) (respective unlike names for the same feature) implementations, IS makes a similar startup and shutdown click while VC is quieter. When adjusting the framing while stabilization is active, IS provides a less-jittery image than either OS or VC.

Under ideal conditions with ideal technique, I am getting a good pct of precipitous 200mm handheld shots at 1/25 sec and I nonetheless take a reasonable keeper rate at i/20 sec. At 70mm, the keeper percentage results trail off gradually from 1/xx through 1/8 where an approximately l% of the images were even so usable.

These results represent virtually three stops of help over the focal length range. Non as skillful every bit the Catechism or Tamron which perform similarly to each other. Note that yous should non expect to get this reported operation in the wind, on a small gunkhole, after a fast run ...

Compared to its stabilized competition, I'chiliad disappointed in the Sigma 70-200mm f/two.8 EX DG Bone HSM Lens from an f/two.eight image contrast and sharpness perspective. It does non perform terribly, merely at f/2.8, at that place is a noticeable lack of sharpness across the focal length range and across the image circle. This is noticeable in real world images and quite noticeable in our lab epitome quality testing. Terminate down to f/4 and life is expert – the results are much more pleasing.

Only the f/2.8 discontinuity is a pregnant reason for buying a 70-200 f/2.8 lens. If you don't need f/2.8, you would be better off buying a Catechism EF 70-200mm f/four 50 IS USM Lens. Information technology volition give you better image quality in a smaller and lighter package – and it currently costs less.

The Tamron 70-200 VC delivers noticeably better f/ii.viii prototype quality and the Canon 70-200 IS II delivers even better image quality. The differences are less noticeable at f/4, simply the Tamron remains the image quality leader over the Sigma except at 200mm where the Sigma performs better in the full frame corners. The Canon 70-200 IS II'due south image quality rules over all other AF zoom lenses available at this time in whatsoever focal length range.

Every bit this image quality comparison shows, the seventy-200 OS'due south predecessor, the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.eight EX DG HSM II Macro Lens, performs amend at f/2.eight and f/four except at 200mm where the Os version holds a slight advantage.

Expect a modest amount of CA (Chromatic Abnormality) in total frame corners at 70mm f/2.8. End downward or zoom in and the CA becomes less noticeable. A minor amount of CA is visible at 200mm.

The 70-200 Os delivers vignetting amounts of about ii stops at 70mm and 85mm, one.5 stops at 100mm, two stops at 135mm and ii.5 stops at 200mm. Stopping downwardly to f/four reduces vignetting by about 1 stop.

As usual, APS-C format DSLR owners have lilliputian vignetting to worry about from this total frame compatible lenses. Expect a just-noticeable 1 terminate of vignetting at 200mm.–

The Sigma seventy-200 Os'south vignetting pattern is very similar to the Tamron 70-200 VC with the Sigma having slightly more vignetting at 200mm f/ii.eight. The Canon seventy-200 IS II has less vignetting at comparable f/2.viii focal lengths. The stopped down differences are less noticeable.

With their high lens element counts, all of the stabilized 70-200 f/ii.viii lenses show flare rather easily with a bright light in the frame. The narrower telephoto bending of views and the large lens hoods minimize the situations where brilliant lights crusade this trouble. The differences between the compare-to models are not enough to consider from my perspective.

Nosotros currently expect barrel baloney from the wide end of a zoom lens and pincushion distortion from the long end. The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.viii EX DG Bone HSM Lens meets these expectations. Barrel baloney at 70mm is pocket-sized. The crossover/almost-0-distortion focal length is effectually 85mm. Pincushion then increases to moderate from 135mm to 200mm. Again, the Tamron and Catechism lenses are not different in their distortion fingerprint.

To compare the bokeh (quality of the background mistiness) of the three stabilized 70-200 f/two.8 lens, I captured sample pictures from each using a stationary photographic camera and identical focus distances. While all three lenses were set to their max 200mm focal length, the realized focal length, especially at this distance, is not the same for the iii. The Sigma is slightly longer than the Tamron and the Catechism is significantly longer than both (more well-nigh this later). The longer focal length creates a more strongly blurred background. The Canon produces larger blur details even with a 1-stop narrower aperture.

Aside from the deviation in the magnification of the blurred subjects, I don't meet whatsoever differentiating qualities in the results of this comparison. All three lenses are looking skilful.

Overall, The prototype quality from the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.eight EX DG Bone HSM Lens is quite proficient, merely the trailing-the-pack, mediocre f/two.8 image sharpness leaves me wanting.

As the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens name indicates, this lens features Sigma's HSM (Hypersonic Motor) AF system. This implementation is internal and very quiet, simply this is not an especially fast-focusing lens. If y'all are focusing from ane distance to a not-as well-different distance, focus speed seems reasonably fast. Y'all can hear a quiet "shhhh" followed by a series of clicks while fine tuning adjustments are being made. When going from minimum focus distance to infinity, you volition notice the slower AF speed.

In side-by-side comparison with full-extent focusing changes, it is non hard to meet the deviation in focus speed between this lens, the Tamron 70-200 VC and the Canon seventy-200 IS II. The Tamron and Canon variants focus noticeably faster in this scenario. For shorter focus distance changes, the Tamron and Sigma compete more closely – and the Canon is noticeably faster.

As I said before, this is the quaternary Sigma lxx-200mm lens model I've owned. And I admit that, based on past feel, my biggest business for this lens was AF accuracy. The great news is that I'thousand finding most photos accurately focused – in both One Shot and AI Servo AF modes. The Sigma 70-200 Bone' AI Servo focus accurateness has not been amazing – only quite usable.

Note that, based on plenty of feel, Roger Cicala at Lensrentals.com merely recommends renting this lens for use on cameras with the AFMA feature.

This lens has the desired FTM (Full Fourth dimension Manual) focusing feature. This feature that I greatly prefer is a chip of a liability on this lens due to my left mitt resting on the rear-positioned focus ring. A focus limiter switch is not provided. The front element does not rotate.

Appreciated past videographers is that subjects remain similarly-sized during focus pulling. This lens performs improve than the Canon IS 2 and the Tamron VC in this regard.

The seventy-200 OS has a depth of field scale that is usable at 70mm, though only f/22 markings are provided for 200mm. DOF scales are non found on the Catechism and Tamron versions of this lens model.

The 70-200 OS is not parfocal. Changing focal length from 200mm to 70mm will shift focus to a longer distance. Zooming from 70mm to 200mm will shift focus to a shorter distance. Nigh zoom lenses are not parfocal – you need to refocus after changing your selected focal length.

Model	MFD		MM
Canon EF lxx-200mm f/2.viii 50 IS II USM Lens	47.two"	(1200mm)	0.21x
Sigma lxx-200mm f/ii.viii EX DG OS HSM Lens	55.1"	(1400mm)	0.13x
Sigma seventy-200mm f/2.eight EX DG HSM II Macro Lens	39.4"	(1000mm)	0.29x
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens	51.2"	(1300mm)	0.13x
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens	47.2"	(1200mm)	0.21x

A 0.13x maximum magnification (MM) spec is not going to plough whatever heads. But, in real life manual focus testing, the Sigma Os delivers more magnification than the same-rated Tamron VC does. Still, this lens is non going to reproduce small-scale details large on a sensor.

The Sigma lens has a slightly wider field of view than the Canon at 200mm at longer focus distances. And the Tamron trails the Sigma in this matter.

What does 0.13x wait similar? Beneath is a full frame sample photo taken at about MFD using an f/2.eight aperture.

The Catechism IS II, even though information technology does non take a much shorter minimum focus distance (MFD), has a much college MM spec and does deliver on this. The Sigma and Tamron lenses lose significantly more focal length at brusque focus distances. You will not come across much magnification/bending of view differences between these lenses at longer distances. To see real world focus distance test comparisons, check out the focus altitude test results in the measurement and specifications tool link at the top of this review. There yous will notice that the actual MFD of these lenses in manual focus mode is even more than similar than the specs above bespeak.

Equally usual, extension tubes will modestly subtract MFD and increase MM for a telephoto lens. This lens is also uniform with the Sigma one.4x EX DG APO Teleconverter and the Sigma 2x EX DG APO Teleconverter. The teleconverters will make a more significant difference in magnification at the lens' native MFD.

Calculation a Sigma ane.4x TC to the 70-200 OS creates a 98-280mm f/four OS lens. This combination reduces paradigm sharpness noticeably with a broad open up aperture, but sharpness becomes decent at f/v.6. The 1.4x adds considerable CA to total frame DSLR corners – which volition also exist noticed in APS-C format corners.

Adding a Sigma 2.0x TC to the 70-200 OS creates a 140-400mm f/5.6 Os lens. All Catechism EOS DSLRs can autofocus with this max discontinuity. This is an advantage the lxx-200 f/2.8 lenses hold over the 70-200 f/4 lenses as many DSLRs cannot AF with the resulting f/8 max aperture of these 2x combos. The downside to using a ii.0x with this lens is the considerable reduction in image sharpness. And the significant corporeality of CA becoming credible. On the positive side, the 200mm pincushion distortion is reduced as the 2x TC adds compensates with added barrel distortion. Plan on stopping downwards to at least f/8 for this combination to be usable. And f/eleven if yous desire precipitous corners.

The Sigma 70-200mm f/two.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens is, from a build quality perspective, a very nice lens. Sigma's latest terminate is very bonny and has a quality feel to it. Information technology should resist peeling far better than the old finish.

I like the ribbed safety grip surface on the zoom and focus rings, only not equally much as I like how impressively smooth both of these rings are.

It is dainty when your various lenses operate similarly to each. The Sigma'south zoom and focus rings rotate in the Canon direction while the Tamron'southward rings, rotating in reverse direction, volition accept more appeal to Nikon lens owners. There is no play in the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 OS zoom or focus rings. The Tamron also has little or no play in its rings, but I adopt the resistance smoothness of the Sigma (and Catechism) more than. My well-used Catechism 70-200 f/2.8 IS 2 has a very slight amount of play in its rings.

The Sigma has a noticeably-raised switch box. While non a large deal, the Canon switches are raised less, simply are smooth with the barrel just across them. The Tamron switches are noticeably more flush with the butt. The Canon has 2 additional switches for focus altitude limit settings and separated IS On/Off and Way settings.

I don't intendance for Sigma'south 3-position (Off, I and Ii) switch pattern. The position marks are as well shut together and the switch tin be positioned in an in-betwixt setting. I shot for over an hour with IS off because I visually misaligned this switch setting prior to shooting. I defenseless this aforementioned issue early some other occasion. Learning from mistakes is of course a key in life, but I'd like this lens to do a better task of protecting me from my mistakes.

More of a large deal to me, as I mentioned before, is the Sigma'due south rear-positioned focus ring. In use, my left manus's fingers rest on this ring. Since this lens features FTM focusing, there is hazard in me inadvertently irresolute the focus distance setting afterwards autofocusing. The Sigma'due south focus band resistance is firm enough to reduce this run a risk, but I nonetheless much adopt the Canon design - and much capeesh the grip balance when using a rear-positioned zoom ring.

With a butt the size of what comes with a lxx-200mm f/2.viii lens design, creating adequately-sized focus and zoom rings has not been a problem for manufacturers. If a large manual focus band is on your wish listing, the Catechism, with almost 2x as much focus ring surface expanse as the Tamron and Sigma, is going to best meet this demand. Rubber covers less than one-half of the Sigma'due south focus ring, making it easier to discern from the zoom ring past affect lone.

The Sigma seventy-200mm f/two.8 EX DG Os HSM Lens has modestly more than focus ring rotation than the Canon and Tamron (72° vs. 62° and 60°). And less zoom ring rotation (120° vs. 137° and 143°). It is not probable that these differences volition be significant to you lot.

A great design feature shared by all of these 70-200 f/ii.8 lenses is the fixed size. At that place is no butt extension when zooming to a longer focal length.

While Sigma, Canon and Tamron are using quality plastics in their construction, 70-200mm f/ii.8 lens design requirements dictate that the weight – and size – be noticeable. The weight and size differences betwixt the 3 lenses I've been comparison are not of significance.

Model	Weight		Dimensions w/o Hood		Filter	Year
Catechism EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens	52.6 oz	(1490g)	3.five x 7.eight"	(88.eight x 199mm)	77mm	2010
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Bone HSM Lens	50.5 oz	(1430g)	iii.four 10 seven.8"	(86.4 x 197.6mm)	77mm	2011
Sigma 70-200mm f/two.8 EX DG HSM II Macro Lens	48.4 oz	(1370g)	3.4 x 7.two"	(86 x 184mm)	77mm	2007
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens	51.nine oz	(1470g)	iii.iv ten vii.iv"	(85.8 x 188.3mm)	77mm	2012
Catechism EF 70-200mm f/ii.8 Fifty USM Lens	46.ii oz	(1310g)	3.3 x 7.6"	(85 x 194mm)	77mm	1995
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 50 IS USM Lens	26.8 oz	(760g)	3.0 ten half dozen.8"	(76 ten 172mm)	67mm	2006
Canon EF 70-200mm f/iv L USM Lens	24.9 oz	(705g)	three.0 10 6.viii"	(76 x 172mm)	67mm	1999

For many more comparisons, review the consummate Sigma lxx-200mm f/two.eight EX DG Bone HSM Lens Specifications using the site'south Lens Spec tool.

The size and weight of this lens are of significance, but not overly so. Virtually photographers will find this lens to be very usable. These lenses do take upward more than space in a case - and you might need a larger case to comport this lens than your standard zoom lens requires. I frequently bear my mounted 70-200 f/ii.viii lenses in a Lowepro Toploader Pro 75 AW.

Hither are the iii stabilized 70-200 f/2.eight lenses side-by-side.

Positioned higher up from left to right in their fully retracted positions are the following lenses:

Tamron 70-200mm f/2.viii Di VC USD Lens
Catechism EF 70-200mm f/two.8 L IS II USM Lens
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Os HSM Lens

The same lenses are shown beneath in their fully extended states (which is the same size as when retracted for these lenses) with their lens hoods in place.

All three of the above lenses come with a lens hood. Generally, the longer the lens focal length, the longer the lens hood. We are looking at telephoto lenses and the lens hoods for telephoto lenses are by and large big. Large lens hoods accept up more room, simply they also provide serious protection to the forepart lens element. These hoods can preclude impact, can keep pelting and water spray off of the lens, can reduce dust on the lens, and of course, provide protection from the sun and other vivid light sources.

The Sigma lens hood is the longest in this comparison fifty-fifty without the included APS-C lens hood extender (the lens hood extension is shown above – it extends the hood to make it improve-protect the narrower angle of view seen by APS-C DSLRs). With the less-rounded corners, this lens hood has a pointy look to it. Tamron and Sigma use a plastic interior with ridges design to prevent reflections while Canon utilizes a flocking textile. The Canon design is more than effective, but ... few volition notice the differences to be significant. All 3 lens hoods have ends flat enough to permit the lens to sit upright when balanced on them, but ... utilise this technique with caution.

Fifty-fifty though this lens hood is deep, the center-pinch lens cap is easily installed or removed with the lens hood in place.

Like the rest of the seventy-200 f/2.8 lenses discussed in this review, the Sigma 70-200 Bone comes with a removable tripod ring included. Using hinged designs, the Sigma and Tamron tripod rings practice not require the lens to exist unmounted as the Canon band requires. With no swivel, the Canon pattern is potentially stronger.

The Canon blueprint is as well less at risk of accidental removal. The Sigma quick release friction screw requires less than 90 degrees of rotation to get from really tight to completely loose. At completely loose, only a pocket-size tug outward on the release screw is required to release the lens from the ring. This ease of release makes me a bit nervous. I recommend keeping a sure grip on the camera or lens while this tripod ring is non completely tight.

The Sigma tripod ring is non as smoothen-functioning as the Canon and Tamron rings, but information technology is completely functional. The Canon ring allows more clearance for fingers wrapped around the lens, just the Tamron and Sigma rings are lower profile.

All of these lenses utilize the very-common-sized 77mm filters. The medium-big 77mm filters are shareable on a wide range of other lens models.

A nice padded, zippered, nylon lens instance ships in the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.eight EX DG Os HSM Lens box. While a shoulder strap is included with this case, a pro-sized photography chugalug loop would exist an piece of cake add-on to make this instance even more than useful.

The Sigma lxx-200mm f/2.viii EX DG OS HSM Lens is not a weather-sealed lens. The Tamron and Canon 70-200mm variants compared in this review are sealed.

My review copy of the Sigma lxx-200 Os was purchased retail.

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.eight EX DG OS HSM Lens is bachelor in Canon (reviewed), Nikon, Pentax, Sony/Minolta and Sigma mounts. My standard disclaimer: In that location are potential issues with third party lenses. Since Sigma reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF algorithms, there is always the possibility that a DSLR torso might not support a (likely older) third political party lens. Sometimes a lens can be made uniform past the manufacturer, sometimes not. In that location is also the risk of a trouble that results in the lens and body manufacturers directing blame at each other. Sigma USA's 4-year warranty is far superior to Canon'due south standard ane year warranty (Sigma's international warranty is also i year).

At review time, the Sigma seventy-200mm f/ii.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens is modestly less expensive than the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens. There are numerous Sigma physical features that I prefer to the Tamron including the focus and zoom rings smoothness and rotation management. Only, the price departure is non keen and the Tamron'south f/2.viii epitome quality makes it well worth some additional cost.

The Canon EF seventy-200mm f/2.8 Fifty IS Ii USM Lens rules. If you can swing the higher price tag, the Canon is well worth the investment.

If you lot demand the least expensive stabilized seventy-200mm f/ii.8 lens, every bit of this review date, the Sigma 70-200 OS is your lens.

Bringing you this site is my total-time task (typically 60-80 hours per calendar week). Thus, I depend solely on the commissions received from y'all using the links on this site to make any purchase. I am grateful for your support! - Bryan

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