Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 DG OS Lens for Canon EF

The Sigma 70-200mm f2.8E FL ED OS is a full-frame Sigma lens primarily aimed at people interested in capturing fast-moving or fleeting action, such as in Wildlife Photography or sports.

Compact and lightweight, this third-party lens is a superb and affordable alternative to native system lens. The balance of quality and pricing makes this a highly popular option for DSLR camera owners on a budget. Featuring a constant f/2.8 aperture enables photographers to have uncompromising control over their shutter speed and depth of field. This means that when progressing through the focal range of this lens, the aperture will not change unless the photographer is shooting in shutter speed priority mode or if they choose to adjust the aperture manually. The 9-blade aperture construction of this lens also helps to deliver attractive out-of-focus highlights as the lens creates strong separation between the intended subject and the background.

To combat the instability inherent in using a large telephoto lens, the Sigma 70-200mm features Sigma’s advanced Optical Stabilisation (OS) technology. This allows users to take pictures with lower shutter speeds for up to 4 stops of compensation. Two modes of OS are offered, one for general shooting and another for panning motion, especially useful for covering activities such as motorsports. Three high-quality Super-Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements are included in the structure of this 70-200mm lens, along with two Low Dispersion (FLD) elements that match the performance of fluorite. Multi-layer lens coatings and premium lens elements combine help to minimise the impact of flaring and chromatic aberrations, generally boosting overall image clarity.

The 70-200mm also benefits from Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) focusing technology, quietly and quickly moving its 22 glass elements in 17 groups, for accurate focusing. It also offers full-time manual focus override, enabling photographers to quickly make fine adjustments to their field of focus without switching off AF.

The only real compromise creators should take into account when considering this lens is that it does not have dust and moisture sealing. However, the AF-S Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM is one of the best affordable zoom lenses for DSLR camera owners. It focuses rapidly and will help deliver crisp images.