Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: introduction

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport is a premium fixed aperture telephoto zoom designed to match own-brand lenses from Canon and Nikon however at a fraction of the worth. It’s one in every of 5 lens launches that marked a busy time for Sigma on the finish of 2018. These embrace the beast of a telephoto zoom that’s the 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport, the insanely sharp 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Artwork, the tremendous compact 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Up to date for Sony E-mount and Micro 4 Thirds and the Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Artwork for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport is a lens that has been within the offing for fairly a while and is the successor to Sigma’s APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM from 2010. Like its forerunner, we’re taking a look at a lens that’s designed to enchantment to high-end amateurs, eager fans and the working professional who demand a multipurpose zoom that’s nicely suited to a variety of topics and conditions, from touchline sports activities and telephoto landscapes by to candid portraits at weddings and occasions.

A aspect profile of the lens coupled to the EOS 5DS R with the petal-shaped lens hood connected

Maybe its greatest draw is the saving it gives over its closest rivals. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS III USM ($2000 / £2199) and the Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 FL ED VR ($2347 / £2299) each value considerably extra money than the $1499 / £1179 Sigma. There’s no signal but of a mirrorless model, regardless of rumours of a Sony FE mount model, so for now it’s solely Canon and Nikon DSLR house owners who get to make use of this lens – although these wishing to pair this lens with a Sony full-frame A7-series digital camera can use Sigma’s MC-11 adapter ($249 / £219), which helps each autofocus and optical stabilisation. You may as well use a Canon EF-RF adaptor to make use of this lens with Canon EOS R cameras, which we did as a part of our testing, so mirrorless digital camera house owners can nonetheless profit.

So can the Sigma 70-200mm compete on the identical enjoying subject as its own-brand Canon and Nikon equivalents and be part of our record of the perfect Nikon F lenses and greatest Canon EF lenses? It’s time to seek out out.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: options

The optical building of the lens is options extra components in additional teams than the earlier model. Whereas the APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM had 22 components in 17 teams, this new instance arranges 24 components in 22 teams with 11 diaphragm blades versus 9.

The lens accepts screw-in filters and adapter rings by way of an 82mm thread

As a part of the design, 9 FLD (‘F’ low dispersion) glass components and one particular low dispersion (SLD) factor are used to curtail color aberrations, with Sigma’s tremendous multi-layer coating additionally being employed, not solely to scale back flare and ghosting, however maximise sharpness and distinction when taking pictures instantly in direction of the sunshine. A water and oil-repellent coating is utilized to the entrance and rear components too, which prevents oil, mud and filth sticking to the floor of the glass and makes it simpler to wipe with a lens fabric and cleansing spray.

Sigma’s hypersonic motor (HSM) is used to maintain focus operation quick and quiet. It has been refined for the reason that older model, delivering additional torque and offering a extra steady efficiency throughout its 120cm-infinity focus distance vary.

4 switches are positioned behind the handbook focus ring. Be aware the white background behind the AF/MO/MF change that helps determine its place when glancing at it in poor lighting circumstances

The lens can also be geared up with optical picture stabilisation that permits customers to shoot 4 stops slower than would in any other case be attainable. When that is set to Mode 2 by way of the OS change on the barrel, an acceleration sensor groups up with an up to date stabilisation algorithm to ship efficient stabilization when the digital camera is moved horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, whatever the place of the lens. When you’re not desiring to pan with a shifting topic, Mode 1 is the perfect setting to make use of for day-to-day normal taking pictures.

Elsewhere, there’s a handbook override (MO) choice that can be utilized to shortly change the lens to handbook focus by rotating the main target ring even throughout steady AF, it has an 82mm filter thread, plus it’s totally appropriate with Sigma’s present TC-1401 and TC-2001 teleconverters, which when coupled between the digital camera physique and lens flip it right into a 98-280mm f/4 or a 140-400mm f/5.6 lens respectively.

This picture illustrates the brass mount and metallic contacts. There’s a rubber seal on the mount connection that stops moisture and filth creeping between the digital camera and lens

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: construct & dealing with

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports activities is an altogether bigger and heavier lens than the one it replaces. The extra components and teams contribute to it being 375g heavier and at 1.8kg on the scales it’s not a light-weight lens. The barrel is thicker and barely longer by simply over 5mm.

The barrel widens from the lens mount and does so once more halfway down the zoom ring

In comparison with Sigma lenses of outdated, that are recognized for his or her clean end to the barrel and gold embellishment, this new model conforms to the look of Sigma’s newest World Imaginative and prescient lenses. The daring white lettering on the mottled black paint end has a a lot cleaner, high-end aesthetic. With mud and splash proof seals on the mount connection, handbook focus ring, zoom ring and canopy connection, it’s much better protected than its predecessor too, providing good safety in opposition to all varieties of climate out of doors photographers come up in opposition to.

The lens has three AF perform buttons – a function typically discovered on pro-spec telephoto zooms. These are helpful for partaking autofocus together with your left hand and holding focus between pictures

The barrel is constructed from magnesium alloy to provide it most power and between the rubberised handbook focus and zoom rings you’ll discover three AF perform buttons. With Sigma and Nikon mount variations of the lens, it’s attainable to alter the perform of this button with Sigma’s USB dock machine, whereas with a Canon-mount instance, like our assessment pattern that was examined with the Canon EOS 5DS R, it’s attainable to alter the function of the AF perform button by way of the digital camera’s customized perform.

Having the choice to amass and maintain autofocus instantly out of your left hand that’s supporting the lens makes for a extremely intuitive operational expertise, whether or not you’re taking pictures within the panorama or portrait orientation.

The tripod foot is secured by 4 allen key bolts and could be eliminated with the equipped allen key. The tripod mounting collar is completely connected and might’t be eliminated like on some zooms

Positioned between the AF/MF and optical stabilisation switches is a spotlight restrict change. This may be set to FULL (1.2m to infinity) or 3m-infinity if you recognize your topic isn’t going to get too shut and also you’d like to stop the lens focusing throughout its full focus distance. When you’d like to customize the main target restrict vary, the sensitivity for partaking full-time handbook override or autofocus pace, that is simple sufficient to do utilizing Sigma’s non-compulsory USB dock in reference to the C1 and C1 settings from the customized change. As for the operation of the zoom and focus rings, each function easily, with no signal of any change in resistance by their ranges.

The petal-shaped lens hood encompasses a lock like that you simply get on the Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Artwork. The smooth launch button is nicely positioned for fast launch utilizing your center finger.

A closeup of the lens hood and the smooth launch button. The hood has a skinny rubberized texture to make it simpler to grip, however customers will discover that is vulnerable to being a magnet for mud and filth

The completely connected tripod mounting collar gives helpful click on stops each 90-degrees and the tripod foot gives a single 3/8in thread on its underside prepared to connect a fast launch plate or safe it on a monopod.  When you personal an Arca-Swiss tripod head, the tripod foot could be mounted on to it with out the necessity of a fast launch plate. In use I discovered the tripod foot will get in the way in which of working the handbook focus ring, so it’s good apply to twist it by 180 levels. Doing so additionally means that you can relaxation the barrel extra comfortably within the palm of your hand throughout lengthy spells of handheld taking pictures.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: picture high quality

To get a superb impression of how the lens performs optically, it was used over a number of weeks with a number of Canon full-frame DSLRs, together with the Canon EOS 5DS R, Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS R. I must also add that the lens can be utilized on crop-sensor (APS-C/DX) cameras and is equal to a 105-300mm telephoto zoom on cameras that function a 1.5x crop issue and 112-320mm on APS-C cameras that make use of a 1.6x crop issue.

View a pattern picture gallery of photos taken with the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport

Canon EOS 5DS R, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport, 1/1250sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100 With due to Caterham Automobiles

Inspecting my actual world photos on the pc confirmed what I used to be seeing on the again of the digital camera. It’s a lens that produces impressively sharp and enticing outcomes. One among its key strengths is the way in which it controls chromatic aberrations. Color fringing is so nicely dealt with alongside high-contrast edges and on the corners of the body you received’t end up speeding to take away chromatic aberration throughout uncooked processing.

The pretty quick fall-off in focus when taking pictures on the lens’s most aperture at its most focal size additionally requires you to be watchful of your focus level positioning. Get it proper and also you’ll be rewarded with an exquisite depth to pictures that actually makes your topic pop and stand out from their environment.

Canon EOS 5DS R, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport, 1/1250sec @ f/4, ISO 100 With due to Caterham Automobiles

Learning our Picture Engineering outcomes inform us the lens resolves its sharpest outcomes on the widest finish of its focal vary. Stopping the lens all the way down to f/4 and f/5.6 sees the centre sharpness enhance in any respect focal lengths. Edge sharpness by no means matches the identical degree of sharpness that’s resolved within the centre, and the dotted strains on our MTF graph reveals that nook sharpness, like centre sharpness, is best on the wider finish of the zoom vary than it’s at full telephoto. You’ll additionally start to note the affect of diffraction softening total sharpness when the lens is used at f/16 or f/22.

View a pattern picture gallery of photos taken with the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport

Canon EOS 5DS R, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport, 1/1600sec @ f/2.8, ISO 100

Vignetting is apparent when the lens is used at its most aperture. It’s extra gradual at 200mm than it’s at 70mm and customers will discover that this nook shading could be alleviated pretty shortly by closing the aperture by a few stops. The lens shows delicate barrel distortion on the huge finish, which turns to pincushion distortion at telephoto lengths, nonetheless this isn’t a significant concern and might be a straightforward sufficient one-click repair in any software program that has an appropriate correction profile.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: decision, shading and curvilinear distortion

Decision

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport MTF50 on Canon EOS 5DS R

The lens delivers a robust set of MTF outcomes from our Picture Engineering exams. Centre sharpness improves in any respect focal lengths by stopping the lens down from its most aperture to f/4 and f/5.6. Sharpness holds up nicely at f/8 and f/11, however does begins to drop off past this level. The candy spot of sharpness throughout the body is discovered round f/5.6, with the stable and dotted pink strains indicating central and nook sharpness is superior at wider focal lengths than it’s at full telephoto.

Shading

There’s a drop in illumination of round 1.4 stops within the corners huge open at 200mm, however this shortly reduces to 0.6 stops by stopping all the way down to f/4. Customers will discover the autumn off is extra gradual and fewer abrupt at 200mm than it’s at wider focal lengths. At 70mm, corners are a cease darker than the centre of the picture at f/2.8, however this reduces to simply 0.5 stops at f/4. This vignetting efficiency is total pretty delicate versus extreme.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 70mm, f/2.8

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 70mm, f/4

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 70mm, f/5.6

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 200mm, f/2.8

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 200mm, f/4

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport @ 200mm, f/5.6

Curvilinear distortion

As is typical of telephoto zooms, the lens reveals minor barrel distortion at 70mm, which then turns to pincushion distortion round 100mm. Just like the vignetting that’s produced at huge apertures, the extent of curvilinear distortion isn’t a significant concern about and is unlikely to be a problem for almost all of topics this lens might be used for. When you’d like to supply distortion-free photos, that is simple sufficient to appropriate for by taking pictures in uncooked and profiting from profiled lens corrections.

Uncorrected curvilinear distortion at 70mm, -0.7% TV SMIA

Uncorrected curvilinear distortion at 135mm, 1.3% TV SMIA

Uncorrected curvilinear distortion at 135mm, 1.5% TV SMIA

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport assessment: verdict

It took some time for Sigma to get round to manufacturing a brand new quick telephoto zoom masking the 70-200mm focal size. Those that’ve been patiently ready to see what may substitute Sigma’s APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM might be happy to listen to that this new addition within the Sport collection lens has been nicely well worth the wait. Mirrorless house owners must use an adaptor with this lens, nonetheless, and will face one other look ahead to Sigma to supply a very mirrorless model.

This picture reveals how the tripod collar and tripod foot could be rotated by 180 levels to get a safe and cozy maintain of the lens barrel

We’re taking a look at a lens that improves on its predecessor in some key areas. Critical fans and professionals will love that it’s now a weather-sealed optic for when out of doors circumstances are in opposition to them, and the three AF perform buttons across the barrel give it a bonus over the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 – a lens that does supply advantages of its personal being some 300g lighter and £60 cheaper. Out of the 2 although I need to say the construct high quality of this Sigma zoom trumps its Tamron rival, with extra of a premium, pro-spec really feel to it.

One of many compromises of selecting the lens is that it’s heavier than a lot of its closest rivals

The efficient picture stabilisation, quick autofocus and glorious picture high quality, not forgetting its spectacular sharpness at huge apertures and glorious dealing with of chromatic aberrations, all mix to make it a particularly interesting quick telephoto zoom. There are lighter 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses on the market, however when you can put up with carrying a bit extra weight over your shoulder you’ll get a stable and sturdy performer at nice worth in return.