Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM Optical Stabilised Telephoto Lens Nikon Fit

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One interesting thing to note is that when the Sigma and Tamron lenses framed our test chart identically at the 200mm mark, the Sigma lens was actually 2.36" (.72m) further away from the chart, indicating that it provides a slightly more telephoto view at 200mm. Usually a lens can be made compatible by the manufacturer via a firmware update, but this cannot be guaranteed. The Tamron is smaller (in diameter and length), has a lower maximum magnification (0.16x vs. 0.21x), features a 1-stop higher rated stabilization rating (5 vs. 4) as well as Mode 3 stabilization. This lens delivers very sharp results across the entire frame at 70mm f/2.8 and very little difference can be seen at 70mm f/4. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens Review Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens Review

Sigma's Global Vision lenses (this is one) get a classification of "A", "C" or "S", representing a primary Sigma-intended designation of "Art", "Contemporary" and "Sports". At f/2.8, this lens shows about 2 stops of shading in the corners with about 1/2 stop more at 200mm and 1/2 stop less at 100mm. There is very little additional lateral CA with the 1.4x, though what is there is slightly more-blurred, making it appear slightly larger. What follows are near-center results (first column) followed by DX-corner results and FX-corner results on a D800. The D800 results from the DX-corner should be a very good approximation for performance on a 16MP DX sensor (like the D7000), because the pixel-pitch of both sensors are the same. But differences in the AA-filter and micro-lens-design of a D800 and a D7000 might yield different end-results.The Sigma handles flare a bit better with less contrast loss, but produces more flare artifacts at specific focal lengths/aperture settings. As already noted, the biggest lens manufacturers all have 70-200mm f/2.8 lens models in their lineups. The lenses in this series continue to impress and gain popularity – just don't limit the lens' use to its letter designation. The standout difference is price: the Canon option costs about 40% more, the Nikon about 86% more and the Tamron G2 is roughly 13% less (not including rebates). F/8 is wide enough to use for the wildlife and sports photography that these focal lengths are especially well suited for as long as the lighting conditions are relatively bright.

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM Optical Stabilised Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX DG HSM Optical Stabilised

While OS is great for reducing camera shake in images, it is also very helpful for framing subjects while taking photo.

Processing was done in Lightroom 4.3 from RAW at camera standard settings. Noise-reduction is set to 0, sharpening to 70/0.5/36/10, with no extra tone, color, or saturation-adjustment. White-balance was adjusted to a neutral white and I did some exposure compensation to make the brightness match. CA-removal is ON . At the wide end of this range, head and shoulder portraits show a nice perspective as do any portraits captured from longer distances. The semi-rigid plastic Sigma LH914-01 Lens Hood is a moderately large, petal-shaped hood that provides significant protection to the front lens element from flare-inducing light, from impact, and from dust and moisture.