As I prepare for a short weeklong trip to Oregon I know I want to minimize the amount of lenses I will use on the trip. I don’t need all my gear for such a short trip.
I will be taking the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art, 24-105mm F4 Art and last but not least the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sports. These 3 lenses cover the range I need with exceptional image quality.
I’ve had the 70-200 for a few months now and am really impressed with the ease of use and image quality. I just got back from Yellowstone where I was photographing wildlife and landscapes with the lens. The image quality is second to none. I am not using the lens for video, only stills. There are a few points I want to bring up about this lens.
It’s a beautifully designed 2.8 lens with 4 stops of Optical Stabilization, this makes it super easy to use handhold even at 200mm. It comes with a tripod collar which has a built in Arca Swiss mount and the tripod collar rotates on the lens so you never need to take the camera off the tripod to switch from portrait to landscape orientation when shooting. This was one feature I really loved outside of the image quality. It just makes shooting so much easier.
The weight of the lens doesn’t bother me at all. It does weigh 4lbs which is just under a pound more than both the Nikon and Canon lenses. When used on my Nikon D850 the lens feels very balanced and I feel comfortable walking around with it for most the day.
The type of photography I am using the lens for isn’t the typical usage, I don’t think. I’m not a sports or portrait shooter and the Sigma 70-200mm has been mostly used for landscapes and astro photography. When we are out shooting at night and everyone’s set up, they always ask me, “What lens are you shooting with?” and I love telling them the Sigma 70-200. You can almost hear the questions they are wanting to ask. Some do and I love explaining the how and why I am using the lens. While landscape photography doesn’t require super fast auto focus, the Sigma 70-200 has it. It’s been my experience that with the autofocus it’s fast and locks on without searching. I don’t use the multi point autofocus of my camera, I use the a single point which allows me to focus exactly where I want each time. The Sigma 70-200 nails it even at night when the sky is dark enough, I can auto focus on one of the brighter stars or planets. This really makes my set up time go quickly and gives me more shooting time.
Fully weather sealed and a rock solid build give me the confidence I need when shooting in sketchy weather. I do a lot of shooting in and around water so while I am very cautious I also realize that things can happen. This lens is ready to take on what ever conditions I throw at it.
With a fantastic focal length, great build quality, super fast auto focus and amazing image quality, these are the reasons this one will always be with me when I’m shooting.
Lovely shots from a part of the world I, sadly, have never visited (just been to WA and New England, and much of Canada).
Seems to be the lens to add to my inventory! I have the Nikon 70-200/4.0G and the Sigma 100-400 C, so an upgrade to a faster lens is in the plans!
Hi Darren
Looks like we may have crossed paths, we were in Yellowstone, Montana and well….14 states in our RV this summer. The Yellowstone waterfall and river, I know just the spot. Your capture of it is splendid. I did not have the 70-200 on our trip, it was waiting for me when we got home. Having only shot with Nikon glass; the Sigma was a big jump for me. Like crossing the great water; I was reluctant to order it (B&H), but review after review from notable sources convinced me otherwise. I too am more a Landscape shooter than sports. Your landscapes are stunning. Handheld shots have me excited at what I can do as well. Regarding the Multi-Point focus, did you mean that you leave it off 100 of the time? That’s not just for Astro photography – is that correct? Last, are you using any filters; i.e., NDs, Polarizer for your landscapes?
Loved looking at all your pictures. Curious about your ISO setting of 64 on several of your shots. How does that low setting play into the outcome of the shot. Always looking to learn a bit more.
Thanks!