Lens Guides

Team Tests: SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens

The SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens is a truly versatile piece of gear for mirrorless full-frame cameras, and the team here at SIGMA America has been able to spend some time putting it to good use since its release in early 2021. Let’s catch up with some SIGMA employees and see how the 28-70mm worked for them!


Brian Linhoff – SIGMA Technical Representative

Ever since we announced the original SIGMA fp camera, I have dreaming about a small, lightweight zoom that could become my everyday walkaround lens to use with such a small, compact camera. I love the size and weight of the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C, but image quality seals the deal for me. Whether it’s a quick shot the dogs playing in a freak March snowstorm, or trekking around Michigan to get some lighthouse photos on a chilly May morning, the SIGMA fp L with the 28-70mm just was a joy to use. AF was fast and responsive, and image quality was stellar for such a compact lens. This is my go-to travel companion now.


Aaron Norberg – SIGMA Technical Representative

When running through my gear options as I head out for a hike, I’ll often opt for a prime lens to keep the weight of my pack to a reasonable minimum. The trade-off usually comes at the expense of versatility. With primes, I’ll either need to take multiple lenses or accept that there may be scenes I won’t be able to frame up just right. When I got wind of the new 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C, I couldn’t wait to try it out in the field as a lightweight option for my wanderings.

My first impression with the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C in use was just how compact the lens is. At just a hair over one pound, it’s nearly half the weight of my next closest zoom, and even lighter than some of the prime lenses I often hike with. Covering a range of perspectives from wide to normal to short telephoto, I was able to shoot with greater flexibility in my compositions. Going through the images later on my computer, I was floored by the contrast and level of detail rendered from such a compact optic. It’s safe to say the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C has earned a place in my kit.


Marc Farb – SIGMA Technical Representative

As a technical representative and working photographer, I always seem to have a full bag (or bags) of really heavy gear. Going out and shooting can be a good workout most of the time, and an armful of gear can also lead to lots of questions from curious photographers, even when I’m out with the family.

Well, on this particular weekend I took my wife and girls to a local garden at a historic mansion. I went armed with only one little mirrorless camera body and one lens… the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary. All I can say is WOW! This new lens did not let me down. I was able to shoot all afternoon and never get tired of seeing the results, plus it was discreet and easy to carry. There is definitely something to be said for traveling light once in a while, and still having the right tools with you!


Brett Wells – SIGMA Education Coordinator

There’s a time for a big lens (wildlife) and a time for fast, wide primes (night skies), but for a lot of other applications, it’s nice to have a compact, lightweight, sharp and versatile lens like the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary. It’s a great match for today’s smaller, full-frame mirrorless cameras, or even APS-C cameras for that matter. The range is perfect for street photography, photojournalism, video, portraits, travel, and so much more. The optical quality and build quality are wonderful. Overall, it’s a great choice to leave on the camera most of the time.


Mike Hill – SIGMA Technical Representative

Have you ever decided to leave your camera at home and just enjoy a walk in nature? Inevitably those are the days that some amazing photo opportunity presents itself. “Oh great, there’s two eagles fighting over a snake backlit by a triple rainbow and all I have is a water bottle.” To the fair, that has yet to happen to me, but when it does I will be ready.

The compact and lightweight 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | C attached to my Sony mirrorless camera is the ideal combination on long walking days. This lens offers the versatility of shooting things fairly wide at 28mm, like the fog-covered desert hills below, or with a bit of telephoto compression at 70mm. With the maximum aperture of F2.8, I was able to photograph my friend Ray playing disc golf even as the sun dipped below the horizon. I used only a small iPhone light behind the basket and the lights of the city to illuminate the scene.


Nick Vrona – SIGMA Marketing Specialist

I first tested out the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary on a short walk to the Fire Island Lighthouse, just a short drive from the SIGMA America office. I arrived about an hour before sunset, and with the light fading quickly, the F2.8 maximum aperture quickly became indispensable for handheld shots. My lighting situation went from bright, directional sun, to deep orange diffused by bands of clouds, to twilight with vibrant blue hues. Having a lens with a wide aperture was crucial to keeping image noise to a minimum as the evening wore on.

Beyond its light gathering capability, its extremely compact size and light weight made it easy to carry around as I briskly went from one location to another. I didn’t even need a strap or a bag. I hand carried my camera for over two hours, and barely noticed it was there. The performance of the lens was also excellent, with swift autofocus even in dim conditions, superb image clarity, and a focal range that gave me enough flexibility to compose without having to climb into the sand dunes. Overall, this lens proved to be a great companion that I predict will spend a lot of time attached to my camera as my everyday lens!

Comments (2)
  1. James Kahan says:

    This is by far my favorite lens for my SL2; speed, optical performance and light weight. It’s a complete package.

  2. Avatar photo Nick Vrona says:

    Thanks so much! It’s definitely a nice combo.

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