The Zoom Lens that Replaced My Favorite Portrait Primes: SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS Sports

Having used SIGMA’s 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports lens for a few months now, I am excited to give you my honest thoughts!

I’m no stranger to the 70-200, and SIGMA’s colors have always impressed me. The first time I used a SIGMA 70-200 was several years ago with my Sony camera, but the lens was for Canon EF mount. I was able to easily adapt it to my full-frame Sony mirrorless camera with SIGMA’s MC-11 Mount Converter. Here are a few images from that shoot using that setup:

I mean, that was amazing back then! Let’s fast forward to today with SIGMA’s new 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports.

SPOILER ALERT… dang, it is sharp with very rich and contrasty imagery.

Falling for a new lens

I’ve been a SIGMA user and enthusiast for as long as I can remember. For my portrait photography, I love to use longer focal lengths. So, I almost always gravitated to the SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art and the SIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM | Art. Both of these lenses were designed for DSLR and I adapted them to my Sony mirrorless camera, using them for years for the majority of my portrait work.

But now I have found a lens that lets me use longer focal lengths, but gives me versatility, too. I want to thank SIGMA for allowing me to use this new 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports lens at my own pace and get a good feel for it. Although you typically know right away if a lens is a good fit for you, it always helps to have more time to get to know your equipment.

Well, I think I have a new love, and this lens hasn’t come off my Sony A7R V camera. From portraits to video work, it has been amazing.

I took the 70-200mm out for a photoshoot with Cori, and to my off-camera flash workshop in June 2024, and I can’t express how impressed I was with the quality. Although these images are edited, it didn’t take much to get the colors to where they are. Skin tones can be challenging for multiple reasons, including camera settings, white balance, lens choice, and lighting, but I’m here to tell you, the way this lens renders skin tones is beautiful, especially darker tones.

Here are a few examples of what we captured from these sessions:

Behind-the-scenes video from the photoshoot with Cori:

The SIGMA 70-200mm for video

This lens is not limited to just sports or portrait photography either. It is also great for video. When you pair the SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports lens with Velium’s magnetic true color pro filters, you get a combination that’s out of this world.

I’ve used the SIGMA 70-200 on a few different video projects, including one I’m especially proud of, “The Sound Of Hope Roundtable“. This is bonus footage to watch when the film leaves theaters and is released on streaming platforms. I’ve also used it to film comedy shows and a variety of YouTube videos.

Should I get it?

If you were on the fence between this lens and a native, I can honestly tell you this lens is up there with its fast, accurate focusing and the way it renders images. So, if you’re looking for a high-quality, affordable 70-200mm lens, this is an excellent choice for photography and video alike.

SIGMA has since released a few other lenses worth checking out. Hopefully, I’ll get to try the new 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | Art soon, and if it’s anything like the 70-200, it will be a great option!

If you want to see more of my work, you can check me out on Instagram at @924photography

Check out my new go-to lens here:

SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports

for Sony E-mount and L-Mount