When Versatility Comes First: Sigma 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG Contemporary Zoom Lens

When I’m on an adventure assignment, my pack tends to get pretty heavy with a full load of food, water, ski gear, safety equipment, and of course, camera gear. But on a recent trip to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, this was not the case. When our small inflatable raft landed on the rocky beach and we began to unload, one of my longtime ski partners remarked “Whoa, Liam, your pack is so light. Did you forget your camera?”

What was the magic formula to strip so much weight? Simple. I was shooting with Sigma’s 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary lens.

Incredibly light and compact

Typically, compact lenses with such a huge range are made for APS-C cameras, but this one is for full frame! For this trip, this one lens replaced my standard adventure kit of 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN | Art, 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | Art and 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports lenses.

By using only a 20-200mm, I took more than 5 pounds (2.3kg) out of my pack. Considering that we were traversing thousands of vertical feet and multiple miles every day, this is a huge deal. A lighter pack means I can move faster and further, while saving energy that can be put into my photography.

Ultra-versatile high performer

The 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary performed exactly as intended. The big story here, aside from the light weight, is the 10X zoom range for full-frame cameras. I can’t tell you how incredibly valuable it was to never have to change a lens in extreme terrain. I never had to worry about dust or water getting on my sensor, and I never had to risk losing a lens down a steep icy chute while swapping between focal lengths. Being able to go from a very wide-angle, scene-setting 20mm all the way to a landscape-compressing 200mm made life as a visual storyteller that much easier.

The autofocus, powered by Sigma’s HLA (High-response linear actuator) was fast and accurate, and tracked skiers and wildlife with ease. Images were sharp and beautiful throughout the zoom range.

The lens is also sealed against dust and moisture, giving me plenty of confidence to use in the harsh conditions of Svalbard.

The perfect lens for an epic trip

Our week was organized by my friend Seth Hobby, mountain guide and owner of Northern Alpine Guides. We spent the week aboard the incredible Ocean Sherpa, a two-masted ice class schooner that serves as the perfect ocean base camp. A trip like this is far more than a ski adventure. The primeval landscape is stunning with its muted grey and bright blues. And the opportunity for wildlife encounters is outstanding with reindeer, arctic fox, walrus, whales, an incredible variety of birds.

The 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary was so versatile, I rarely took it off my Sony A1 camera. In one week, I was able to photograph all my favorite subjects from backcountry skiing to landscapes and wildlife. The lens also excelled at catching the moments in-between, such as food and even portraits.

If you have an upcoming adventure and the need for versatility is at the top of your list, I would strongly recommend the Sigma 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary lens. It is small, light, sharp, and with just one lens you can go from true wide-angle to telephoto.

Travel light and capture it all

Sigma 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary

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