• Categories
• Tips & Inspiration
• Reviews
• News
• Events
• Features
• Buying Guides
• Competitions

Sigma 70-200mm Mirrorless Sports Lens Arrives

After what seems like months of speculation, the highly anticipated Sigma 70-200mm Mirrorless Sports Lens arrives for Leica L and Sony E Mount full-frame cameras. In the fast-evolving world of photography and videography, enthusiasts and professionals have been eagerly awaiting this latest gem from Sigma, which offers one of the most popular wide aperture zoom ranges and sits within the holy trinity.

As has become customary, the latest model is designed to fit both L-Mount and E mounts, as the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens for Sony E and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens for L-Mount. This versatile lens is poised to redefine creative possibilities with a combination of high-speed AF, cutting-edge optics and Sigma’s latest optical stabilisation algorithms.

In this first look we have sample photos as well as 100% crops so you can see for yourself how sharp results are and what this new Sigma lens can do for your creativity.

Sample Deer Photo ©Aya Iwasaki captured with Sony A7R IV @200mm. Camera settings: 1/1000 sec. f/4.5. ISO 640

When was the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports Announced?

Following the 16 November 2023 announcement, both variants are expected to ship in December. The buzz around the Sigma 70-200mm lens is palpable, and for good reason. As one of the most anticipated releases of the year, it promises to be a game-changer for photographers and videographers.

100% crop from previous image

What does a Sigma Sports lens mean?

Sigma Sports lenses are designed to be fast and agile, with sophisticated optical designs to deliver high-end results, even with fast-moving subjects. This stands true for earlier Sony E lenses and L-mount lenses including both the 10x 60-600mm F/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens for Sony and classic 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens For L Mount.

Although the latest lens to join the range boasts a wider constant aperture, all three deliver excellent image quality at longer focal lengths.

Sample Fox ©Aya Iwasaki captured with Sony A7R IV @200mm. Camera settings: 1/1600 sec. f/2.8. ISO 200

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS image quality

It’s safe to say that the latest Sigma lens includes the right ingredients to help users capture excellent image quality. Thanks to the wide aperture, special glass elements and fast focus motor you can expect excellent results for both stills and video, with sharp details, in keeping with comparable models from Sigma’s lineup.

100% crop from previous image

Versatility for a wide range of subjects

Whether you capture landscapes, sports and action, or portraits, the Sigma 70-200mm lens caters to a broad spectrum of subjects. Its flexible focal range ensures you’ll be equipped to tackle diverse shooting situations, while its versatile zoom range and bright aperture cements it one of the three holy trinity of lenses.

In Sigma’s case it is paired with the 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN | Art and Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art for Sony mirrorless cameras, and 24-70mm f/2.8 Mirrorless DG DN Art and 14-24mm F/2.8 DG DN Art Lens for Leica L-mount cameras.

Sample Street Photography ©Basith Paykat captured with Sony A7R IV @70mm. Camera settings: 1/6400 sec. f/2.8. ISO 250

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens key features

High-Speed Autofocus: The lens features Sigma's High-response Linear Actuator, ensuring fast, quiet, and accurate autofocus, which is perfect for capturing subjects in motion, regardless of how fast-moving or erratic they are within the frame.

Built-in Optical Stabiliser (OS): With a wide f/2.8 aperture and Sigma's unique optical stabilisation algorithm, the lens excels in low-light conditions, providing photographers confidence to shoot handheld in challenging lighting conditions, both indoors and out.

Professional-Grade Optics: Sigma's pursuit of optical excellence is evident in the lens's advanced design, featuring 20 elements in 15 groups, including 6 FLD elements, 2 SLD elements, and 3 aspherical elements. This sophisticated optical layout delivers outstanding image quality throughout the zoom range and across the entire frame.

Customisable Buttons: Tailor the lens to your specific preferences with customisable buttons that offer quick access to essential functionality. Whether you prefer a specific focus mode, need to adjust exposure settings on the fly, or activate a specific camera feature, customisable buttons provide instant control without disrupting your creative flow.

Robust build with compact proportions: At its widest the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN Sports lens measures 90.6mm and the Sony model is 207mm long (205mm for L-Mount). It accepts 77mm lens filters and includes extensive weather sealing enabling you to continue shooting in virtually any conditions.

Sample Motorsports ©Liam Doran captured with Sony A1 @200mm. Camera settings: 1/1000 sec. f/2.8. ISO 2000

Usability and ergonomics

The Sigma 70-200mm Sports Lens isn't just about image quality; it also puts creative control right at your fingertips. Designed with photographers and videographers in mind, the lens boasts intuitive controls that elevate any shooting experience, for stills, video and hybrid content creation.

A focus limiter enables you to restrict the focus range between the minimum focus of 3m and infinity or the entire range and infinity. This is a valuable tool for speeding up AF performance and ensures you can better capture the decisive moment.

A de-clickable aperture switch enables videographers to seamlessly transition between aperture settings without producing audible clicks, ensuring your video footage remains quiet and uninterrupted.

There’s only 10g between the Sony lens, which weighs 1335g and the L-mount model, which comes in at 1345g. While not the lightest for mirrorless, this is significantly lighter than Sigma’s own DSLR models, which weigh around 500g more.

Another feature which this model shares with other Sigma mirrorless telephoto lenses is the inclusion of a removable Arca-Swiss type lens foot. This offers greater convenience when mounting the lens to a tripod head, negating the need for a tripod plate, at least with the majority of heads. Additionally, the lens collar rotates, enabling you to rotate the lens through 90º and capture vertical compositions in an instant.

Sample Winter ©Liam Doran captured with Sony A9 II @101mm. Camera settings: 1/800 sec. f/7.1. ISO 640

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens Specs

The table below outlines the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens key specifications.

The 70-200mm f/2.8 mirrorless Sports lens is an evolution drawing on Sigma's decades of DSLR lens experience, and integrates with Leica L and Sony E mounts, offering mirrorless photographers and videographers refined creative possibilities.

Boasting a versatile focal range, high-speed autofocus and intuitive controls, it caters to diverse shooting situations, taking on fast moving subjects with ease. The built-in optical stabiliser also ensures stellar performance in challenging lighting conditions, while numerous controls and customisable buttons ensure you can keep shooting quickly, in different situations.

Choose between the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens for Sony E or Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens for L-Mount and embark on a new creative journey with Sigma’s latest zoom for mirrorless cameras.

Share this post:

By Nick Dautlich on 16/11/2023