The product life cycle of a lens usually covers several years, if not a decade or even more. As with any rule, there are exceptions, and the Sigma EX 70-200/2.8 is certainly one of them. The initial product was launched back in 1998, when Sigma introduced the EX 70-200/2.8 APO as one of the first lenses to carry the "EX" designation. That lens remained a current product for 7 years. From 2005 onwards however, Sigma's product managers switched into fast pace mode. The Sigma 70-200/2.8 EX OS HSM, announced in 2010, is the 4th update to the initial product within less than 5 years:
- 2005: Sigma AF 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
- 2006: Sigma AF 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro HSM
- 2007: Sigma AF 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II
- 2010: Sigma AF 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
The latest upgrade adds optical stabilization (OS), a feature that has been offered by the original manufacturer's lenses for quite some time now. With this feature added, Sigma currently is the only 3rd party manufacturer that can fully compete in this segment with Nikon and Canon, at least on paper.
In this review we'll have a look at how the lens performs on our current FX test camera, the Nikon D3x.