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The following chart presents a comparison between basic parameters of the tested Sigma and other 2/200 models. It's worth noticing the complex optical construction of the Sigma and the fact that, despite its complexity, it remains distinctly lighter and smaller than reflex camera constructions. The LAOWA remains the smallest and the lightest out of the whole group but its construction is also the simplest, devoid of optical image stabilization. It boasts the shortest minimal focusing distance for a change.

The fact that you can't use classic filters is a serious flaw of the Sigma – all other models, presented in our chart, allow you to do so.

In the photo below the Sigma S 200 mm f/2 DG OS is positioned between the Sony FE 50 mm f/1.4 GM and the reflex camera Sigma A 35 mm f/1.4 DG HSM.

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The tested lens starts with a metal mount that surrounds contact and a well-matted and ribbed inner tube. Inside the tube, about 1 cm deep, you find a rear element that doesn't move. Its diameter amounts to about 28 mm. From this side everything looks very well.

The proper tube of the lens, made of metal, starts with a smooth, immobile ring that increases its diameter and where you can find a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier. Next to this dot you see also 025 meaning the production year of the instrument. On the already enlargened part you find an inscription MADE IN JAPAN, and the minimum focusing distance, 1.7M/5.6FEET-∞.

A very solid, even huge tripod adapter, is the next part. It can be turned easily but, unfortunately, you cannot remove it from the lens completely and even removing a part of it is not easy. It's true that at the bottom you can see four screws deeply set inside the barrel and the producer adds a special screwdriver but I doubt you would be willing to unscrew them and then put everything back on the regular basis. The problem is that in this kind of equipment an easily removable tripod adapter would be a big asset. Others producers can offer such a solution so I don't understand why Sigma didn't follow suit. I am sure many users of this lens intend to shoot handheld; an easily removable tripod adapter would allow you not only to reduce the weight of this instrument but also improve the ability to manipulate it. I really don't understand the reason behind a solution adapted by Sigma in this case as it is hardly functional.

Looking from above, the next part of the body features the name and parameters of the lens; on the right side you see the new logo of the producer and the serial number. A bit further you find a LOCK switch, used to block the aperture ring either in the range from f/2 to f/22 or in the A (Auto) position. On the left side you get a whole array of other switches. The first of them, FOCUS, is used to set the focusing mode, either AF or MF. The next switch limits the autofocus range, with three possible positions: FULL, from 3 meters to infinity, and from the minimum focusing distance to 3 meters. Then you find the OS switch that controls optics stabilization (modes 1,2, and OFF) and finally a switch labelled as CUSTOM, allowing you to choose between OFF, C1, and C2 designed to navigate between different focusing mechanism modes saved by the user after callibrating the lens with the help of the Sigma USB Dock. Further on you see a CLICK ON/OFF switch that changes the aperture ring mode from clicked to clickless.

An aperture mode as wide as 19 mm, half of it covered by fine ribs, is the next part. The ring comes with focal markings from f/2 to f/22; you move between them every 1/3 EV step. There is also an A position that allows you to choose the aperture value automatically by the camera body. The ring can be declicked because its working move is controlled by the already mentioned switch.

Further on you find a big manual focus ring as wide as 29 mm. It is ribbed, allowing you a very comfortable, firm grip, and it moves very smoothly but with the right resistance. It is a focus-by wire construction but also with the top-of-the-range mechanics. Running through the whole distance scale needs a turn through an angle of about 180 deg when you turn it quickly. When you turn the ring slower you are able to reach a value on a level of even 340-360 deg allowing you very precise settings.

The close location of both important rings, one for setting aperture values and the other for manual focusing, might be a problem. While testing the lens it happened that I wanted to change the aperture value and touched by accident also the focus ring and shifted it slightly. I didn't find it especially nice.

Then you see a relatively narrow, immobile ring that immediately turns into the next part, this time with a more significant diameter. You can find there an 'S' letter meaning this instrument belongs to the 'Sport' series, and also three round FOCUS LOCK buttons that are, additionally, programmable.

The next part of the lens is a part of the barrel with an even bigger diameter with the front element system. The front element itself doesn't move, is almost 99 mm in diameter, and surrounded by a non-rotating filter thread, 105 mm in diameter, and an edge where you can attach a hood added to the lens in the box.

The whole barrel of the Sigma 2/200 is made of metal but in the official materials you can't find any information what kind of metal it is. In case of this class of equipment you usually deal with magnesium composites but of course we can't be sure. Overall the whole construction seems to be very solid and the producers declare that the outer surface of the lens is covered by heat-insulating paint that limits efficiently the amount of heat from natural sunlight that is absorbed by the lens so it stays cool even during outdoor sessions that last a significant amount of time.

Apart from that Sigma declares that its lens is protected to withstand harsh outdoor conditions. Fixing junctions, the manual focus ring, zoom ring, non-standard switches and slot brackets are dust- and splash- proof. The front element is covered by a hydrophobic and oil resistant layer that makes it easier to clean.

When it comes to the optical construction you deal here with 19 elements positioned in 14 groups. Two elements are made of low dispersion FLD glass and two others of FLD glass that has properties of expensive fluorite. Inside you can also find a round aperture with 11 blades that can be closed down to a value of f/22 at the maximum.

Buyers get in the box with the lens: a big lens hood covered by white, heat-insulating paint, a strap, a wrench for the tripod adapter, and a soft pouch that can't protect the lens from practically anything. Gone are the times when even cheap Sigma models were sold in very solid, hard cases. Nowadays, even if you buy a professional instrument, you are given a pouch that thickness is comparable to any cleaning cloth, sad but true...

Optical stabilization

In the press release of the producer you find information that optical stabilization of the new Sigma is supposed to be as efficient as 6.5 EV.

I honestly admit that I don't know how the producers come with such cosmic values. After all a firmly held 200 mm class lens should offer you mostly sharp images even without any stabilization at exposure time of 1/200 - 1/250 of a second. A stabilization unit as efficient as 6.5 EV would allow to extend that over 90 times! In practice it would mean that, with the help of such a mechanism, all photos taken at 1/2-1/3 of a second should be razor sharp. Try to achieve such a task on your own – I admit I failed.

Of course we decided to check that surprising declaration of the producer anyway. In order to do so we we took several dozen of photos at every exposure time ranging from 1/250 to 1/2 of a second with the stabilization switched on and off. The graph below shows the percentage of blurred photos depending on the exposure time expressed in EV with 0 EV being an equivalent of 1/200 of a second.

It's obvious that the 6.5 EV value is as real as a fairy tale because at 1/3 and 1/2 of a second our percentage of blurred photos amounts to over 80%. The maximum distance between both curves reaches 4.7 EV and such is, according to our measurements, the efficiency of stabilization unit of the Sigma 2/200.

Of course we should emphasize the fact that we criticize here only unreal declarations of the producer; the result of 4.7 EV is excellent – after all in our tests no lens managed to actually exceed 5 EV so far. The Sigma should be praised here because it performs as it befits a top-of-the-range, expensive lens.