Sigma announces the official release of its 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sport lens

At Photokina 2018 in September, Sigma revealed five new lenses to the world, including a large aperture telephoto zoom lens. At the time it was, perhaps, the most anticipated Sigma lens reveal, and we were told to expect it on shelves in December.

The Japanese photography company has kept its promise and announced that the flagship 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports lens will be available on shelves later this month. However, it's already up for pre-order.

While the new 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is called a “Sports” lens, its optical formula is similar to that of Sigma’s Art range. The build is a magnesium alloy body that’s both dust- and splash-proof while also sporting a water- and oil-repellent coating on the front glass.

It features an 11-blade aperture diaphragm to perfect bokeh captures, and boasts built-in image stabilization to keep images sharp.

It also incorporates Sigma's Intelligent OS, with an acceleration sensor that's capable of detecting panning in all directions.

On a budget

Priced at $1,499 (about £1,194/AU$2,085), Sigma's 70-200mm option joins two other f/2.8 lenses to complete a pro-zoom trio – the 14-24mm and 24-70mm Art lenses.

Like most of Sigma’s lenses, this price point makes the 70-200mm Sports lens cheaper than its Canon and Nikon counterparts. It’s about $600 (around £480/AU$830) cheaper than the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 III IS USM lens and about $1,000 (£800/AU$1,400) more affordable than Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens.

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports lens comes in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sigma mounts.