Image COMPARISION HEADER
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
At all but the very longest end of its
zoom range, the Canon f/4 telephoto beats even the Sigma 180mm prime macro for sharpness.
There’s good control over colour fringing, although three of the lenses on test turn in slightly better lab
scores in this respect.
The change from barrel to pincushion through the zoom range is typical, but the actual amounts in each case are low. ima ge test verdict The Canon telephoto delivers fabulous image quality through its zoom range, along with the best lab scores for sharpness of any lens in the group.
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm
f/4G ED VR
Tested on our D7100, levels of sharpness proved merely mediocre, although we’ve experienced better
sharpness on full-frame bodies.
There’s minimal colour fringing towards the corners of the frame, rising only a little as you extend
through the zoom range.
Distortions are fractionally more noticeable than from the competing Canon lens at any given focal length,
but still well controlled. ima ge test verdict Image quality is very good overall but this Nikon isn’t one of the sharpest lenses in the group, especially at mid-range zoom settings.
Panasonic G X 35-100mm f/2.8 Power OIS
It’s a fairly close match to the Nikon in terms of sharpness, although the Panasonic fares better at its mid-range zoom setting.
Colour fringing is slightly more noticeable than from most of the
other lenses on test, but it outperforms the Pentax and Sony. There’s slight barrel distortion at
any given focal length, which decreases steadily as you zoom
towards 100mm. ima ge test verdict Outright levels of sharpness aren’t terrific, but at least the Panasonic delivers remarkable consistency throughout its whole zoom range.
Pentax DA* 200mm
f/2.8 ED IF SDM
It’s one of the better lenses in the group for sharpness, which is retained very well at the widest f/2.8
aperture and into image corners. The Pentax has the joint worst score for colour fringing in the group, along with the Sony 70-200mm at the
latter’s 70mm focal length.
Practically non-existent, the tiny amount of pincushion distortion is effectively impossible to spot in
images. A great result. ima ge test verdict With its impressive sharpness and minimal distortion, image quality is very good. In-camera corrections are typically available for fringing.
Sigma APO 70-200mm
f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
It’s very good through most of the zoom range, but drops off more than most at the long end. It could be better in image corners at f/2.8. Fringing peaks at mid-range zoom settings but, overall, it’s very well restrained and beats the Canon
lens on lab scores. There are marginal differences but, in practical terms, distortion follows the same path and magnitude as
the Canon and Nikon lenses. ima ge test verdict Even though there’s a slight drop in sharpness at 200mm, the Sigma delivers excellent overall image quality, making it exceptional value at the price.
Sigma APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
It loses out slightly to the Canon 70-200mm at the latter’s short to mid zoom settings; apart from that, this is the sharpest lens in the group. There’s not normally any fringing in evidence, although this lens doesn’t score as well as some of the 70-200mm zooms on test. Like the Pentax 200mm lens on test, the Sigma gives the barest hint of pincushion, which is usually impossible to see in images. ima ge test verdict Absolutely excellent, the Sigma macro lens delivers equally brilliant image quality for extreme close-ups and general telephoto shooting.
Son y FE 70-200mm
f/4 G OSS
It’s good at the long end of the zoom range but, at most settings, sharpness lags behind most other 70-200mm lenses in the group. Colour fringing is more noticeable than from any other zoom lens in the group, particularly at either
end of the zoom range. Barrel distortion at 70mm is average but pincushion at mid to long zoom settings is more pronounced than
in competing lenses. ima ge test verdict Overall image quality isn’t quite as good as from most competing lenses on test, which is disappointing considering the price.
Tamron SP 90mm
f/2.8 Di VC USD
There’s excellent sharpness throughout the entire zoom range, with great consistency across the
image frame, even at f/2.8. The Tamron delivers the outright best scores for colour fringing in the whole group, edging the Nikon
into second place. It’s another win for the Tamron, with less barrel and pincushion distortion than any of the other
70-200mm lenses on test. ima ge test verdict Spectacular image quality reinforces the up-market build quality and handling of this f/2.8 lens, making it an unbeatable buy at the price.