GROUP TEST: 70-200MM ZOOM LENSES

Can the latest 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto zooms for mirrorless cameras beat popular predecessors for performance and value? Let’s find out…

In the continuing conundrum over whether to go for a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a crucial factor is the quality and availability of lenses. Canon and Nikon have certainly covered off the ‘trinity’ of fast wide-angle, standard and telephoto zooms, as well as serving up a feast of prime lenses, although there are still a few gaps in the respective line-ups.

When it comes to 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, seen as a ‘must-have’ zoom by many photographers, the new Canon RF and Nikon Z lenses beat their EF and F-mount predecessors for image quality and all-round performance, but that’s not the whole story. They’re also very expensive to buy and, while the Canon RF lens is unusually compact and lightweight for this type of zoom, it’s incompatible with Canon’s ‘extenders’ or teleconverters, which some will feel is a big minus point.

In the past, we’ve been particularly impressed by the latest Sigma Sports and Tamron G2 (Generation 2) 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms for DSLRs. Like own-brand Canon and Nikon contenders, they’re very well made with a weather-sealed construction, boast exotic pro-grade features and handling, have super-fast autofocus and highly effective image stabilisation, and deliver excellent image quality. They’re also very much less expensive to buy, at around half the price of the Canon and Nikon lenses.

While the Sigma and Tamron lenses are naturally designed for DSLRs, they’re both compatible with Canon EOS R-series and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras via mount adapters. This makes them a good buy if you’re continuing to use a

DSLR while dipping your toe in the mirrorless pond, before potentially changing your whole collection of lenses at some point in the future. Let’s see how the four contenders compare.