Now for the review:
Processing and HANDLING:
The build quality is definitely sensational! I like the rubber from Sigma. It feels so great to work with. Focus and zoom ring has a nice
Resistance when turning! The length is actually great - nice and short ...
Autofocus:
Fast, accurate and completely silent thanks to HSM. Even with continuous shooting series super (8 frames / s, continuous Focus - rennender dog, blasting Kranich)
BOKEH:
Toll, at f 2.8 beyond reproach!
IMAGE QUALITY:
Sticking point # 1: I have always very slight streaks, found almost like a slight blur. Especially at the edges of z. B .: hair. In sunlight, a little stronger. When NIKON no trace of it! Tried 2 SIGMA models. My, I've sent back and one from the merchants. The NIKON is also somewhat more neutral in color.
Sticking point # 2: The focus, sharpness !!! Quite extreme differences (See the 2 photos I've added to the gallery) and that was the reason for me to make the additional investment!
Sticking point # 3: The image scale. The NIKON you're at 70mm 30% "closer" to the object as the SIGMA !!! Although both lenses are designed for full-frame! Even with an APS-C camera there should be no differences between the two. In addition, the Nikon has a lower close range. So you can rangehn much closer!
An image stabilizer have not both optics.
Go to the dealer and necessarily makes direct comparisons, it is blatant! I had planned to buy a SIGMA 70-200 2.8, which I leave now and prefer to invest more in my 24-70 2.8 me. I'm a no compromise!
My camera is a Nikon D300.