Right off the bat, we note that this Japanese brand has made great strides in the high-end telephoto lens market segment. This said:The Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG APO Macro HSM II is not very expensive, but… When first released in December 2007, this lens was presented as a compromise in terms of price, especially when pitted against such competitors as the Canon 70-200 mm f2.8 L USM (1995) and the Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED (2002). The Sigma’s large aperture (f/2.8) and its macro mode (minimum focus distance one meter) lend this tele-zoom lens