Sony α7R IV, 70mm, ISO 50, F2.8, 1/200s

The heart of my work resides in the home and captures my family's day-to-day routine. It is my signature style. I crave lenses that help me tell my stories seamlessly and without compromise. While that usually that means leaning heavily on SIGMA Art primes, I've instantly fallen for the charm and character of the exceptionally portable and highly versatile new 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens.

The wonderful thing about a fast zoom lens like the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is that I can usually simply adjust the focal length without missing a fleeting moment, even in lower light.  I often shoot in low-light situations, which is why I typically gravitate toward primes like the SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art or 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art.  However, because my children are always on the move, a versatile zoom lens that lets me recompose quickly and that excels in low-light conditions is a welcome change of pace.  This new lens has it all—it’s lightweight, compact, easy-to-handle, and still offers great low-light capability and Art-level optical quality.  For a professional photographer like myself, or anyone with a lot of family memories to capture, it's the perfect solution.

Sony α7R IV, 49.1mm, ISO 160, F2.8, 1/320s

What I love most about this lens is the vast variety of images I can achieve with different focal lengths. I love to shoot with a wide angle when I'm shooting from above, or in any sort of tight space. This is simply because a wide angle is going to provide more flexibility and room to work with. I also prefer to shoot wide when capturing environmental portraits, so the 28mm focal length is perfect for this.

Sony α7R IV, 29.1 mm, ISO 100, F2.8, 1/250s

Sony α7R IV, 28mm, ISO 1000, F2.8, 1/200s

It should come as no surprise that my next favorite feature of this lens is the small size and lightweight. With four little children, my hands are often extremely full, so I need my gear to be minimal and easy to carry. Before the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, I had to carry multiple full-frame prime lenses to make sure I had all my bases covered. But with this single lens and a compact mirrorless camera, I have all I need to photograph my family in nearly any situation.

Since I'm a children's portrait and lifestyle photographer, it's also crucial that my lens is fast to focus. My children are often on the go, and the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is not only focuses incredibly quickly, but is also tack sharp wide open at F2.8. There's nothing worse than missing a special moment because my equipment wasn't up to the task. Thankfully, I don't ever have to worry about that with this lens, no matter the aperture or focal length.

Sony α7R IV, 70mm, ISO 100, F2.8, 1/320s

I should also mention that one of the many things I adore about SIGMA glass is how durable it is. I've never been very gentle on my gear, and over the years my SIGMA lenses have proven their worth. The 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is no exception. It feels solid and sturdy, and the simple weatherproof construction means not having to worry when snow flurries or sunshowers appear.  I'm confident this lens will be able to keep up with me and my entire family as the years carry on.

Sony α7R IV, 53.7mm, ISO 200, F2.8, 1/250s

One last thing I wanted to highlight was the close focusing distance. There are times when I need to be close to my children for safety reasons, and it's imperative I have a lens that's going to easily focus on them at arm's reach. The 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is tack sharp at close range, making it easy for me to capture moments at a safe distance from my children.

The SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary is such a versatile lens. I love that I am able to easily photograph my children without missing a single moment. It covers all my bases with a range of focal lengths, from wide-angle to the perfect portrait length.  I love how small and lightweight it is, making it portable and very practical.

One of the most common questions I receive from other photographers is, "If you had to carry one lens, what would it be?"  Now that I've had the opportunity to try it, my answer would definitely be the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary.