Sigma Contemporary 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DG Review: A Lens with Broad Appeal

Nov 01, 2025

Chris Niccolls

I recently took a trip to Aizuwakamatsu, Japan and this represented an ideal situation to also test the Sigma Contemporary 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DG super zoom lens. The autumn colors were just staring to turn and the mountainous area around Mt. Bandai promised some excellent landscape and wildlife opportunities.

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International travel is one of the main situations where the convenience of an all-in-one lens can really shine, and I took the $999 20-200mm all around the streets of Tokyo and the Aizu basin.

A Sigma 20-200mm camera lens stands upright on a gray fabric surface with a light wooden wall in the background. The lens is black with textured grip rings and clear white markings. — The new 20-200mm lens is understated and simple-looking.

Sigma 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Review: How It Feels

Sigma Contemporary-series lenses are typically lighter weight and portable and the 20-200mm is no exception. At only 19 ounces (540 grams), this super zoom is easy to travel with and takes up only a moderate amount of space in a camera bag. The front of the lens is cut for 72mm filters and although the lens chassis is mostly plastic, I have always found Contemporary-series lenses to be ruggedly built. The 20-200mm has the usual rubber gaskets around the lens mount to keep out dust and moisture.

A Sigma 20-200mm camera zoom lens is standing upright on a gray surface with a wooden background. The lens is extended, showing its full length and textured grip. — At full extension, the 20-200mm is prominent. However, it is a very lightweight and compact lens overall.

A close-up view of a camera lens lying on its side, showing the front glass element and detailed text around the rim indicating "20-200mm 1:3.5-6.3 DG Ø72" and "Made in Japan. — 72mm filters are required for the front of the lens.

There is a smooth-turning manual focus ring, and an AF/MF selector switch. There is also a locking mechanism to avoid the lens barrel creeping out when walking around, but I like that the zoom ring can be clicked out of this locking position without having to disengage the switch itself. With a quick flick of the wrist the zoom barrel will extend as needed. What the Sigma 20-200mm does lack is any sort of image stabilization, which means that an IBIS equipped camera body would be the ideal match with this lens.

Close-up of a camera lens showing the AF/MF focus switch and a lock slider, with visible textured grip rings and detailed labeling against a soft, neutral background. — There isn’t much in the way of controls, but I do like the new locking switch for the zoom.

Close-up of a Sigma camera lens showing focal lengths from 20mm to 200mm, aperture range 1:3.5-6.3, and a 72mm filter thread size, with fine textured focus and zoom rings. — The manual focus ring is smooth, and the latest font looks classy.

Sigma 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Review: How It Shoots

As we ventured around Aizu, we saw some monkeys scouring the harvested rice fields for leftovers. The high speed linear actuator motors inside the lens had no issue focusing on the animals from far away and did so in a swift fashion. Everything focused accurately as expected on the Sony a7R V body that I paired with it. Of course, being a third-party lens, Sony bodies will limit the maximum burst rate to 15 frames per second with tracking autofocus engaged. This lens is also available in L-mount, for Leica and Panasonic bodies, with no such limitation.

A Japanese macaque sits in the middle of a grassy field with tall, yellow and green plants. The monkey is looking forward and partially blends into the natural background. — We saw some monkeys who kept their distance from us. The 200mm is decent in a pinch, but not long enough for most wildlife.

Bright red and orange maple leaves fill the frame against a blurred earthy background, capturing the vibrant colors of autumn foliage. — Aizu, Japan, had some beautiful fall colors just about to turn.

Bright orange maple leaves with pointed edges stand out against a dark background, capturing the vibrant colors of autumn. The leaves have visible veins and some glisten with tiny droplets of water.

A forested hillside covered in vibrant autumn foliage with shades of red, orange, and yellow. A narrow plume of steam or smoke rises vertically through the colorful trees.

Adding to the versatility of the lens, I found the closeup capability to be quite handy. At around the 100mm mark, the lens is able to deliver 1:2 life size macro reproduction, although the working distance is only a couple of inches. I also took some shots at 200mm, which does not give the same level of magnification, but also provides more distance from the subject. Regardless, the results were sharp up close, and I enjoyed using the lens for close subjects.

A hummingbird hawk-moth hovers near a vibrant pink and white flower, extending its proboscis to feed, with a blurred green and beige background. — The 1:2 macro capability is great for the occasional shot and adds to the versatility of the lens.

A green katydid insect with long antennae clings to a beige textured wall, blending in with its surroundings.

Three koi fish—one solid orange, one white with orange and black spots, and one pale cream—swim closely together near the water’s surface, partially overlapping by a rock.

Flare is very well-controlled with minimal ghosting at wider apertures. Stopping the lens down does not make the ghosting much worse, and overall contrast is always well-maintained. Sunstars are actually quite dramatic as well, which many landscape and cityscape photographers will appreciate.

A modern glass building is seen from a low angle with sunlight shining through clouds, reflecting off the windows and creating a lens flare effect. — Flare is ok, but there is some ghosting when you stop the lens down.

A stone monument with Japanese inscriptions stands beside modern glass and steel buildings under a partly cloudy sky in an urban area. — The 20mm coverage is unique when it comes to super-zoom lenses.

There will be a downside to such a versatile lens, and that largely comes by the way of a relatively slow aperture range. At the 20mm mark, the f/3.5 aperture is acceptable, but once you go to 85mm and beyond, the aperture drops to a fairly dark f/6.3. This means that many shots will require a steady hand -or tripod- coupled with a slow shutter speed, or a very high ISO subsequently degrading overall image quality.

A gentle waterfall cascades over dark rocks into a mossy, rocky stream surrounded by lush green and yellow foliage in a serene forest setting. — The slower aperture can be tricky for low-light action, but the lens excels for landscape pursuits while traveling.

A black-and-white photo of a delicate tree branch with light-colored leaves extending in front of a softly flowing waterfall against dark, rocky cliffs.

A forested hillside covered in vibrant autumn foliage with shades of red, orange, and yellow. A narrow plume of steam or smoke rises vertically through the colorful trees.

Bright orange maple leaves on a branch stand out against a blurred background of greenish-blue rectangular tiles.

At least the lens is quite sharp at its widest apertures regardless of focal range, with excellent detail and contrast, too. Whether at 20mm or 200mm, the Sigma is giving oustanding results, and leaves little reason to stop down further unless more depth of field is required. Vignetting was pretty minor as well, and there are no chromatic aberrations to be concerned with.

Side-by-side comparison of two camera test charts, each showing color bars, grayscale, resolution patterns, fine lines, and part of a banknote. Labels read “20mm @ f/3.5” on the left and “20mm @ f/7.1” on the right. — This lens is not fast, but it is sharp throughout the range.

Side-by-side comparison of a test chart and partial portrait on a banknote, both labeled "200mm @ f/6.3" (left) and "200mm @ f/9" (right); illustrating differences in sharpness between apertures. — Sharpness at 200mm is quite impressive at f/6.3.

A baker wearing a white uniform, cap, and face mask arranges trays on a rack in a bakery kitchen, surrounded by shelves with bags of ingredients and red plastic crates. — Being able to go from wide-angle street scenes to tight and intimate shots is so convenient.

Two people walk and pose for photos on a sunlit city street, surrounded by tall modern and older buildings, with dramatic sunlight streaming through the clouds above.

A woman wearing a mask and backpack walks past an older man in front of orange metal shutters with Japanese writing on them. Both are walking in opposite directions on a paved sidewalk.

Three koi fish—one solid orange, one white with orange and black spots, and one pale cream—swim closely together near the water’s surface, partially overlapping by a rock.

Bokeh is acceptable, however, the specular highlights do show a strong onion ring effect, and this does make the out-of-focus areas look a little harsh. It is important to consider that this lens does not consistently deliver shallow depth of field, though. At 20mm the depth of field is already expansive, and at moderate telephoto ranges, the slow f/6.3 aperture contributes to backgrounds that are largely in focus. Still, the rendering of smooth-looking out-of-focus areas is not this lens’ strong suit.

A glowing round lantern hangs in the foreground, illuminated with a warm golden light. In the blurry background, many small yellow lights create a festive, bokeh effect. — Bokeh is not a strong point, but the lens doesn’t often deliver shallow depth of field anyway.

Black and white photo of tree branches and pine needles silhouetted against a cloudy sky, with the faint sun visible in the background. The branches overlap, creating an intricate, natural pattern.

A woman with long dark hair wearing a light blue coat and large hair bow reads wooden prayer plaques (ema) hanging on a display at a Japanese shrine. She holds a paper slip in one hand and stands outdoors by the shrine.

A close-up of shimenawa, a thick rice straw rope with hanging tassels and white zigzag paper strips (shide), at a Japanese shrine, with greenery and a wooden sign in the blurred background.

Sigma 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Review: Contemporary Compromise

The Sigma 20-200mm represents a convenient lens for travelers and tourists. Obviously, it would be a great all-in-one lens for excursions closer to home too. What you get is maximum versatility without any compromise to sharpness. I particularly enjoyed this lens for landscape where the 20mm ultra-wide range can make for stunningly wide vistas, while the 200mm lets you focus on compelling scenes from a distance. I think many photographers often think only of wide when it comes to landscape, but a good telephoto range is also awesome for isolating interesting shots.

Close-up of a black camera lens, showing the focus and zoom rings, AF/MF switch, and "20-200mm" marking. The background is blurred in beige and gray tones. — The contemporary lenses always combine value and performance well, and the new 20-200mm is no exception.

I wouldn’t call this lens ideal for anything but the most casual of wildlife scenarios but I did really appreciate the close-focusing capabilities of this lens. As long as you can manage your expectations about what shots you can achieve in lower light situations, there is a lot to love with this new travel lens from Sigma.

Are There Alternatives?

The new Tamron 25mm-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 is a direct competitor and features a faster overall aperture range in exchange for 5mm at the wide end. I haven’t tested it yet (that’s coming soon) so I can’t speak to its capabilities but it would be the fiercest competitor. It comes in at a slightly more affordable $899 as well.

Buy the Tamron 25mm-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 new on Amazon.com Buy the Tamron 25mm-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 used on KEH.com

Should You Buy It?

Yes. The large zoom range and especially the opportunities afforded by the 20mm focal length at the wide end makes this lens extremely versatile, and the image quality is high where it counts.

Buy the Sigma Contemporary 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DG new on Amazon.com Buy the Sigma Contemporary 20-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DG used on KEH.com