I was a long-time advocate of SIGMA lenses well before I was an ambassador. One of the things I respect most about SIGMA is the quality of lenses the company produces at an affordable price.
When I first started my photography business, I had to be really careful with how I spent my money (and I still do as a providing mother of four young children). We all know camera gear is a big investment, and I found SIGMA lenses to be the sharpest and fastest out of all my lenses, not to mention incredibly durable and long-lasting. SIGMA has truly helped shape me into the photographer I am today.
The lens that helped me find my voice
I vividly remember the first time I purchased a lens. Up to that point, I had always used the kit lenses that came with my cameras. It was early on in my photography career, when I walked into my local camera store looking for something that would help me create dreamy images of my children.
The clerk steered me toward the SIGMA 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS macro lens. It’s not something you would typically use for portraits, but it quickly became my go-to when photographing my children. I still have a sentimental attachment to it, even after growing my lens collection over the years.
Not only did this lens sell me on SIGMA lenses in general, it was the primary lens I was shooting with when I found my voice as a photographer. It was the lens I used to document those early years of my oldest children. It was the lens I was using when I fell in love with photography and documenting my everyday.
My SIGMA lens journey
In this video, I’m going to walk you through the evolution of my lens collection, from my very first SIGMA lens (the 105mm F2.8) to my newest everyday favorite (you might be shocked to learn it’s a zoom!). I’ll also share how and when I choose to use each lens to document my life, and show you how that fits into my overall photography style.
The game-changing SIGMA Art lens collection
Over the years, I set aside money and slowly started to build my lens collection. I gravitated toward SIGMA prime lenses because I was often shooting in low light situations within my home and needed a wide aperture. When SIGMA released their Art collection, it opened a whole new world for me.
I was amazed at how quick and sharp the SIGMA Art lenses were, especially in low light. Plus, they were sold at a better price point than their competitors. Being on a budget but wanting quality, high-end gear, this was huge!
My SIGMA lenses:
I love each of my SIGMA lenses for different reasons. My overall goal is to have a solid collection of gear that not only gives me versatility in capturing my family, but quality as well. I need lenses that will be tack sharp no matter the lighting scenario.
The 35mm Art
After the SIGMA 105mm macro, my next purchase was the SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens. This has remained one of my favorites over many, many years. If I had to grab just one lens, it would be the SIGMA 35mm Art. It’s honestly one of the most versatile lenses I own. It works wonderfully in tight and congested spaces and it’s a great storytelling lens because I’m able to include a lot of my environment in the frame with this wide angle.
Capturing my children and day-to-day routine is so important to me. Another reason I love this lens is the amazing performance in low light situations, as I’m often working in low light within my northern Michigan home.
The 85mm Art
The SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art was another lens I purchased early on in my career. It’s a wonderful everyday telephoto lens. I don’t have to stand too far away from my children, unlike with some of my other telephoto lenses, and it creates the most beautiful compression when shot wide open. It’s also the fastest telephoto lens I own which is key for photographing active little ones.
The 24mm Art
Then there’s the SIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, which is definitely my go-to for shots from above. It’s one of my favorite perspectives to capture my children from because it allows me to easily include a lot of the environment around them. This unique perspective often helps to simplify my frame by eliminating any unwanted clutter within the room.
The 105mm Art
Out of all the telephoto lenses I own, the SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is by far the dreamiest, which is why I often gravitate toward it. It’s called the bokeh master for a reason! I love that I can shoot with this lens wide open at f/1.4 and know it’s going to still be tack sharp. This lens is perfect for portraiture and being able to isolate my children from the background seamlessly.
Meet my new favorite lens: the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN lens
As you can see by my lens collection, I mainly shoot with prime lenses. But, I recently had the privilege of trying out the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens and I love it!
One of the things I’ve been missing out on with prime lenses is the ability to easily change focal lengths. With a prime lens, I constantly have to be on my feet and moving to make sure I don’t miss a moment when my children run around me. With the 28-70mm zoom I can easily stay in once place, changing focal lengths, as I photograph my children at play.
The 28-70mm focal length range is amazing and versatile. I can zoom in and capture details perfectly, or zoom out to capture a wide angle shot of my children. The lens is fast and sharp no matter the focal length. Because of this, it’s often the only lens I need when I’m out and about with my family. This means I don’t have to pack several prime lenses in my camera bag! I can have all of my needs met with this one lens.
The SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 is also extremely lightweight and compact. This is important because I often already have my hands full with four children. I love that I can easily just throw this lens in my purse and it will fit. Since it mounts to my mirrorless, it’s really important that it’s lightweight to begin with because otherwise I feel like it defeats the purpose of having a lightweight, mirrorless camera.
Another feature I LOVE about the SIGMA 28-70mm is the close focusing distance. There are situations where I need to be close to my children for safety reasons, so it’s crucial that I have a lens that is going to easily focus at a close distance. This lens is tack sharp at close range.
I honestly feel I was missing out on the benefits of a zoom lens all these years. It’s the most versatile lens I own. It’s the lightest, most compact lens I have, and it operates beautifully in tricky lighting situations. Not to mention I’m able to capture my children easily with the wonderful focal length options.
How I use the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 zoom lens
As a prime lens lover, I never thought I’d find myself using a zoom lens. But, being able to change focal lengths seamlessly without changing lenses is so appealing when I’m out and about with my four children. In this video, I’ll share a little about why I love the new SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary lens, and how I use it for my everyday adventures.
Why I choose SIGMA
One of the things I admire most about SIGMA lenses is how durable they are. If you have ever held a SIGMA lens you know what I’m talking about. I’ve never been gentle on my gear. Having four adventurous children and living in a remote area, I need something that’s going to handle bumps and inclement weather. That’s where SIGMA has never let me down. I’ve put my gear through things it never should be put through; I’m talking dropping lenses in a parking garage and leaving them out in the pouring rain, and somehow they are still functional. It’s very apparent that quality is a key component of SIGMA.
I also have a deep appreciation for SIGMA’s ability to produce lenses that are fast and incredibly sharp, even in tricky lighting situations. There is nothing more frustrating than missing a beautiful moment with my children because my lens didn’t grab focus.
Camera gear can be such a big and important investment, and I know I can always rely on my SIGMA lenses. I want to be able to quickly photograph my children and then put my camera away and be present with them, too. It’s all about finding the right balance of what works best for my family, and SIGMA gives me the ability to do that easily.
I feel like SIGMA opened a door not only for me, but many other photographers as well by providing quality lenses at a reasonable price. This was so important especially when I started my photography business. I had to be really intentional with purchases (and still do), especially at the beginning of my career. As a working mother who helps provide for my family, knowing that my hard earned money is being invested in gear that’s going to last means everything.
Photos and videos by Meg Loeks
This is a sponsored post, but opinions are those of the author.
Meg, I appreciated your article. I would like to know what camera body you use the Sigma lenses on. I have heard they are a problem for full frame cameras. I have a Sigma for my crop body that I love. But a little afraid to purchase for the full frame. Any thoughts would be apprciated.