Of the lenses photographers carry around in their camera bag, one gets used more than any other: the 70–200mm f/2.8. That’s certainly true for this writer.
This, of course, varies from person to person and changes depending on what’s being photographed, but it’s hard to argue with the versatility and performance of any 70–200mm lens on the market. Especially when you’re a sports photographer, as I am.
To show off just how capable and quintessential this lens is, Kai Wong of DigitalRev has created a video explaining “five reasons why you need a 70–200mm lens.” You can watch the video accompanying this story, but we’ve condensed the five reasons into a list:
The best part of all is that you have a lot of options to choose from, meaning you should be able to pick up a 70–200mm lens that fits your budget. A brand new Canon 70–200mm f/4 costs only $600. If you don’t mind spending a fair bit more and want the best of the best, Canon’s latest 70–200mm f/2.8 IS II costs $2,000.
If you want to save a little more, you can always buy secondhand. Just make sure to do your research and check on the lens before making the transaction.
If you’re in the market for a new lens and want versatility merged with performance, you won’t find a better option out there than a 70–200mm lens, regardless of what model you go with.
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What's new with the Instax Mini Evo 2?
Full-frame cameras tend to be chunky beasts, but Sigma wants to prove that big imaging doesn't need a big body. Enter the Sigma FP2, the successor to its tiny, boxy fp mirrorless camera. It keeps the same modular design but packs in some serious upgrades, including a 24.5-megapixel partially stacked full-frame sensor, improved autofocus, 6K video recording, and 70GB of built-in storage. Sigma calls it the world's smallest full-frame camera, and while it might be tiny, the same cannot be said for its price tag.
Sigma FP2 brings faster shooting and 6K video
A phone thermal camera is one of those tools you don’t think you need until the first time it saves you from an expensive problem, and the Thermal Master P3 just got easier to try. For Halloween, it’s discounted with the code THERMCAM10, a 10% cut that works out to $107 off the total. It’s also fresh off a win at the 2026 Tom’s Guide AI Awards for best phone thermal camera, which is the kind of third-party nod that separates a serious tool from the cheap clip-on sensors that flood this category.