Saturday Shout is back! People have been telling me how much they miss this weekly column, so I’ve blown off the virtual cobwebs and kicked things off with this question: Is the new Sigma DP1 the ultimate compact camera? Consider these facts. The size of the image sensor used in the Sigma DP1 camera is 10 times larger than in a normal compact digital camera. Yes, that’s 10 times larger! the DP1 features the same 14 megapixel FOVEON X3, APS-C size image sensor (2652 × 1768 × 3 layers) that Sigma’s new DSLR camera uses, and can shoot in either JPEG or RAW. The DP1 has a fixed 28mm f/4 wide-angle lens. As well as a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, there’s even an optional viewfinder that fits into the camera’s flash hotshoe (did I mention that the DP1 has a dedicated hotshoe?). There’s even a dedicated dial for, get this, easy manual focusing! Sure, the price might be a bit steep (upwards of £500) and Sigma aren’t exactly renowned for making good compact digicams (errm, this is their first actually). But hey, you never know, the Sigma DP1 could turn out to be the compact digital camera that every serious shutterbug has been waiting for. What do you think - has the Sigma DP1 caught your eye, or is it fatally flawed? Shout out now…

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