Sigma SD1 Hands-On Photos

#1 AAAA

That "SD1" badge label thing looks SOOOOO cheesy. And the camera itself is so-so. How's that sensor? I guess we'll see how the images look. The camera needs an automatic-HDR shooting capability - then it might be a good one.

6:44 pm - Thursday, September 23, 2010

#2 Will

@AAAA
That has to be about the most ignorant possible response to this camera. No serious shooter needs an in-built HDR function: you use RAW and a proper post-processing application to get the most out of it. If people look at what this sensor will be good for (landscape, studio work etc), and don't make high ISO performance the be-all and end-all of camera quality, then they might be pleasantly surprised.

7:22 pm - Thursday, September 23, 2010

#3 Bill McToff

I agree with Will. The first Foveon X3 sensor was a brilliant landscape sensor, and if the new sensor lives up to expectations then this might set the standard for landscape specialised DSLRs. Some people have commented on the new sensor being APS rather than full frame, but being as Sigma offer all their APS lenses in their own fitting I suppose it makes more financial sense rather than having to build a whole new line of lenses for the SD-1.

10:13 am - Friday, September 24, 2010

#4 flash design

Sigma are always best known for its lenses, but it also produces two cameras that are really interesting. The first is the DP1s/DP2s compact and the second is the SD-series D-SLR.

12:26 pm - Friday, September 24, 2010

#5 dogdoo

good luck to Sigma...any competition in a market basically run by Canon and, to an extent, Nikon, is good

9:29 am - Saturday, September 25, 2010

#6 Gainesville Remodeling

This camera is developed for the photographer looking for a compact digital camera but without the need to make any compromises as to image quality.

11:20 am - Tuesday, September 28, 2010

#7 Mojo77

Really looking forward to the results from this, but I'm wondering if current lenses will be up to doing justice to the sensor. Looks like it has the same removable IR cut filter as the SD14 which will make it good for IR shooting.

6:55 pm - Wednesday, October 6, 2010

#8 ct529

It looks like a very interesting camera, particularly for colour rendition.

I look forward to see some sample pictures taken on the field!

Two questions:

1) Does anyone know anything about the signal to noise ratio for this sensor and about how it compares with signal to noise for bayer sensor with similar pixel size (if you can even define the concept of similar pixel size)?

2) Does anyone have a good measure of colour rendition for this sensor? That may well be one of the major strength of this camera.

3) What about autofocus speed? Do we know anything about it? If (1) and (2) are sorted and the autofocus is fast enough, it could be a fantastic camera for semi pro wild life shooting, particularly with the new 120-300 (x 1.5).

Best,

7:38 am - Thursday, October 7, 2010

#9 ct529

PS: I meant *three questions* .... Mark, could you please post a picture of (1) the back of the camera and of (2) the bottom of camera?

7:40 am - Thursday, October 7, 2010

#10 Nikon666

Lets face the ugly truth. Sigma will not be a serious competitor in the PRO DSLR market until they come out with a more professional style camera body. They need a design thats going to rival the D3 series or the 1Ds Mark III. We want PRO, not prosumer. Then throw in a unique X3 FULL FRAME sensor and maybe they have a chance. If the sensor is as good as they say it is then why the delay? Who cares what it costs.

6:08 am - Friday, October 8, 2010

#11 ct529

It does like a good potential competitor to the like of Nikon D300 and D300s and of EOS 7D. Of course is no D3 / 1Ds Mark III competitor (particularly because they are full frame).

6:15 pm - Friday, October 8, 2010

#12 Motorcycle Windscreen

I don't think that people generally looks to body only, if the camera and the features are good and giving good results , then it's obvious that people will go for it.

6:37 am - Monday, October 11, 2010

#13 mike H

Why worry about the camera appearance! It is what you do with it, the images you create and the quality of the images you produce. A camera is a tool, a means to an end. A photographer is judged by his last image not by the appearance of his equipment. Great shots have been made in the past with a pinhole camera......but 46 megapixels will certainly get a thumbs-up from the Pro's.

2:34 pm - Saturday, October 23, 2010

#14 Danni Coy

@#8 answering your questions...
It's we don't have any measurements on this new sensor, word is it should be an improvement but not sure how much.
1) earlier foveon sensors have had problems with channel crosstalk (red light showing up on the green channel etc). The camera can correct for this but in the process effectively lowers the amount of light hitting the sensor.. Consequently the sensor is quite slow and doesn't handle high ISO's as well as more traditional sensor designs. The payoff is that it delivers very striking results at low ISO's... With experience I have found the camera (SD14 in my case) quite workable under most conditions.
2)I can't say that the older sensors are absolutely accurate - but they are inaccurate in different ways to traditional sensors. Whether on not the results are more accurate they are usually more aesthetically pleasing. I think that local colour variation and detail tends to be superior. I tend to think of it a bit like shooting colour film compared to shooting slides. It just produces different results.
3) The autofocus speed is on earlier models has not been as fast as the market leaders. For the most part I have found it sufficient except when following flying birds in which case I have reverted to using manual focus.

The SD14 has been a fantastic camera for wildlife photography because of the sensors ability to pick up fine detail this is particularly true of macro photography. I would also recommend it for portrait photography or fine art photography, I have been quite happy with the results I can get doing event photography. It wouldn't be my first choice for doing sport/wedding photos. It takes a good fast prime lens to really get the most out of the camera. I would expect the SD1 to be an improvement in most areas but to still broadly have the same strengths and weaknesses.

2:50 pm - Wednesday, October 27, 2010

#15 Fovenator

The SD1 is a weather sealed magnesium body. The sensor will hopefully triple the capability of current Sigma sensors...If you miss the look of film you will love Foveon sensors. No video offered, which is great..I will buy this camera. I only wish they would offer a Canon lens mount option.

F

4:44 am - Tuesday, December 21, 2010

#16 Rufus

I was excited about the SD1... until I learned the price. No wonder it hasn't gotten more press.

2:25 am - Wednesday, December 29, 2010

#17 Dave

Is everyone forgetting or perhaps, choosing to ignore the fact, that this is most certainly NOT a 46 megapixel camera!

I love the Foveon sensors but they have simply never provided results (or pixel dimensions, more importantly) to support their claimed resolutions respectively for every model so far produced.

I just really wish that Sigma would get 'real' about their sensor specs?

3:52 pm - Friday, March 4, 2011

#18 MF pro

Priced at $9700 body, the SD1 is priced by fools for fools.

The fools at Sigma deludes themselves thinking the SD1 can compete with real MF cameras such as Hassy, Pentax, Mamiya. It does not come close, even with this supposedly fancy sensor. The body and software functions of the SD1 is mediocre. Sigma lines of lens is a whole class below the MF guys. There's question of Sigma lens able to deliver to the sensor claimed 46MP spec. Then there is the question reputation, legacy and a certain 'magic' that permits the big names to charge premium. Sigma has none.

Sigma designed a $1000 body, installed this Foveon sensor, and proceeds to imagine this piece of ho-hum hardware can compare, less compete with the likes of Hassy.

No pros who invested in real MF bodies and lens can rationally switch to the Sigma SD1. For $9700, if the pros won't switch, who will buy into such an expensive body full of questions? The Sigma guys need a lesson in marketing failure. Somebody should tell them stop dreaming glory.

5:53 am - Tuesday, May 24, 2011

#19 Dave

Even making allowances for the undoubted potential of the foveon sensor, it would need to have the sort of investment poored into it that only the largest mainline manufacturers could do, to really make it a winner which, I do believe it could eventually be. Although more likely, it might just get lost in the mists of time due, to lack of investment and development. In my opinion, to be a serious contender in the pro arena, the sensor really needs to be a full frame model and must have better noise capabilities.

Beyond this, the camera itself is still sadly lagging behind current dslr features. The continuous shooting rate is woefully inadequate and many other now important features are either missing or at best, outdated in performance. If this camera was ever going to achieve 'any' sort of success, the price absolutely needs to be 'realistic' and not some pie-in-the-sky figure that Sigma appear to have plucked out of a hat-full of 'hopes'! Rediculous cannot describe this price point anywhere near effectively. Get 'real' Sigma. I 'am' a great Sigma fan. I love many of their products and indeed, have chosen some of their lenses 'over' Canon counterparts because they are actually better, not cheaper. While their (Sigma's) quality control still leaves something to be desired, the company is by far, 'the' most helpful and caring that I have ever come across ins nearly 50 years of both amateur and professional photography. However, if they are really 'serious' about their contribution to dslr format cameras and particularly those aimed at pros, they really do need to come clean regarding the true spec of their recently acquired foveon sensors. Come on Sigma.....I for one, would really love to see you succeed in this market.

12:34 pm - Tuesday, May 24, 2011

#20 MF pro

Famed photo & equipment pro Michael Reichmann questions Sigma's sanity on SD1 price:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sigma_sd1___ready_for_prime_time.shtml

Then he ridicules it:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/rationalizing_the_irrational.shtml

3:15 am - Wednesday, May 25, 2011

#21 Dave

Thanks so much for these links MF pro....absolutely fascinating reading! Have bookmarked and will follow avidly.

In my view, at anything like this price, the SD-1 is simply doomed. I really cannot see anyone buying it...not even for the shear hell of it!

Fact is, just about 'any' current dslr is capable of such high IQ now that I really can't begin to imagine anything so superior to command such a rediculour price tag. Sure, Leice might get away with it 'because' it's a Leica and they 'are' beautifully made...I've owned several M Series 35mm film cameras myself and they are lovely to use. But Sigma? Well, it's quite frankly silly even contemplating such a rediculous price.

4:19 pm - Wednesday, May 25, 2011

#22 MF Pro

In view of 'dissatisfaction', Sigma reduced price of SD1 body to $6899.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1105/11052513sd1streetprice.asp

Would anybody buy this body, and into the Sigma SD1 lens system, for around $8000 to kick things off? If one currently does not have a high performance camera system, and given all the choices (MF brands & top end Nikon/Canon), quite unlikely.

Existing Sigma body owners who have invested in many lenses might find it more appealing to get a SD1 body. If I were such an owner (and I'm not) and wish to get into high end photography requiring superb large image files, and if the SD1 delivers such superb quality in true 40+MP resolution at high ISO, I might consider if the body price is around $3000. In short, an entire system consisting of a couple of lenses, motor drive, flash, etc. for under $10k.

This in effect is my pricing recommendation to Sigma. $10k for a total system instead of just the body. They must make it attractive for people (especially pro's) to take the considerable risks of buying into a proprietary unproven system without an established high-end name like Leica, Mamiya, Pentax, etc. This is investing in customer creation and it's spelled out in Marketing 101.

5:31 am - Saturday, May 28, 2011

#23 Dave

Yes, they know they've goofed don't they!

Unfortunately, they have still not even begun to appreciate how seriously overpriced the camera will be....even at their 'reduced' price of $6899! Personally...and remember, I 'am' a bit of a Sigma 'fan', wouldn't even begin to consider an SD1 at anything over $2500 (around £1500 UK Pounds) for body only. I owned a SD10 and several lenses and although I liked many aspects of the sensor, both 'it' and the entire camera were in my opinion, fatally flawed at so many levels, I simply couldn't live with it.

I now have many thousands of pounds worth (I'm British, in UK) of Canon dslr gear in all three of Canon's sensor sizes, APS-C, APS-H and full frame, plus several lenses however, 'if' the price was below $2500 (£1500) I might well consider an SD1 as an addition to my Canon kit...something of a sort of 'parallel' mini-system really, something to 'play' with, just because I do like 'some' of the foveon sensor's qualities and Sigma as a company. They now just need to get rid of the idiot who thought it smart to price their new born out of the market!

1:17 pm - Saturday, May 28, 2011

#24 MF Pro

Here's my personal case on $8000. Although I have a full DSLR system (Nikon), I also have a Mamiya RZ Pro II system for serious film work. I have used the RZ for 14 years, but lightly since 3-4 years ago due to the hassle of processing & scanning film. I have 5 RZ lens along with e-viewfinder, etc. So let's talk about this MF gear.

I have seriously considered selling my entire RZ system for a few years. While I have seen many others done so, I just was never able to find the 'courage'. That's because, if I do want to take the ultimate quality photo (I do this on large landscape), I have no choice but to yank out the heavy RZ gear. No DSLR, even the best of today, can beat the RZ gear. A DMF gear will do a better job, for $30k-$50k. But I get the same job done with the price of a roll of 120 film and a bit more computer time. Nevertheless I cannot deny that I was stuck with my beautiful but aging RZ investment.

Then suddenly Mamiya announced a series of digital products - bodies and backs - for their 645 and RZ lines. For $8000 I can get a 22MP back, a back that guarantees the highest possible quality supplied with an app suite. For $11500 I can get a new RZ body that will integrate well with the back. Nevertheless, $8000 will rejuvenate my entire RZ system, restore its value, deliver the most amazing quality digitally, and I can still use those lovely Portia films!

This is the essence of playing the medium format business and Mamiya delivers that essence. Not only the highest possible quality with the products, but absolute commitment to protect investment. Do you see Canon and Nikon do that - with their quarterly model change? How can Sigma compete in the MF market? So far, it has shown it does not have the necessary mindset.

4:14 am - Sunday, May 29, 2011