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I'm in love with this camera not a fast camera by a long shot but the foveon sensor for me has brought back hope and delight to digital photography when I had lost all on my budget it is the closest I have ever been to a film photo small compact slow as heck but everything you need to have that great photo is there you need to know what you are doing step back take your time and the results are none the worst than a Leica M8 or M9 be surprised and very surprised Sigma have adjustments to do here and there but it is in my view good value for money £200 brand new not here today gone tomorow camera will keep it untill all compacts reach at least the full sensor spec/type I fail to see any better cameras out there it is after all the quality of the photo that matters the most and thsi camera has got what it takes to rival a film camera of the same size kind regards to all PRead full review
Having read all the reviews I went ahead & bought a new DP1. I thought very carefully about what I wanted this camera to help me do: architecture & landscape. In context I have a Canon 5D & Ricoh GX100. Here are my random thoughts: - I was genuinely surprised that it is not only well built but feels that way too. It's a bit 'slippy' - probably because I haven't got used to holding it yet & am treating it unnecessarily carefully - I like the simple clean styling - to my eyes it is not tacky, not showy, or boastful. I admire the design. - The first time I clicked the flash unlock button I nearly dropped it - the loud clunk is lovely & mechanical (made me smile anyway) - I like the way the lens cap fits on - it's the pedant in me that likes the idea that the name has to line up - The power-on button reminds me of a long gone Canon 35mm film camera - sort of metal & big & mechanical (I like that). And mine makes a sort of endearing noise as the lens extends. A sort of 'I'm getting the lens out but it will take as long as I need' - Outside when the sun shines the DP1 LCD is a little weak. And reviewing my shots is a little more challenging. Setting it to 'bright' looks quite washed out. - I played around with a few of the buttons & smiled at some that were clearly labelled with white letters & others that just had a very small icon stamped into the button - I dived into the menu & played around having paid no attention to the manual - & I did get it a bit wrong but muddled through after a short while. I got puzzled as to how to set RAW but was just being impatient & conditioned by menu structures from my other cameras - I tried the manual focus mode - by the way I like cameras doing automatic stuff for me - which is probably why I get dissatisfied with the photos I take because I trust them much. I like the dial & the scale on the LCD - maybe I'll get to actually control my camera for a change :-) & stop being so lazy - As has been said the DP1 is not a point & shoot compact camera - more of a 'think-point-check-think-shoot' - Noticed a little feature - as it's about to lock focus the LCD image kinda shakes for a moment - now whether that is intentional I know not but I find it useful outside when the bleeper is turned off. - When I did some candid shots in the shopping areas, guess what - no one noticed me & that small black box cos it doesn't shout 'I'm a camera' - When I tried to do a bit of an action shot of a tube train coming into a station - not exactly a speedy thing as it was slowing down but I missed the moment. So no chance of taking photos of my 5 year old son then! - My 8Gb class 6 memory card sucked up the bits quite quickly & I wasn't slowed down by the relatively long write times - you just need to be patient. - The prime 28mm is not a limitation for me - I just move myself instead instead of having a zoom Annoying stuff: - First is the rubber flappy bit over the DP1 connectors - it doesn't flap back enough & I may end up biting it off in rage. - Then there's the choice of the very mini USB connector when everything else I have uses the more usual size - The software to convert RAW needs work - especially on my MAC where it look poor in comparison to other apps. - RAW format is proprietary - you have to use the software provided or use JPG The Pictures Detailed, colourful, smooth & lovely - put some effort into the DP1 & it will reward you with the best you've ever seen from a compact camera.Read full review
Amazing Quality -on a level with a good Digital SLR in terms of picture quality-superb colours and sharpness right across the board. No zoom so you do have to think about your pictures -which is s good thing -we all used to do that in the old days with rangefinder equipment and medium format cameras. The Sigma will deliver the goods with big enlargements that are superb. Handling is not fast -if you want to take pictures of kids running -forget it unless you prefocus and pan -the autofocus is slower than most compact digital cameras and DSLR -but you can manual focus too so there are ways around it -its just not as fast so I would say moving objects are not ideal. Where this camera does shine is in views and landscapes -memories and for travel. Slip it into your pocket and you will have a top quality photo experience always ready. I shoot in RAW all the time as I find this gives the best results straight out of the camera -I dont process or alter anything and the results are amazing -sure its a premium price you are paying but you know you are going to get top quality pictures. Ive compared the Sigma to a Leica D-Lux 3 and Canon G10 and for me the Sigma wins hands down for picture quality and sharpness -yes it may take a bit more thought before I take the picture but for me thats what photography is all about -its a creative process -I now find I actually enjoy taking pictures rather than snapping away with my big DSLR hanging around my neck -nowadays the SLR stays at home far more and the sigma comes with me on my travels. Lens cap is a fiddle -you have to put it on one way and remember to take if off before you power up the camera but ive got used to it now and it quickly becomes automatic to do. The camera appears really well made -its got a quality metal feel to it -it seems well crafted and designed and you can feel that it will last for years of use. A Fully Recommended photographers tool which with a little thought can take stunning pictures.Read full review
The reason I chose to buy the DP1, was the ability to control both the exposure and the focus manually. This speeds up shooting, the time taken for valuation of both functions is eliminated, resulting in instant shutter release, not the time lag experienced with the usual point and shoot camera. The lens is of a fixed focal length not a zoom, but this gives far superior image quality. The other main thing I like about this camera is the auxilliary viewfinder. This is a very bright clear large field of view, great for spectacle wearers, and not using the screen to frame images saves a lot of battery power. It is a camera for more serious photographers, not ideal for people wanting a easy to use point and shoot. The image quality is superb, I am also a user of the Sigma SD14 and I wanted that image quality in a smaller light weight camera.Read full review
I bought this to take wide angle landscapes and sometimes as a "street camera". The resolution is very high thanks to a CMOS chip. To get the same quality from anything else you'd have to carry a huge DSLR, which I hate. The lens is fixed at 28mm in 35mm terms, so if you are a zoomaholic, you'll hate it. It's a bit like carrying a light 35mm rangefinder film camera such as an Olympus RD, but with a wide lens, although the lens is only f4 and there is no viewfinder, so it's more like the wide 50s 120 folder that never existed. You can fit Sigma's own viewfinder at a truly astronomical "I saw you coming" price but I use an old KMZ turret finder. I've given it "good" rather than "excellent" because of the pathetically overblown price of accessories. The results are stunning in terms of accurate colour and detail, and what I call the impact of the lens. (I won't use the pretentious word bokeh.) Not since the Planar on my Rolleiflex, etc. It's the exact opposite of a piece of shiny pink metallic plastic for disco donkeys. Yes, it takes RAW images. Some report that the battery can drain itself. I have had no such problems. Perhaps it's about updating the firmware. If you read German you might get one new for 200 Euro or so on eBay. I have great hopes for mine.Read full review
Absolutely no complaints about this Camera. Got it for £158 and then sold the extra viewfinder for £50. What can I say, DP1 for £108 including Lens Hood (£25), what a bargain. The Foveon target chip (APS-C) with a prime 28mm lens gives the best quality I've achieved with a compact and I've tried a few. Sony W210, Fuji F80exr, Canon A2000 with CHDK software, Olympus Pen E-PL1, Canon Ixus 870 with CHDK software. Nothing to touch the DP1, even the Olympus. Battery problems? haven't had any, slow write speed especially in RAW mode? not with my Class 6 Ultima card. Excellent design casing, very plain and unobtrusive. Don't know what else to say. If you're an accomplished photographer looking for a compact streetwise camera, give it a try, you won't be disappointed. If you're a point-and-shoot newbie, this is probably not for you as it does need a little thought to get the best out of it.Read full review
I wanted an alternative to my big Nikon, that i could carry anywhere and the sigma dp1 fitted the bill. It is not perfect, being slow to write RAW files, but the quality of the big foveon sensor gives beautiful images. Manual focus gives instant shutter response too. I have struggled with the viewfinder, but that might be down to me. I had similar problems with my Leica M4-P and a 25mm viewfinder. The screen does not do justice to the images recorded. It is only on screen and with prints that the outstanding image quality becomes obvious. They are as good as my Nikon D300! I also bought a Richard Franiec grip, which vastly improves handling. Highly reccomended camera.
I decided to buy myself a compact camera to take on a camping trip, as my usual canon SLR would be too bulky. Being used to the quality of the SLR I wanted something that would be somewhere near as good, so chose the sigma as it hase an APS sized sensor and a wide angle 28mm lens. overall I,am quite pleased with the camera, the lens is excellent, distortion free and very sharp. image quality is very good, not quite as good as my canon but not far off. At £170 second hand, but mint condition, it has to be a bargain. highly recomended.