Customer Reviews

Sigma DP2 14MP FOVEON CMOS Sensor Digital Camera with 2.5 Inch TFT LCD

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I find I have a hard time describing this camera to some friends. If they know enough about cameras/photography I will delve into all the details about why it is so different and why I love it so much. But for those friends who are less knowledgeable I just tell it to them straight - "no it can't zoom, yes it's only 4.6MP, yes I paid $650 for it and it's worth every penny. It takes beautiful photos." I spent some quality time with this camera on a recent trip to Victoria, BC and here are my pros and cons:

PROS
1. Amazing image quality (pixel-perfect sharp and colors are especially stunning. Always shoot in RAW)
2. Small (likely to fit in any coat pocket)

CONS
1. Sometimes you will miss candid opportunities because autofocus and shot to shot times are not super snappy. If you tend to be a "capture-the-moment-trigger-happy photographer, this will probably get on your nerves. If you are more of a composition photographer, it likely won't.
2. Low-light autofocus is a bit useless. Pop it into manual.
3. The lens cap sucks. Really, Sigma. It needs to be tighter.
4. Some say the LCD isn't bright enough for sunny conditions. I personally didn't have a problem seeing the info I needed to see to properly set up shots. But it is certainly not as well-suited for reviewing shots.

I may have listed more cons but for me the 2 pros far outweigh them. I list them so others know what they are getting into. This is not a camera for the masses. Then again, maybe that's why I love it so much.

There's a ton of technical reviews of the camera, and I can't add anything more to that discussion. I 100% agree with them, noisy at high isos, slow, etc. So let me give you my "every person review;" for background the Sigma DP2 has become my everyday camera, I'm taking about 5 pics a day; things I see that's interesting, or just to document something happening e.g. bad drivers. I've logged well over 200 shots on this camera, since I also go to events and pretend to be a photographer in my spare time. So I feel comfortable, about offering my review after only owning it for 2 weeks.

This camera, is the meanest, most abusive, slowest, frustrating and confusing camera you'll ever use; 4 out of 10 times, you have no idea what it's focusing on. Sometimes, it treats the the shutter button press as a suggestion not a command. Also when you ignore it, sometimes it just crashes.

However, it will take some of the best pictures you'll ever see. Some how the colors pop, look more 3 dimensional than any other camera I've ever used. Images just seem more life like and clear. Other than futzing with white balance (it always seems slightly off), I don't have to edit the pictures coming out of this camera.

When shooting indoors at night, you'll need to learn how to use the manual mode, even with adequate lighting the camera always seems 3 or 4 seconds behind what ever you want to take. Usually the focus doesn't work. You'll also have to get used to using the flash, if you're like me a person who hates flash photography the higher ISOs are practically useless (unless you don't mind converting them to Black and white). Even so, out of the 3 tweet ups that I've used this camera at, the pics I take with the Sigma (when they turn out), by far are the best compared to all the other photog's there. Even beating out some of the Canon and Nikon dSLRs. Again, color's pop, the lens is so clear its spooky and some how it just feels closer to film than traditional bayer CCD/CMOS sensors.

FYI It isn't anywhere close to being 14 megapixels, RAW files have a remarkable ability to zoom and crop but it's closer to 8 or 10 megapixels. This isn't a bad thing, think of it like film, you don't wonder how many megapixels there are in the film you're using.

Also, you can't hand this camera to a regular person to "here take my pic" I've tried it, and the camera for some reason has performance anxiety. It's slow reaction time, ends up with a lot of pavement or sky shots, and its slow focus confuses the average on the street person.

As a side benefit, I'm finding my subjects act more natural when I take their pics (street photography) using the sigma instead of my Rebel SLR. Some how they're more comfortable, until the sigma acts up and i have to say "hang on, sorry, my camera is acting up."

In case your wondering, YES it is alive. Treat it nice and you'll get amazing pictures, use it in a way that is slightly wrong and it'll make you pay. I love it, i'm not trading it in, but I hope to FSM that the DP3 will be less temperamental and hate me less. If you do buy it, get a spare battery, power adapter and a good case. I'm saving to get the leather case.

[...]

this is not an easy camera to use. I use a 5d and take a lot of photos. I wanted a go everywhere camera.The auto focus is slow - the manual focus is not so great because the lcd is not so great. Maybe the viewfinder will help. I'll buy one soon because despite the faults this camera is worth keeping.

Dont buy this if you want to photograph people - the auto focus is too slow.

There is just something about the photos this camera can take. When the focus is bang on its great. But its more than that. These pictures don't look like photos taken with other digital cameras.

I put them into photoshop and need to do nearly nothing to them - especially the B&W.

Use this camera if you can use an slr. Use this camera if you have patience. Don't use this camera if you want a quick auto focus.

If you can be patient and if you can put up with slow(ish) write times you will like this. If you are used to an slr and want a walk aroud , you will love this.

This is a great point and shoot but not a point and shoot for somebody who can't use an slr. In terms of sharpness etc it may not be better than some others - the panasonics/ leicas, the g10 etc. However, the photos this produces make it stand apart from them. The dymnamic range is great. But its something about the colour and the contrast. I have used all the named above so can make that judgement.

I really wanted a digital rangefinder and coudn't afford one right now. This is not a leica or even an epson but these pictures have a certain chartacter in the same way that rangefinder images do to me. They don't compare, no question of that - but I have not been disappointed. These are not your usual digital images and I love them for it. They may not be leica images by a long way but there is still something unique about them that makes them stand out and they are undoubtedly comaparable with some dslr images.

I love film but also love the convenience of digital. So I use alien skin etc in photoshop. To my eyes, this is giving me something of the halfway house with minimal help from photoshop.

Give it a go if you are prepared to take your time and dont want quick auto focus and particularly if you want something against the grain, that stands apart from the usual crisp, clean digital image; an image with character earned by the camera and not just by photoshop.

If you can use a cmaera you can make good with this. Not a point and shoot for someone who wants a simple point and shoot. You can find quicker and cheaper point and shoots. You will get the most of this if you understand the basics of camera controls, have patience and appreciate film.

What I love about this camera:
1. Image quality. In my opinion, this camera does a better job in capturing details and colors than many DSLRs. I am always pleasantly surprised by the pictures it makes.
2. Size and weight. I take it with me almost everyday. It's impossible to do so with my once owned D90.
3. Control system. The buttons and menu are well designed, so changing settings is simple and quick.
4. Look and feel. I know some people will not agree, but this is just my opinion.
5. Manual focus function. It's good, but not perfect. With firmware 1.02, I have to press the OK button to magnify the focusing area. I hope the focusing area will be automatically magnified when the focusing wheel is turned.
6. When the ISO is set to auto and the flash is not used, the ISO will not go beyond 200. (Firmware Version 1.02)

What I think is not too bad:
1. Auto focus system. Yes, it is a little slow for shooting actions. That's why I have a vidiocam. I set the AEL button to AFL, and allow half pressing the shutter release to do AEL.
2. LCD. I don't like to use a camera screen to check the detail and color of my pictures anyway.
3. Focusing noise. After using it for a few weeks, I think the noise is funny rather than annoying. To me, it sounds like a hen in my hand.

What I don't like:
1. Relatively short battery life. I hope Sigma will make a bigger battery for DP3.
2. The shutter release is a little stiff for such a small camera. Easy to introduce camera shake.
3. No image stabilization.

In general, I love this camera.

After using this camera for a few days I really had a difficult time rating the Sigma DP2 with a 4 star or 5 star rating. Yes, the camera is slow to focus in dim light and the user interface is difficult and convoluted. However, the image quality it produces is superb! When all thing are considered, the pluses far out weight the negatives. The camera is capable of producing a technically excellent image, the rest is up to the photographer.
This may not be a beginners camera however, when a person works around the cranky aspects the results are top notch.

Having owned all of the Foveon/Sigma cameras other than the DP1, I can say that the software and reliability are much improved in this product.

Previously, I felt like I had to fight the controls every step of the way in order to get amazing photographs... but I did get amazing photographs. With the DP2 I feel like the controls are working with me rather than against me, for the most part.

This is not a camera for someone who doesn't want to futz with it... definitely not for the "point and shoot" crowd... if you think about your target depth of field, etc, then this is the compact camera for you AFAIK.

I haven't tried the Leica compacts, which I have heard great things about... mainly I'm addicted to the lack of strange artifacts with the Foveon sensor in the Sigma line. If someone isn't a purist in this regard then Leica may be the way to go?

One more thing: I thought I would miss zoom a lot more than I actually do.

An improvement to the camera would be a way to "copy" the auto-focus grab over to the manual control...

Mind you, this is not an easy camera to enjoy. When I say this, I mean it in a way different from what many others meant here. It seems chief source of complaint is the camera's overall slowness. This does not bother me at all. It has always puzzled me why people complain this camera is slow when they almost never complain the same thing about manual focus camera such as a Leica M8 or an M9. Unless prefocused, manual focusing is almost always slower than automatic focusing, no matter how slow automatic focusing is. The fact that you missed a shot is not excused by that you were holding a manual camera any more than that you were holding a slow automatic. And make no mistake, this camera is not so slow as to miss too many moving objects at "normal" speeds. It is of course slower than a DSLR, but for ordinary daily use, keine problemo.

My agony stems from this camera's post-processing software. Not that it is in any way flawed. Far from it. It is a tremendous software, so easy to use and so convenient. The best thing about this is that you can have as many customized settings as you want and simply let it run the whole folder for automatic conversion. You will find for most photos this conversion will take care of itself and you won't ever need individual touching. But it may take a while to find the ideal setting combination as there is no guidance. You would have to experiment and find the combination that you would like for MOST of your photos through trial and error, and this process could be very tricky and time-consuming. If you cannot find the right combination for you, you will be frustrated. The colors will look either too gaudy/unnatural/saturated or too mundane, the picture will be either too bright or too dark, etc. This is really the crucially important process, I find, and I suggest that you search discussion forums in the Internet for a guidance.

The operation of the camera is superbly simple and convenient. Manual focusing could be used in all modes (eg in program mode, in aperture priority mode or in speed mode) just by pushing one dedicated button and turning the dial. Most important settings such as ISO/flash/WB/exposure are all in one specially designated button. Exposure compensation is easy as it is done in one step. Auto Exposure Lock (AEL) is very useful and has its own button. Battery life is good enough (200+ RAW shots). One oddity is that Auto ISO setting works only between 100 and 200. Considering that this camera produces eminently usable results at ISO 800, Auto ISO should be allowed to go up to at least 800. Another feature I like is that when you go into the menu button, do certain things, exit and then you go back to the menu again, it remembers where you left off so that you don't have to scroll through the entire menu list again. A thoughtful feature. Same for AEL - it remembers the last exposure obtained by pushing of the AEL button until either you push it again or you take a shot. The camera has certain analogue smartness and lacks digital stupidity, rendering its operation intuitive and simple. Unlike many electronic cameras these days, this camera does not have a bunch of features that people almost never use but rather seem to focus on the core set of useful features either in one-step or two-step operations.

When you shoot in RAW (it is a requirement; otherwise don't buy this camera), process it with the right combination of settings, the image result could stun you. Almost as good as a 1:1 DSLR and certainly more exciting. Yes, better than a GF1 or a PEN PE1 (I have used both). Very close to film cameras (film scan or slides). The colors are alive and kicking. Don't take my words for it -- just google seasoned professionals such as Julie Mayfeng (India & Nepal works) or Carl Rytterfalk who swear by this camera. And their works show what this camera could do when in right hands.

I am a professional photographer with lots of larger cameras that have great image quality. For a while I have been looking for a camera that puts image quality first in a portable package. I have tried a few point and shoots, but I have always been disappointed with the quality, to the point regret using them.

This is not the case with the DP2. It clearly puts image quality first and produces astonishing images for such a small package. Focus is not lightning quick, the lcd screen is not the sharpest, the control system is not elegant, but it is more than enough to take excellent photos. The image quality rivals, is perhaps better than, many DSLR cameras.

This is a camera for someone who understands photography and not someone who is looking to quickly and mindlessly capture images. Using the camera takes thought and practice, but the images that it produces are worth it!

I have had a little over a week to get used to my DP2 and I am thrilled with it. I also own a Canon 50d and am happy to say that this little DP2 outshines the 50d in terms of photo quality. Of course the 50d has its obvious advantages of more frames/sec, interchangeable lenses, etc. (Yes I am using L lenses 135f/2, 200f/2.8, 300f/4 and 400f5.6) But, in just over a week of use I have gotten images with the DP2 that otherwise would not have been obtainable. I don't know what disadvantages can negate that. I will still keep the 50d for sports, action and so forth. But when I want to catch that beautiful sunset, or colorful close up there will be no question which camera I will reach for. If I want to pack a camera along for a bicycle ride the DP2 will get the call. If I don't want to walk around making a spectacle of myself with a canon body and L lens, but still want to record professional photo's, the DP2 will get the call there too. So on, and so forth.

The only complaint I have with the DP2 is the short battery charge time. I attribute some of that to shooting in RAW format and the large file sizes to transfer to the memory card. Never the less the batteries should stay charged longer in my opinion.

I have heard complaints of the LCD. I am scratching my head because I don't have a problem with the LCD at all. In fact mine is turned down to one notch above the dimmest and I still use it in bright sunlight to focus. I only do that to preserve the battery time. Even that is sufficient for me to use in broad, bright daylight.

In short, I grew up with a Pentax K1000. With the Pentax I had to think about what I was doing with the camera. If I messed up it cost me in time and in film and I learned. What I learned made me appreciate the art of photography so much more. The DP2 is a similar camera. It will make you think about light, exposure, ... If you care to spend some time with this little gem your photography will soar. If average snapshots at 8 frames per second is your thing, then this is probably not your camera.

One last comment, use the DP2 in RAW format. Thats where it truly excels and it is beautiful.


****************UPDATE FEBRUARY 2010*****************************

I thought so much of the sensor in the DP-2, I purchased the SD-14. The SD-14 is an equally capable camera with the benefits of using SLR lenses. I compared the SD-14 to the Canon 50D I had. After seeing the results, I sold the Canon equipment I had and now happily own the DP-2 as well as the SD-14.

****************UPDATE OCTOBER 2010******************************

The DP-2 Continues to amaze me. No other camera gives me the thrill that this camera does. Why the update? Today I saw on amazon the DP-1s is to be had for $300. Do I need another DP camera? No. But to get this Foveon sensor with a wider lens for such a bargain price I punched the BUY (One click) button. YIKES I believe I've got Sigma GAS. (Gear Acquired Syndrome)

Breakthrough piece of Technology that actually changes the way you view photography and the way photograph's look. Longtime, 30 ++ year's user of Canon product's, from Ftb and F-1n to G1, G5 and G10. Alway's satisfied and NO problem's. Just didn't like how my photo's looked coming out of the G10. How did Canon, Nikon, etc. miss this? Kind of Ironic that I purchased my DP2 a couple of weeks after Kodak killed Kodachrome !! I know there doesn't seem to be alot of Gray Area when it come's to opinion's about the DP2, but seeing is believing. Ergonomic issue's are a very tiny piece of THIS pie ! Don't buy the DP2 if you are just viewing photo's on your Monitor or are file sharing. You need to see image's printed BIG !! Try a Canon, Epson or HP large format Pigment Printer. (I'm using a Epson 3800). Yowee !! I hope Sigma manage's to hang with this product. Cheap at $650.

UPDATE:
Four month's down the road and the Photo's keep getting better !! Great FUN !! However, to reiterate, this is in effect, for me, a manual camera. (in my case, the manual white balance is most important (and very accurate, checked with a Gossen Luna Pro Color Temp Meter). Haven't upgraded the software and the auto focus works just fine. Still amazed at the color fidelity and low noise. (RAW of course) Geezz, if you are interested in taking Photo's BUY this camera !!


PS. Have the megapixel wars ended? Canon's G11 10 megapixel vs. the G10's 14+ megapixels? Why bother with the Bayer Sensor at all, just go directly to the Foveon !!