Sigma SD14 14MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

by Sigma

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.2 x 3.2 inches ; 1.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000J2AB94
• Item model number: SD14
• Batteries: 1 Lithium ion batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,708 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 25, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The new SD14, powered by the 14-megapixel Foveon X3 direct-image sensor, can reproduce high definition images rich in gradation and impressive three-dimensional detail. The SD14 digital SLR camera features four JPEG recording modes, a large and bright pentaprism viewfinder with 98% coverage, a built-in flash with a Guide Number of 11, 5-point AF system, a large 2.5-inch, 150,000-pixel resolution LCD monitor, as well as a new user-friendly design. The durable shutter mechanism has over 100,000-cycle life and is ideal for the demands of digital photography.

Development
Sigma introduced its first digital SLR camera, the SD9, to the market in October 2002, and has established strong support from a wide range of photographers both amateur and professional alike. The second model, the SD10, released on to the market in November 2003, continued to build on the support of loyal photographers. However, demand for JPEG's greater convenience in image handling has increased and in order to meet this demand the new SD14, powered by Foveon X3 direct-image sensor, now includes JPEG mode with high image quality, high performance, and versatility.

Product Summary

The Sigma SD14's Foveon sensor captures full and complete color with three sensor layers.

14-megapixel Foveon X3 direct image sensor
The Foveon X3 direct image sensor featured in the Sigma SD14 digital SLR can capture all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel arranged in three layers, insuring the capture of full and complete color. Using three silicon-embedded layers of photo detectors, stacked to take advantage of silicon's ability to absorb red, green, and blue light at different respective depths, it efficiently reproduces color more accurately and offers sharper resolution pixel for pixel than any conventional image sensor.

Until now, all other image sensors have featured a just single layer of pixels and each pixel captures only one color of light, which has been filtered through a single color filter. Since mosaic-based conventional image sensors capture only one-third of the color, complicated computations are required to interpolate the colors they miss. Interpolation leads to color errors, color artifacts, and a loss of image detail. Low-pass filters must then be used to reduce color artifacts. The use of low-pass filters adversely affect sharpness and resolution of the final image captured.

In-camera JPEG mode offers added convenience
The Sigma SD14 incorporates both RAW and JPEG image recording formats enabling photographers to capture the highest possible picture definition and small file sizes. JPEG recording, also built into the SD14, can be used for the following printing sizes:

• Super High (14.15 million pixels: 4608 x 3072 pixels) can be used for 297 x 420-millimeter/11.6 x 16.5-inch (A3) or larger prints.
• High (4.64 million pixels: 2640 x 1760 pixels) for 210 x 297-millimeter/8.2 x 11.6-inch (A4) printing.
• Medium (2.1 million pixels: 1776 x 1184 pixels) can be used for regular size printing.
• Low (1.03 million pixels: 1296 x 864 pixels) can be used for web-page and e-mail transmission.

There is a choice of three JPEG quality settings: Fine, Normal, and Basic.

Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 software is included with the SD14.

Versatile and easy to use Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 exclusive software, supplied with the SD14
The SD14 comes complete with Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 software, a RAW image developer that converts all RAW data quickly and easily. Adjustments can be made in three separate modes. The X3F Mode stores the original settings of the image at the point of capture. In the Auto Adjustment Mode, the software analyzes and automatically makes adjustments to the RAW data. The Custom Mode allows the photographer to make individual adjustments (exposure, contrast, shadow, highlight, saturation, sharpness, and fill-light, for example). The photographer can make subtle or dramatic changes easily and quickly by simply adjusting the slider controls within the software.

The X3F Mode stores the original settings of the image at point of capture. Photographers' personal modifications can be saved to the RAW, X3F file for future use.

Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 supports 8-bit TIFF, 16-bit TIFF, and JPEG file formats and also outputs images in sRGB, Apple RGB, Adobe RGB, and ColorMatch RGB color spaces. The default setting for output resolution is the same as the resolution selected when capturing the image on the camera (High, Medium, or Low). It is also possible to half (for sending via e-mails) or double (for high quality enlargements, maximum 18.58 million pixels: 5,280 x 3,520 pixels) the resolution when processing the image.

A dust protector prevents dust from entering and adhering to the image sensor.

Image Sensor Dust Protector
Most digital SLR cameras are vulnerable to dust entering the body, especially when the lens is removed for changing. Dust and dirt entering through the lens mount of a digital camera can be seriously detrimental to image quality. The dust protector of the Sigma SD14 prevents dust from entering and adhering to the image sensor. Even if dust adheres to the dust protector it will not have an adverse influence on image quality as the dust protector is located away from the image sensor and is therefore out of focus.

Large and bright pentaprism viewfinder
The SD14 is equipped with a newly developed pentaprism viewfinder, which has 98% coverage (vertical and horizontal) with 0.9x magnification, an 18mm eye point, and -3 to +1.5 dpt dioptric adjustment.

Large 2.5-inch LCD monitor
The SD14 camera features a new, large 2.5-inch 150,000-pixel resolution LCD monitor. The LCD monitor displays 100% of the image, allowing the photographer to easily and accurately confirm the image composition. It features playback options including single frame, thumbnail display (9 images), and three types of magnification (which is achieved by use of the 4-way controller). Shutter speed, aperture, and other settings can be seen by pressing the INFO button. The large menu interface makes reviewing images and navigating menu options easy.

Reliable and durable shutter
The durable focal plane shutter mechanism has life cycle of over 100,000 exposures. The shutter is ideally suited to the requirements of digital cameras. This new shutter dramatically reduces the amount of dust and dirt from the shutter mechanism. The photographer can enjoy taking pictures without worrying about dirt and dust adhering to the image sensor either from inside or outside the camera.

The new autofocus sensor features 5 focusing points (center, left, right, up, and down).

Fast and precise focusing with 5-point AF
The new autofocus sensor features 5 focusing points (center, left, right, up, and down) ensuring consistently fast and precise focusing. The AF metering features a cross type sensor in the center of the screen. Selecting the AF point can be done automatically or manually by photographer.

High speed continuous shooting
The SD14 features a continuous shooting speed of 3 frames per second. Continuous shooting can be accomplished in conjunction with the camera's predictive autofocus function when photographing fast-moving subjects. The camera's high-speed image processing circuits are capable of handling large data files generated by the high-resolution 14-megapixel sensor. The number of images that can be captured in continuous shooting mode is dependent upon the resolution setting; High: 6 frames; Medium: 12 frames; Low: 24 frames. These figures apply in either RAW or JPEG mode.

Built-in flash
The Sigma SD14 camera's built-in flash offers an angle of coverage of 17mm lens (equivalent to 28mm with 35mm full size) with a guide number of 11 (ISO 100). Built-in flash can be synchronized to a shutter speed up to 1/180 second. This built-in flash enables automatic S-TTL shooting, which allows simple, easy control of advanced photography techniques.

Easy to use multifunction interface
The new layout of control buttons insures quick identification of the desired functions and easy use of the multifunction interface in operating camera settings. Clearly marked buttons make it easy for the photographer to display and adjust the most important settings, namely ISO, resolution, JPEG quality and file type, and white balance on one screen, using one button. The top LCD panel incorporates a backlight, which enables the camera to be easily controlled in low light or dark conditions.

Mirror lock-up mechanism prevents camera shake
The mirror lock-up mechanism raises the mirror thus preventing vibration when the shutter is released. This prevents camera shake, and is especially effective for macro photography, using extremely long telephoto lenses, or in scientific work. Use of a remote controller (sold separately) or cable release (sold separately) also reduces the possibility of camera shake.

Three types of metering modes
The Sigma SD14 is equipped with three types of metering mode: 8-segment Evaluative Metering, Center Area Metering, and Center Weighted Average Metering. This enables the photographer to select the metering mode depending on subject and situation. Exposure compensation function allows the photographer to override the exposure value set by the camera's exposure meter.

The Auto Bracketing function allows the exposure to be adjusted by 1/3 EV increments up to +/-3 EV from the exposure automatically set by the camera. In situations where it is difficult to determine proper exposure, the auto bracketing function allows a sequence of pictures to be taken of the same subject at three different exposure levels; Appropriate Exposure, Under Exposure, and Over Exposure.

Power source
The Lithium-ion battery BP-21 (included with the camera) can shoot approximately 500 images on one full charge. It takes about 120 minutes to fully charge with battery charger BC-21 (also included). The optional power grip PG-21 has a vertical shutter release button and can hold two BP-21 batteries, supplying more than enough power for most shoots. The AC adapter SAC-21 (sold separately) enables the Sigma SD14 to obtain power from the main supply.

The top LCD panel
The top LCD panel allows the photographer to quickly and accurately confirm information such as resolution setting, metering mode, battery status, and the number of images that can be recorded on the CF card. It also incorporates an orange backlight, which enables the camera to be easily controlled in low light or dark conditions.

Optional accessories (not included--must be purchased separately)
The SD14 can be used with over 40 Sigma lenses such as ultra-wide, ultra-telephoto, macro, and fisheye. The EF-500 DG SUPER, EF-500 DG ST, and EM-140 DG flashguns offer fully automatic S-TTL flash dedication. Other accessories include the power grip (PG-21), cable release (CR-21), remote controller (RS-31), and AC adaptor (SAC-21). These accessories ensure that the SD14 system is both user-friendly and versatile.

What's in the box
Sigma SD14 digital SLR, Lithium-ion power battery BP-21, battery charger BC-21, USB cable, video cable, neck strap, eye cap, body cap, eyepiece cap, SIGMA Photo Pro 3.0 CD-rom, SD14 instruction manual.

Product Description

Capture the beauty of the world around you with the Sigma SD14 14 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera. The image sensor captures pure, rich light efficiently and gives the SD14 its high resolution and richly graduated tones. The mirror lock-up mechanism raises the mirror thus preventing vibration when the shutter is released. This prevents camera shake, and is especially effective for macro photography. FOVEON X3 Direct Image Sensor (CMOS) - 20.7mm x 13.8mm - approx. 7-12x larger than the image sensors used in ordinary compact digital cameras Lens Mount - SIGMA SA bayonet mount Compatible Lenses - SIGMA SA mount interchangeable lenses Angle of View - Equivalent to approx 1.7x the focal length of the lens for 35mm cameras Manual & Auto Focus Fast & precise focusing with 5-point AF Shutter Speed - 1/4000 - 30 sec. + bulb (up to 30 sec.) Image Sensor Dust Protector High speed continuous shooting at 3 frames per second 3 metering modes - 8-segment Evaluative Metering, Center Area Metering, Center Weighted Average Metering Built-in Flash Hot shoe (contact X synchronization at 1/180 sec. or less, with dedicated flash linking contact) Storage (Not included) - CompactFlash (Type I/II), Microdrive (FAT32 compatible) Recording Mode - Lossless compression RAW data (12-bit), JPEG ISO Sensitivity - Equivalent to ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 USB 2.0, Video Out (NTSC/PAL) Li-ion Battery BP-21, Battery Charger BC-21, Optional AC Adapter White Balance - Auto, Sunlight, Shade, Overcast, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom Exposure - Program AE (Program Shift is possible), Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual 144mm/5.7 W 107.3mm/4.2 H 80.5mm/2 D & 700g/24.7 oz (without batteries)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SD14 Was worth the wait., April 2, 2007

By 

Newlpost "Newlpost" (NJ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sigma SD14 14MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

The SD10 had problems. The battery charge system was just weird. The camera was not up to the hype when light was poor. But the images with good light were stunning. So it was with some angst, sustained by a delayed product release, that I opened my camera SD14. Very early on I knew I had a problem in that the camera hung... motion? But I got off some really spectacular images before sending it to NY repairs. They got it back quickly. I suspect something loose.

Well the images are simply wonderful. Just so you know, I have cameras at 5 & 6 times the price considered high end professional. I can get lots more pixels, but the color quality is not better.

The real test was low light. All the digital cameras fail in low light. So just a matter of how bad. OK, something is new here. This camera is far better in dim light than the SD10. When it starts to fail to low light the images become blotchy - like camoflage - rather than sandy as the GRGB cameras tend.

The SD14 X3F RAW images do well in Adobe's new Lightroom, and interestingly with the many controls for image modification in that program, there are none that set this camera aside (for punishment for being different).

The SD10 used a 1 GByte card but did not take larger. I tested the SD14 on 1 Gig (mechanical IBM type) and on 2 Gig, and 4 Gig, and 8 Gig CFII cards. Though, beware, some cards do badly with certain cameras across the board. So, I cannot say that ALL CFII's are OK. But I was able to find cards that worked a large range of memory capacity.

The camera saves images as RAW or JPEG. You can select two "color spaces", sRGB or AdobeRGB. I found that odd. Why not a 16 bit option? I suspect that is simply understood for RAW.

The booklet that comes with the camera may be the clearest such booklet of any camera. There were a few minor areas where referring the user to other sources seemed lazy(C1----v C2----v C3----v for camera strobes might be obvious to those who have these but ought to be explained to those who don't and maybe might want to).

Also the SD14 can shoot "tethered" - a huge fact that gets barely any mention other than an arrow pointing at the port. Those who do that, know, but maybe some need to learn how?

The camera body is nicely shaped, the controls are very logical, and shooting is easy.

There is something about the color. The SD10 drove me nuts because I had to charge batteries in shifts (they didn't all fit in the charger at once... grrrr). I almost dismissed this camera from that experience alone. The low light limits of the SD10 were also hard to take. But, that color. Seems even better in the SD14. It is not like other cameras. Just isn't. Very pleasing rich deep textural color.

So, down side? Well Sigma is not a magnet for lenses made by other manufacturers. So you will probably be a Sigma all the way person. But the Sigma lenses I used were quite good and cost way way less than other brands. There is a specific flash kind for the flash shoe. So, maybe your current flash might not work? The built-in flash, does what built in flashes do.

The SD14 battery system is quite nice. There is a built-in dust protector to assist lens swaps - very nice.

Want to do very high end photography with a wide array of lenses without going broke? Look at this model.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Isn't it about the picture?, September 10, 2007

By 

K. Wolff - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sigma SD14 14MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

I own this camera and it is true that it isn't the most elegant body on the planet, nor is it feature rich. It struggles at high ISO settings and its LCD display is sub-par. The fps speed is slow and it takes a long time to write to the CF card from the buffer. You are stuck with Sigma lenses and I can't say that the 14.1 MP rating is s true 14.1 MP. But at the end of the day, when used for what it is intended - to take pictures - it produces the most beautiful and stunningly real, film like, dynamic, true color results. If you want features and functionality but lower quality pictures, go ahead and buy another camera, one without a Foveon sensor. If your after the best digital pictures available, shoot with the different cameras and review the results in a blind test. Chances are you will be a Sigma owner like me. That is what I did and I chose the Sigma.

54 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The best 4.5 megapixel camera on earth!, December 5, 2007

By 

Brendan Getchel (Waterbury, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sigma SD14 14MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Electronics)

I've owned the SD9 and now the SD14. The only two lenses I own for the SD are the Sigma 150/EX Macro and the 10-20/EX zoom. I shoot predominately Canon (1Ds/2, 1D/2, 30D and assorted lenses) but have a soft spot for the Foveon X3 technology, which produces a "look" that is difficult to replicate using a non-X3 "CFA" sensor (the type used in all other dSLRs).

First, don't be caught up in the various hyperbolic statements by Foveon/Sigma marketing and X3 zealots. The SD14 is really a 4.5 (not 14) megapixel camera. Photographs are two-dimensional (flat) representations. An 8x10 photo is still 8x10 even when you stack three red, green, and blues ones on top of each other. The SD14 has "only" 4.5MP in an X/Y space, which is all that matters. It's *how* the SD14 captures each one of those pixels that gives it an advantage over cameras with similar resolution. When it comes to resolving detail, the SD14 is roughly equivalent to the current crop of 8-10MP digital SLRs, and due to the unique nature of how its sensor captures those details gives it an edge to some believers. I like to use the SD for macro and some landscape photography, but since my acquisition of the 16MP Canon 1Ds Mk2 the SD14 has gotten little use. The SD14 easily matches both of my 8MP 1D/2 and 30D for both genres of photography, and in some ways produces images more to my personal tastes, but the 1Ds is clearly superior (as it should be for an $8,000 camera body).

If you like the unique results the SD14 is capable of, and your style of photography does not require advanced features like fast shooting, a high-performance AF system, and some other features found in most competing brands then the SD may be just the thing for you. Since landscapes don't run around and most macro subjects don't either it is perfect for these tasks -- especially at its current low price around $800. However, if your photography style is mixed and you may just as frequently find yourself capturing quick, fleeting subjects, or you need a deep buffer with a fast frame rate (ie: a responsive camera) then the SD14 is definitely NOT the body for you. The autofocus (AF) system is generations behind those in even the low end of modern dSLRs such as the Nikon D80 or Canon 40D, and leagues behind the current crop of high performance offerings like the Canon 1D or Nikon D3 or D300 series.

In short, most 10MP cameras can and do offer more compelling features, etc with likewise similar image quality, but for a narrow set of parameters the Foveon-equipped SD14 brings a "uniqueness" to the image capture that no other camera can offer. If that is your primary criteria then I can recommend the SD14. Unfortunately, much of this advantage evaporates once the image is put to print.

So, thumbs up if you're a landscape or macrophile. Otherwise the average customer would be better served by most of the more capable brands' offerings.