Sigma DP1 Camera
by David Barth, written May 5, 2008
When it was introduced, this large-sensor, compact point-and-shoot camera cost $800.
Resolution:
Sony says the camera has 14.1MP, but by CIPA Effective Pixel rules, an industry standard, it actually has 4.7MP.
Popular Photograpy Magazine tests show the camera’s resolution at ISO 100 is 1810 lines, in line with what most
DSLRs, and far better than a typical 5MP camera.
Features:
Die-cast aluminum body.
9-zone, cross type autofocus system.
Manual metering and exposure controls.
Excellent image quality within the ISO range of 100 to 800.
ISO range is 100 to 800.
Low noise at ISO 800.
Lens is 16.6mm (28mm equivalent) f4.
2.5 inch LCD.
Pop-up flash, GN 20.
Storage media: SD and SDHC cards.
Storage format: RAW or JPEG.
Burst rate: up to 3 JPEGs at 3 fps.
Movies are captured at 320x240 pixel resolution.
Accessories:
Hot-shoe-mounted viewfinder, VF-11, is a $149 option, but the LCD provides more accurate framing.
Dedicated flash unit, EF-140DG S-TTL.
Negatives Issues:
Sluggish autofocusing.
No tracking capability.
Delay between shots.
No image stabilization.
No zoom (fixed focal length).
No weather/dust seals.
The sensor:
Most compact cameras use a small sensor that measures 7 to 9.5mm diagonally, and the pixels are
only 2 to 3 microns wide. They use a striped or Bayer-pattern RGB filter array to create a color image from
black-and-white sensitive pixels.
The DP1 Foveon X3 Direct Image sensor measures 24.9mm diagonally with pixels that are 7.8 microns
wide.