a multi-shot back.
Where the SD1 will truly excel is on-location documenta- tion. Forensic, macro, jewellery, smaller-scale archival images – a much lighter setup for a given task is hard to envisage. Current street price includ-
ing VAT is £5,499; the MSRP is £6,199. That’s a lot of money for any DSLR currently, it’s an astounding amount for an APS-C camera from a brand more closely associated with undercutting the competition. And the SD1 has no direct competition, if you are buying on technical ability. Unlike the 4.5Mp SD14 and SD15, the SD1 exists in a world of 12-18Mp competitors, competing head-on for spa- tial resolution and adding the benefits of coincident-pixel RGB capture. Sigma themselves have tried to align the SD1 with medium format systems; I think this blurs the true nature of the camera they have cre- ated, and pries open the lid of what should be a tightly sealed container of worms; Sigma’s “numbers punching above their weight” has been a destructive discussion since 10Mp became commonplace in Bayer cameras. Having used the SD1, and aspiring to improve my own skills in the most traditional sense (shooting with cameras like the Nikon D3S has made me a little complacent) I’ve chosen to stick with it. A lot of my existing gear has gone to give me access to a camera which on paper makes little sense, but in reality has few limitations for a serious photographer unless delving into what were once specialist skills.
Whilst many may point to the lack of HD video, or GPS, or HDMI, the most frustrating omission for most will be the lack of dual card slots. Although it uses CF cards, it uses only one. As an SD1 owner, rather than reviewer, what I miss are second-curtain sync (Canon and Pentax also lack a true trail- ing sync) and support in Adobe Camera Raw, which is a matter of time. Sigma’s provided Photo Pro 5 is limited in features, and struggles with the large files. It’s a tough call, investing in a body with a unique lens
The enlarged section of this full frame shows the quality at 150dpi, or a print measuring 54 x 80cm, a little over 20 x 30"
Below: removal of the infra-red filter visible here means you can shoot perfect IR black and white or colour images without modifying the camera, using front of lens filters.
tracking. The product you can buy now is not worth buying simply on a whim, but if you want to attract the discerning, the quality-driven clients this is a more manageable route than needing a 40Mp MF system for a 15Mp print.
mount (though a wide range of lenses is available, as every Sigma lens made comes with SA-mount option). Sigma have room to improve; when they do finally crack offering HD video on the bodies, the Foveon chip will deliver incredible qual- ity. It also continues a legacy
of pioneering technology like VPS (or “binning”). The SD1 is a massive improvement physically for Sigma, a genuinely high- quality camera, and facilities to handle live-view and video are built in. The AF sensor is a big improvement as well, with HSM lenses offering good subject
In the studio, with controlled light, the SD1 is capable of breathtaking results; in nature it’s a lightweight system that should create stunning land- scapes – surprisingly one of Sigma’s cheaper “staple” lenses, the 17-70mm ƒ/2.8-4 OS, gives brilliant results on this most unforgiving of sensors. Had Sigma met their original price estimates I have no doubt more people would be willing to try the SD1 on a whim. If your goal is to capture detail, to create the best large prints, then it’s worth serious consideration at any budget, particularly if you’re put off by the weight and speed of medium-format systems yet want the image quality they offer.
– Richard Kilpatrick
www.sigma-imaging-uk.com MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY 39 Á
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44