Sigma DP-1 Review
[Updated: Per Zoetmb, ClarityDC2, and others
The DP-1 has a sensor that is 20.7×13.8 mm. The Nikon DX format is 23.6×15.8mm making the DP1 76.6% of the DX area.
The DP-1 sensor is only 33.2% of FX. The DX is 43.3% of FX.
And the Leica M8 is 27×18mm or 30% larger than Nikon DX and 56.5% of FX.]
dpReview has put up a review of the Sigma DP1 camera which is basically a point and shoot with an APS-C (d300-sized) Foveon (non-Bayer) sensor.
Why is this cool? Because the P&S cameras that Nikon et al put out use a tiny chip with terrible high ISO performance and simply ok at best image quality. It’ll do for your grandma, but I’m not trusting anything I care about to it!
So Sigma decided that there’s a market (and I agree) for a higher-end P&S with a large SLR-style sensor that also allows manual control over everything- basically, it’s what you’d use when you can’t use an SLR or just don’t want to carry one.
It’s also cool because there aren’t any others like it and lots of us have been after Nikon to make a ‘digital rangefinder’ that might be something like this. I don’t see a true rangefinder happening, but I’d buy the D300’s sensor in a camera body like this, even if focusing was slow!
Let’s hope Nikon eventually lets a few engineers work on it– how many Coolpix’s do we need?
This is the only camera store that NikonWatch trusts- never any hassle, gimmicks, or problems:
May 20th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I believe the Sigma DP1 actually has a 4/3 size sensor, not a APS-C size…..regardless, i agree…..A well thought out large sensor point and shoot definitely has a market…..but it needs a better lens….a prime just doesnt cut it…..maybe if it had a few interchangeable pancake lenses…..
May 21st, 2008 at 12:20 am
Right. The DP-1 has a sensor that is 20.7×13.8 mm. The Nikon DX format is 23.6×15.8mm making the DP1 76.6% of the DX area.
The DP-1 sensor is only 33.2% of FX. The DX is 43.3% of FX.
And the Leica M8 is 27×18mm or 30% larger than Nikon DX and 56.5% of FX.
And sure..a DP1 type camera from Nikon with a decent, but physically small zoom and a DX sensor - I’d probably go for it if the image quality was as good as a D70 or better. I get tired dragging around my camera bag.