Man you must be hiding under the rock when you think you can make absolute fortune on a short term loans these days! Hahaha...
The fact is that many camera stores do not even offer sigma because they fear of high percentage of returns on low selling item.
This loan is to simply go around the dealers blockage with easy return policy and I guess it will cost sigma a lot of money in logistics - hence I don't think this deal will last too long. Soon you will hear, sorry we no longer accept the loan.

Best example of virtual buyer's virtual remorse I've ever seen...right?...eh?

Panoviews - before you spout on about how bad the software is - Actually try using it on SIGMA files. It does a very good job in rendering SIGMA files - it's not for retouching - you actually pay for those features on any format or platform. So pay for your lightroom - its worth it, and enjoy the Sigma Pro for sigma files. In fact don't go near a Sigma camera - its not for you, as you have no gear listed go and buy any other brand - and be happy or not.

Foveon-Sigma far the best pictures I ever seen from digital cameras.

you are impressed by that picture?

@Nick932
Maybe you forgot your glasses today.

I must admit that I'm very impressed with the DR! The hightlights!! Not to mention the sheer amount of detail.

How can't i be impressed with this image, almost to none aberration of any kind very good dynamic range, excelent color reproduction, excelent contrast and microcontrast, excelent pixel level resolution, get a d800e put at the same spot and a defy you that you will get a result like this, i can see every tile of every house. Sharp edge to edge.

@Marcelobtp
No offence but only a question was posed, you have not heard my opinion. Yourself criticism has turn this against to yourselves.

This is amusingly interesting.

Hey, Good luck.

Sorry nick, i don't have enough iq, neither understanding of the english language, to understand what you just wrote here.
By the the way, normaly, questions in english starts with verb to be.
Are you impressed by that picture?

@Just a Photographer -- this is just a nonsense. No vendor is admitting they sell an open box as a new one, it's illegal. They may admit making a 'mistake' but you can just easily return it. Also that 'regret' comment is just silly.

How come it does happen so often then?

Where do you think all those opened boxes go to?
Not back to the manufacturer, but back on the shelves waiting for a new customer.

Have seen it happening myself - not a silly remark, just a plain fact.

I guess it depends on the store. At least here in Switzerland the retailers are legally bound to state the device is a customer return when the box was opened, and if the gadget was used, they have to reset it to factory default. Thus, you regularly see some techGadget for a reduced price (in the average for 15%) yet they offer full warranty of course. Or they end as showcase model and are being sold later when a particular model is being superseded by a new one.

Now independent of return policies, I thought hearing about some manufacturers having a policy instructing the retailers that they *have* to send back customer returns, to ensure the quality - and image of their brand. Last thing a reputable manufacturer want is a customer complaint saying they got a non-brand new camera from a reputable store.

Anyhow, just my 2c worth.

The open/demo stuff usually does go back to the manufacturer. Retailers know it's tough to sell a "repack" (and rightly so). Some camera distributors are much easier to deal with regarding returned goods, while others prefer to antagonize the retailer.

Its because you aren't supposed to try a camera for 30 days and then return it... return policies aren't generally synonymous with loans. Unfortunately, camera nerds return and get the newest toy, so stores have to deal with that nonsense.

I have returned several items to Best Buy and I have seen them on the shelves as open box items.

Speaking from experience (in Australia), yes, the item usually gets resold.
Although it is only refunded on the condition that it is returned in a resellable condition. This includes the product and packaging and all contents.
I've only known personally of one manufacturer who would take back opened products for repackaging.
In the case of the wrong item being purchased and returned with torn etc packaging the item is resold at a cheaper price.
This may or may not be in accordance with the law. It's just what I've experienced when I used to work in retail.

TBH, I think most consumers do... If you think they do not consider esthetics when designing a camera to SELL to people than I have beachfront property in Arizona to sell you.

A little company called Apple has learned about the power of esthetic design.

Do you think Steve Jobs told his designers: "Who care what it looks like, its only a phone"?

Esthetics draws in the consumer, if the functionality can match the promise that the esthetics suggest than you have a winning product.

What's the reason to believe it will have much better image quality than the previous incarnations? We'll likely still see the same colors all over the place, the noise worse than from 1" sensors, and the battery dying in a matter of minutes. So far Foveon was able to show a better resolution per pixel, which is the least of people's concerns, but much worse in other more important areas. There are no reasons to believe this camera will be an exception.

http://diglloyd.com/blog/2014/20140628_1130-SigmaDP2Quattro-initial.html

Everyone who has tried it notices superior color, dynamic range and detail 's vs outgoing models. That's saying a lot.

@Thematic: "Everyone who has tried" -- who are those 'everyone'? There aren't any serious reviews available. Amazing how much faith people have in the absence of any factual information.

I think your assessment is incredibly unfair forpetessake, and a bit overly emotional. Ive owned the DP1, DP1 merrill and DP2 merrill, there are minor issues with reds in some situations, the battery doesn't die in a matter of minutes, i got about 80-100 shots per battery but regularly spending whole days with a DSLR, carrying spare batteries is no great shakes. The high ISO is poor but its the DNA thats important the merrills cover classic large/medium format focal lengths with the same ISO limitations and are very much a modern equivalent. To say the resolution per pixel is the least of peoples concerns is also very ignorant. The ONLY reason i used these cameras was ONLY because of the resolution. I have captured images with these (especially the merrill) that are jaw dropping and that i truly believe could not come from any other platform, no surprise that the big 2 are looking at equivalent tech. If you understand the limitations and your own requirements they are amazing cameras

Could not agree more with Matty-boy: forpetessake, AFTER you try and wonder at the amazing colours AND resolution the foveon sensor gives, you can say something...for YOUrself! Everyone i know that likes the Foveon sensor likes it PRECISELY BECAUSE OF what you dismissed, you know, NOT EVERYONE is interested only in high ISOS and 1000s of photos in 3hours! MANY still PREFER 50 TRUE PHOTOS to 1500 crappy pictures that are only good to fill your HD!

forpetessake: I actually have the camera since yesterday. It has better colors than the previous generation and it has twice the battery capacity (twice as big battery, that is) and you get an extra battery for free like before. High ISO is also steadily improving between generations, but I agree that there are better choices for use indoors at night. It's a great camera for what it is, though!

AngryCorgi:

Right, but even in big US cities it's hard to walk into a camera store and say:

"I want to try the new Sigma camera, is there a display copy that I can put a card into to get some sample raws?"

In other words, big box retailers don't have Sigma cameras on display, and even the best photo stores in the US are slow to get sample Sigmas for demonstration purposes.

I imagine this point also applies to Europe, the UK and Asia.

So this is a very good way of spreading sample cameras and images around to those interested in Foveon sensors.