Sigma SD9 photos not impressive!!!

[Andrew Chiciak]

I brought these images into Photoshop and am very impressed with the absolute filmlike quality and sharpness...there is no pixelization, even at 200%. I have a d60 and I would say these images hold together better than the ones from the D60...they didn't even need unsharp masking..although just a little makes them even more impressive. Whatever noise there is looks just like good film grain...no artifacts! The rendering of the leaves is the best I've seen from a digicam...even the D60 tends to make leaves look fake.

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

--
Andy C

 

[millad]

I know there's no TIFF file for the apple, but am I missing something? The noise in the apple shot is terrible!

I must be missing something...

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

 

[BryanS]

I know there's no TIFF file for the apple, but am I missing
something? The noise in the apple shot is terrible!

That was shot at ISO 400, roughly what I'd expect in terms of noise.

I must be missing something...

All of you who are expressing that you're unimpressed must be missing something. These are astounding images that don't look digital at all, and rival what we can get with film. Looks like Sigma may have a winner after all.

--
BryanS

 

[Carlos Echenique]

I'll wait until the
price is no more than $2000 before I'll consider buying a digital
SLR. It could very well turn out to be a Sigma, doesn't it?

Probably. I just checked pricing at Ritzcamera.com:

SD-9 Body: $1,799 US
24-70mm 2.8 EX Lens: $329 US

That list and prettyclose to your $2000 watershed mark.
--
Carlos

 

[don miller]

They look terrific. Look at the leaves on the tree.

 

[Ladehaug]

Ok. I just compared the prices for a few cameras, and found that prices are at least 40% higher in Norway. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the same difference will show up with the Sigma as well.

Anyway, I have no plans (nor do I have the money) to buy a digital SLR in the nearest future, so I'll stick with my S40 for another year or two (I've had it since april this year).

I'll wait until the
price is no more than $2000 before I'll consider buying a digital
SLR. It could very well turn out to be a Sigma, doesn't it?

Probably. I just checked pricing at Ritzcamera.com:

SD-9 Body: $1,799 US
24-70mm 2.8 EX Lens: $329 US

That list and prettyclose to your $2000 watershed mark.
--
Carlos

 

[Chuck A]

They look terrific. Look at the leaves on the tree.

I have to go along here. I am really impressed with these images. And with no post processing in flat light. Imagine some professionally done photos. I can't wait to see them.

I won't buy it though. I don't want to be forced to buy only sigma lenses. Some of them are good but not very many. Plus, I rely on buying used to maximize my investment. I doubt that you will see many used Sigma mount lenses on Ebay.

I think that it was a big mistake for Sigma to use it's own lenses for this camera. It will limit their sales much more than choosing an established line. Who in their right mind is going to sell their Nikon or Canon system to go to Sigma.

We will have to wait and see the ultimate quality and useability of this camera. But, with the new crop os 11-14mp cameras I am afraid that this one will become a passing marvel that came out too late.

--
Thanks & God Bless,
Chuck

D30, Canon 24-85 USM, Sigma 24 f2.8, Sigma 70-200 f2.8 APO HSM, Sigma 2x APO teleconverter, BG-ED3 Battery Grip, 1 gig microdrive, 340 MB microdrive & accumulating.

 

[Joel41093]

I guess you do make a point. But I think that maybe the next version of the Foveon sensor may be really interesting. I would really like to see someone other than Sigma using this chip!

Thanks so much for the compliment Yatin, I'm glad you liked my images. I also enjoyed your galleries. I took a quick look and I will go back again to have a better look

--
Joel
http://www.pbase.com/joels/galleries
http://www.pbase.com/joels/my_favorites

'A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.'

 

[Yatin Chachad]

The sensor is great, the system is not impressive, at least not from those images.

They look terrific. Look at the leaves on the tree.

I have to go along here. I am really impressed with these images.
And with no post processing in flat light. Imagine some
professionally done photos. I can't wait to see them.

I won't buy it though. I don't want to be forced to buy only sigma
lenses. Some of them are good but not very many. Plus, I rely on
buying used to maximize my investment. I doubt that you will see
many used Sigma mount lenses on Ebay.

I think that it was a big mistake for Sigma to use it's own lenses
for this camera. It will limit their sales much more than choosing
an established line. Who in their right mind is going to sell their
Nikon or Canon system to go to Sigma.

We will have to wait and see the ultimate quality and useability of
this camera. But, with the new crop os 11-14mp cameras I am afraid
that this one will become a passing marvel that came out too late.

--
Thanks & God Bless,
Chuck
D30, Canon 24-85 USM, Sigma 24 f2.8, Sigma 70-200 f2.8 APO HSM,
Sigma 2x APO teleconverter, BG-ED3 Battery Grip, 1 gig microdrive,
340 MB microdrive & accumulating.

--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

 

[Iain West]

The Sigma images seem to justify the hype about the Foveon sensor. They look good down to the last pixel. I don't think my Canon D30 output would be quite that well defined viewed at full size.

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

 

[Valliesto Bailey]

Those are what impressed me. The leaves look very undigital to my eye. SA mount kills it for me, but at least there is hope for the X3 or a similar technology in the future. Let's not kid ourselves, the X3 has passed a big hurdle here, but it still has a way to go yet.

That image also shows some noise issues also shows up in the shadows,
but in all, I think the images show great promise.

Steven

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

--
---
My really bad summer pictures:
http://www.pbase.com/snoyes/summer_travels

--
Valliesto
'A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five
minutes longer.'

• R.W. Emerson

 

[GjB]

The images are outstanding (from a 3MP, hard to believe).

I too would have a problem with locking into a Sigma system, if only for resale were I to want to change in the future. Sigma would really have a much more interesting offering in Nik or Can mount.

Equipment sig (just to show I like Sigma)
D30, 550EX, Sigma 24-70 f2.8 EX, Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX HSM

I suspect that Sigma will be marketing this camera at entry level DSLR buyers packaged with 2 Sigma zooms and Sigma flash. If the full kit price is right they will sell loads.

GB

 

[JD Cruz]

To catch up with Kodak and Canon. That would be really sweet.

 

[BryanS]

The Sigma images seem to justify the hype about the Foveon sensor.
They look good down to the last pixel. I don't think my Canon D30
output would be quite that well defined viewed at full size.

Then again, a D30 can be found for around $1200 and would have many more lenses available... along with perhaps better usability features and has been demonstrated to be reliable over time.

Though these images are nice, they're not all that different from what I'm getting from the D30 now. I'm just impressed, because I had pretty low expectations.

--
BryanS

 

[Andrey Tverdokhleb]

I don't understand this raving about Foveon. From first samples few months ago it was rather obvious, that this chip has narrow dynamic range and high noise level. These pictures look not bad, but if you shift middle slider in levels to the light end you'll see ugly noise in all dark areas. Also there is green/brown fringing on leaves and back of the yellow car. Also half of yellow car, which is outside of tree's shadow looks bad for me too. And this all in murky light! What you'll see in sunny day?
Sorry, pictures from D30 look a lot better.

Andrey

 

[vtrac]

I thought the sd9 pictures were more impressive than the 1Ds samples that I've seen.

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

--
Canon EOS D60
Canon 20-35, Canon 28-135IS, Canon 50 1.8, Canon 70-200 2.8LIS

http://www.pbase.com/vtrac/

 

[Yatin Chachad]

I don't understand this raving about Foveon. From first samples
few months ago it was rather obvious, that this chip has narrow
dynamic range and high noise level. These pictures look not bad,
but if you shift middle slider in levels to the light end you'll
see ugly noise in all dark areas. Also there is green/brown
fringing on leaves and back of the yellow car. Also half of yellow
car, which is outside of tree's shadow looks bad for me too. And
this all in murky light! What you'll see in sunny day?
Sorry, pictures from D30 look a lot better.

Andrey

--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

 

[dave nitsche]

Those images are straight out of a camera and you can't even give them credit? I think that is real unfair. I think those images are worse than Canon in some ways and better in others. Anyone who says Canon sharpness straight out of the camera is better than this is not using a D-30 or D-60. Canon (by design and by admission) are NOT sharp. It is built into the sensor that way so all the L glass in the world will NOT make up for sensor softness.

I don't know what the actual car color is (haven't seen it), what the girls complexion looks like (don't know her), or what the color of the box is suppose to be (never had 'em). So how in the heck does anyone know if they are acurate or not? No one here does so we can only ask are they pleasing and vibrant and I say yes on both accounts.

Might not want to admit it but there is now more competition in town. It's about time the consumers stopped getting ripped off by DLSR manufacturers.

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

--
Dave

http://www.pbase.com/davenit/fp

 

[Tom Allison]

All I know is that the 2 shots with leaves in them made me sh!t my pants!

 

[Yatin Chachad]

I went from Olympus to Nikon to Minolta to Canon over the past 17 years before I settled into Canon. Cameras are like suppliers, I'd switch if I found a better one. I am an Engineering Manager and material designer, and I know how not to be bullied and be stuck with one supplier.

Thanks for your input, however. it certainly brings a fresh perspective to this discussion.

I don't know what the actual car color is (haven't seen it), what
the girls complexion looks like (don't know her), or what the color
of the box is suppose to be (never had 'em). So how in the heck
does anyone know if they are acurate or not? No one here does so we
can only ask are they pleasing and vibrant and I say yes on both
accounts.

Might not want to admit it but there is now more competition in
town. It's about time the consumers stopped getting ripped off by
DLSR manufacturers.

I would point the finger on the Sigma lens and not the Foveon
sensor. My now lowly D30, Canon 50mm 1.8 combination produces
significantly superior images. That's why I hate to upgrade to
anything else.
--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace

--
Dave

http://www.pbase.com/davenit/fp

--
Sincerely,
Y. Chachad
Shoot The World
http://www.pbase.com/eastrace