Camera suggestions

SandyF wrote:

Thanks everyone for your kind replies. I have many older Sigma SA mount lenses going back to the days of my SD10/14/15. In general I seemed to switch to the DP then DPMerrill cameras as soon as they came out mainly for the growing # of pixels and resolution so important for landscapes. I'm a rock and tree counter LOL.

Analyzing what I miss most in the DPx cameras, it's an integral viewfinder! I hate composing from and on a screen. I've tried external viewfinders, sunlight blocking gadgets, used the vertical lines on the screen along the horizon etc without much success. Nothing beats holding a camera to the face.

I still process exclusively in SPP, shooting RAW+ JPEG to use the Jpegs for quick screening, then process selected RAWs. I've tried other cameras but usually then gave them away to family (including the heavy, large FF Canon). I just can't carry a huge cam and multiple lenses around these days. I tried a SD1 in Death Valley on one of our post PMA Sigma outings and found it heavy with big lenses. I don't think I'll go SD1. How much lighter or smaller is the SDQ or is it still a beast? I only enjoy processing in SPP. I'm still somewhat unclear about lenses for the SDQ. I want the option of at least one mid-zoom. That's the strike against the prime DPQs for me.

I'm still somewhat unclear on what lenses work on the SDQ. All SA mount? Correct? But then it's just a question of what auto focuses and is sharp?

Thanks, Sandy

I think you will find nothing auto-focuses reliably on the SD Quattro, but at least there is magnified view in the viewfinder AND on the screen, if you want to check focus. My experience with Sigma cameras and auto-focus has not been good (three different cameras and more than three lenses, including Art and Contemporary lenses. Since I generally manual focus my macro and long telephoto shots anyway, I found using the magnified view with my SD Quattro H to be a great way to focus. I generally use auto-focus with my big Nikon, but manual focus with my Sigmas.

To answer your quedtion about size, there is really no significant difference in size or weight between the SD1 Merrill and SD Quattro. Those little DP cameras are super, but unfortunately you're going to step up in size and weight, if you want a zoom lens.

Have you considered the new 28-70mm L mount lens, with the fp L (with optional viewfinder) at all? (That would probably be about the  smallest zoom set-up you could get, while maintaining good image quality.)