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I can’t see what’s wrong with this DP1

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Hardy Steiner

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I can’t see what’s wrong with this DP1 ...

I finally bought one DP1. Not really because I wanted, but because my SD14 had to go for repair to Japan and I didn’t want to be 8 weeks without a camera.

After reading so many bad reviews about it, I was never really considering it and then now, I bought it because I didn’t want to go for another SD14 that then, once my other cam is back, would sit around and get dusty.

So let me tell you about my DP1: When I opened the packaging and hold it in my hand, there was a certain WOW factor that I definitely never experienced, when I was trying it out on a Sigma stand or so. I put the viewfinder on and started playing around a bit.

Now, I might not be the person that has to shoot 30 frames per second and I might have gone already down the Sigma route, which basically means slowing down and knowing what to do in post processing, but I kind of start liking this little cam. From my point of view, I didn’t find it slow, it is definitely on bar with the SD14, if not better.

Also quality wise it is a star. It feels very well made and I am happy that Sigma went with this minimalistic design (rather than the awkward first design or the silver buttons with the second one).

Unfortunately my high capacity sd card hasn’t arrived yet, so I have been only taking JPEGs with a 16MB SD card (which I had purchased a long long time ago). Anyway, judging from the JPEGs that I took so far in daylight, everything seems just as it should be.

I saw that the lens exhibits some flare when it is quite sunny, but I have a hood coming, which should help.
What would I really like to have?

Well, it would be awesome to have the aperture and shutter speed displayed in the viewfinder, so that I can work without the screen if necessary. That would be really really good.
My first pic (nothing really fancy):



--
Best regards,
Hardy
==================
My Blog - Latest Lens tests:
http://steinerphotography.blogspot.com
On Mostphots: http://www.mostphotos.com/Diddy
On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diddy
 
It's a well made, well handling and compact camera that shines with a great lens and even better IQ.

Enjoy it!

--
'We are only immortal for a limited time'
 
I think a lot of people including myself were pleasantly surprised by the DP1. The criticisms you read in reviews about slow performance etc are not nearly as bad as you are led to believe. When you see the image quality you can forgive any quirks the camera might have. Wait till you shoot RAW when you get your larger card and then process in SPP. The images will really come alive.
 
that's right... the 'problems' have been overstressed IMHO... the photos are excellent. Here's an auto white balance shot from Monday, auto white balance, quick snapshots on a breezy day, processed in SPP2.5 then heavily cropped in PSElements
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman/image/111086362/large



more of my mother's camelias, 80+ year old bushes, were a bit zapped by frost this year
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman/image/111086410



and
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman/image/111086509



all very cropped, shot looking up onto flowers..
Best regards, Sandy
[email protected]
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandyfleischmann
 
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for sharing your pics!

Is there something like a DP1 version of Yvind's SD14 compendium? That would be really useful.

I was curious how the reds would work out, so on my first day with the DP1 I did a test on this (sorry only with in camera JPEG, as my big memory card hasn't arrived yet).

I used -0.3 exposure compensation, although probabaly just a tiny bit more would have been perfect ... and see how it worked out: Looks quite realistic to me:



Large version here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diddy/3424364156/sizes/l/

So, I hope that my memory card arrives today so that I can do some more pics.

--
Best regards,
Hardy
==================
My Blog - Latest Lens tests:
http://steinerphotography.blogspot.com
On Mostphots: http://www.mostphotos.com/Diddy
On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diddy
 
Hardy Steiner said:
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for sharing your pics!
Is there something like a DP1 version of Yvind's SD14 compendium?
That would be really useful.
Click to expand...
solang put together some DP1 info... I'll try to find a link...
but as big generalities...
everything you know from the SD14 applies to using DP1 too... shoot RAW when you can, if the JPEG is okay, the RAW is usually splendid

you can always extract JPEGs from the RAW too, that's like shooting JPEG on-camera settings

but the DP1 is a lot sharper than any lens I have (careful, don't add much sharpening

you need to find out what white balance suits you, your subjects, and your regional light best. I'm finding that often auto white balance is very nice. Sunlight wb will be a bit more golden. Custom wb ... I usually don't bother... but it can be useful as a baseline white balance. My DP1 simply is less difficult about getting the color right than my SD14. also experiment with the metering options
Hardy Steiner said:
I was curious how the reds would work out, so on my first day with
the DP1 I did a test on this (sorry only with in camera JPEG, as my
big memory card hasn't arrived yet).
Click to expand...
Bright, bright shiny flowers, particularly reflecting tulips are difficult for me.... with all cameras. I put a recent tulip shot in my dp1 pbase gallery where these flowers are.. my non-Sigma DSLR was blowing out the tulips in the sun as badly as the DP1 ;-) ... So I shot tulips in shade..

When I reallly want to work over a tulip shot, I'll go into the red channel in PSElements and modify to taste.
Hardy Steiner said:
I used -0.3 exposure compensation, although probabaly just a tiny bit
more would have been perfect ... and see how it worked out.
Click to expand...
looks nice, I spot meter on the highlights on those bright, shiny flowers.
.....
Hardy Steiner said:
So, I hope that my memory card arrives today so that I can do some
more pics.
Click to expand...
You'll get sharper, cleaner edges & detail with RAW.
Best regards, Sandy
[email protected]
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandyfleischmann
 
Man, if you're impressed by the JPEGs out of the DP1, then wait until you see the RAW files! :) BTW, I would suggest you switch to RAW now even if you will only get one exposure on that 16MB card of yours. :)

Welcome to the DP1 club. I love mine!
  • Scott
--
http://www.lightriverphoto.com
 
SandyF said:
Hardy Steiner said:
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for sharing your pics!
Is there something like a DP1 version of Yvind's SD14 compendium?
That would be really useful.
Click to expand...
solang put together some DP1 info... I'll try to find a link...
Click to expand...
solsang (not solang) sorry for typo
here's the link in signature on this post
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1027&message=31486764

Best regards, Sandy
[email protected]
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandyfleischmann
 
Hardy Steiner said:
Thanks a lot Sandy! Yes, the lens seems to be really good. I looked
at the MTF chart yesterday and was quite surprised ... this is so
much better than i.e. the 20mm 1.8 EX lens.
I really miss though not seeing the aperture and shutter speed info
in the viewfinder.
Click to expand...
I just bought the viewfinder last month.. I've used the DP1 for a year without one.
On the plus side, it's easier to use the DP1 with viewfinder in the bright sun.

On the negative side for me with the viewfinder is that I use auto focus 99% of the time, and with the viewfinder, I cannot be sure exactly what the DP1 is focusing on if I'm just looking through the viewfinder...

So sometimes I'll get focus while viewing on the LCD screen... then I'll hold that focus point at half presss of shutter... then I'll reframe looking through the viewfinder.

That's exactly what I did with the camelia flowers to be sure I was focused on the flower not the background! Easy enough to focus on the pink flower on the LCD screen, but then I reframed with the viewfinder. I ended up cropping so much the framing really didn't matter anyway.

The viewfinder isn't 'live' so it cannot display info.... just attached to the hotshoe.

Another good point: be sure you have the current firmware. It allows you to set two options for quick set. I have metering mode on the left tab/button and ISO on the right tab/button. You can chose what you wish.. maybe white balance instead of metering mode for example? With these quick-set options, you'll rarely need to dig around in menu for the settings you use most.

Also SPP2.5 for PC is the best SPP version for PC.
Best regards, Sandy
[email protected]
http://www.pbase.com/sandyfleischman
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandyfleischmann

Best regards, Sandy
 
Hardy,

Your experience with the DP1 sounds a little like mine with the SD9 and later 14. I had no Canon/Nikon/Oly etc. "expectations". I bought the SDs because I wanted a DSLR and had expectations of the Foveon imaging. I found the (allegedly) ergonomically and feature challenged SD bodies like toys for a kid on Christmas. Still haven't used everything, most pictures are pleasing to me and to those locally and some via internet who view them, cameras have ergonomics and features to please me.

I guess I have to be reeducated to dislike them?

Kind regards,
--
Ed_S
http://www.pbase.com/ecsquires
 
Hardy Steiner said:
Hi Ed,
Yes, I really think that the DP1 really got to much unjustified
negative press. Obviously there are some points that might not appeal
to everyone, but overall, so far for me, it has been a surprise! In
the end it comes down to this: Don't trust reviews, try it for
yourself!
--
Best regards,
Hardy
==================
My Blog - Latest Lens tests:
http://steinerphotography.blogspot.com
On Mostphots: http://www.mostphotos.com/Diddy
On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diddy
Click to expand...
Hardy,

Your final point may be one of the principle reasons why the death of B&M stores in most areas is as big a setback as the reduced prices from internet sales are a boon. Lack of hands on experience elevates (unfairly IMHO) the print and internet opinions and brand biases against trying the unfamiliar. Hurts both the innovator and the discriminating consumer, I think.

Have fun!
--
Ed_S
http://www.pbase.com/ecsquires
 
From the time of the SD9 we have had people coming on this site to point out the “defects” of the Foveon/Sigma cameras. Since the Foveon sensors are very sensitive to even the most minute changes in color WB will always be somewhat more touchy than on CFA (a.k.a.Bayer) sensors and you get the color that is there, not what you expect (the debates over skin color were a good example of people forgetting that no two people actually have the same skin tones---and indeed some have color shifts across their faces). So it is easy to complain that the camera colors are wrong. There are color casts that have shown up on these cameras, and if you want P&S (or what Laurence calls Point and Pray) simplicity and cannot take the time to correct them when they occur than it is easy to say the camera is a disaster. (Incidentally both WB and the color cast problem is much less now than in the early days—like Sandy I rarely bother to use CWB with the DP1, though Nancy and I do so with the SD14.

If you are use to machine gun speed (and many people now are), again it is easy to trash these cameras as well. Only once did I lose a shot because the camera was too slow, and that was a fast changing light situation and I am not sure even the fastest camera could have kept up with the changing light well enough to get the shot I wanted to get.

Nothing is perfect. There are two approaches to a camera or any other tool. Look at what it makes possible and if it allows you to do something no competing tool does, then get it. Or look for what it cannot do and complain about it rather than seeing if you can work around the problem to get what you want.

The only thing about the DP! I found a problem was working with the LCD in strong sunlight. The OVF helped a lot, but then I found the Hoodman Hoodloupe which worked even better.

http://www.pbase.com/sigmadslr/image/97860109

Problem solved, though one person said I looked odd using it. I look odd in the best of times and I am more interested in what the camera lets me get than how I look getting it. (and in those cases where I want to be unobtrusive I can use the OVF).

I want the best IQ possible and I like the IQ I get from Foveon/Sigma cameras. I have no objections to people who want something else and do not even object to their complaints as long as they do not scare off people who would appreciate what these cameras can do.

Here is a gallery of some of the shots I have gotten with the DP1.

http://www.pbase.com/pspader/dp1

I hope you continue to enjoy what the DP1 can give you.

Pete
 
Peter,

Good commentary. That's the kind of question I was trying to pose in my quirky thread on what to call the kind of photography which "requires" this nimbleness to borrow a term. Is a fast, responsive camera a bad thing? Of course not. But would Adams or Porter or Feininger today be captivated by FPS and uniform color rendering in any light? I wonder? As I infer from your comments, is it a matter of need or conditioning? There were those in the film era who would shoot tens or hundreds of images of a setting for one or a few best shots. They were considered great photogs in their day. But did they put the same effort to getting the image "in camera" which their large format and other more methodical shooters invested in relatively fewer exposures - often followed by considerable post-processing to get the great image?

Hmmm?

Regards,
--
Ed_S
http://www.pbase.com/ecsquires
 
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