Review: One month with the Sigma SD Quattro

mkowalski21 wrote:

jrdigitalart wrote:

You might want to go to your bathroom, look in the mirror and witness (at least part) of your problem regarding shooting with your Sigma camera in a studio with strobes.

With a Nikon or other traditional DSLR you can manually focus in near pitch dark lighting through the viewfinder in a second. But thanks, I'll go look in the mirror.

relax. you both have a point.

1st we all could do better and learning to deal with a specific camera - as if it would be our only one - would help to be in control even under tricky conditions.

2nd focussing through the lens on a OVF has to be better (unless your sensor has high iso capabilities like a sony 7s). This is a limitation for the Sigmas, no one denies this.

But unless you figure out a way to focus (eg. have a spot on the subject and swith it on briefly), you will have a hard time, no doubt. I have problems focussing with my DP2M and especially with DP3M, but slowing down (both the lens! and my shooting style) I usually get the depth of field that I intended to have. And in my opinion, the pictures are well worth it. I just love my small wonderboxes!

I have always been curious towards the Faveon Sensor technology which isn't easy to find in Canada, but have also been surprised that Sigma is the only camera using this sensor - why wouldn't they share it or why wouldn't other manufacturers add it to their models.

Carlos Taylhardat wrote:

I have always been curious towards the Faveon Sensor technology which isn't easy to find in Canada, but have also been surprised that Sigma is the only camera using this sensor - why wouldn't they share it or why wouldn't other manufacturers add it to their models.

Mainly I think because of the limited ISO range, which is like that of colour film rather than recent digital sensors.

No problem for those who have long experience of film, but not good for those who want to shoot sports or active kids.

This myth always frustrates me, that you can't shoot kids or sports with the quattros.  Sure you _can_, it's just harder and requires a bit of skill (and burst mode).  As in:

Kids with sports?

Is swimming a sport?

How about being on a swing?

What about biking?

Yes, shooting with my om-d em-1 in any kind of low-light conditions makes things much easier, or if I want to use a 75mm lens.  But shooting kids/sports is not impossible when you're in the conditions where the sigma cameras work.

mmr wrote:

This myth always frustrates me, that you can't shoot kids or sports with the quattros. Sure you _can_, it's just harder and requires a bit of skill (and burst mode). As in:

Kids with sports?

Is swimming a sport?

How about being on a swing?

What about biking?

Yes, shooting with my om-d em-1 in any kind of low-light conditions makes things much easier, or if I want to use a 75mm lens. But shooting kids/sports is not impossible when you're in the conditions where the sigma cameras work.

I didn't mean that it was impossible. People shot pictures like this on film. But it isn't easy and foolproof.

"When you're in the conditions where the sigma cameras work.". People often want to photograph kids in other conditions. The sun isn't always shining.

Oh, no doubt.  Don't get me wrong, I've had my share of frustrations shooting like this with the sigmas.  I just dislike the idea that because it's hard to shoot kids in the dark, that it's impossible to shoot kids or sports period.

I'll shoot some 500 shots of a basketball game with the olympus, and end up with only about 20-30 keepers.  I just can't shoot at that level of frequency, with a high enough iso, at the focal length that makes the shots interesting-- for that use case, sigma clearly falls flat.

I've got some beautiful images, some with my kids, taken with my SD10. People make it sound so difficult. I'm not sure why. It's almost like someone wants it to be difficult. You hold the camera still and do your best. It doesn't always work out. But nothing works all the time. On the other hand, lots of cameras give you mediocre shots every time you use them. I'm not so sure that's a better outcome, over-all.

mmr wrote:

Oh, no doubt. Don't get me wrong, I've had my share of frustrations shooting like this with the sigmas. I just dislike the idea that because it's hard to shoot kids in the dark, that it's impossible to shoot kids or sports period.

I'll shoot some 500 shots of a basketball game with the olympus, and end up with only about 20-30 keepers. I just can't shoot at that level of frequency, with a high enough iso, at the focal length that makes the shots interesting-- for that use case, sigma clearly falls flat.

Indoor sports like basketball are a niche in the niche of sports photography.

The flickering of the fluorescent tubes wreak havoc if you shoot at shutter times like 1/250. Some are light, others are dark and it is a pain to shoot.

The newer camera's with anti-flicker option surpass this problem, highly recommended.