The SIGMA DP1 is the most fun $28 ever bought me.

[Lobbamobba]

They cost almost nothing, are kinda slow to start up and the resolution isn't very crop worthy.

But the images are absolutely great.
The colors are breath taking. I hate using the term but in this case I must, its film like.
It seems to me that most cameras of that era focused on replacing film. And Sigma dis just as good of a job as Leica imo.

Another reason to love it is its size in combination with the best manual focus controls of any compact camera I know. The thumb wheel with distance markings makes it perfect for the streets.

Ive also made a video review with lots of samples:

 

[Scottelly]

GREAT video! VERY impressive!

Thank you for posting.

 

[MrImprovement]

Great video - and I loved that you cropped some to square format!

 

[rick decker]

Very nice video. The 1S cleans up the lag and inability to change anything until the camera is completely done with the last shot. I doubt you will find it for 28 or even 280!

Yes I and others loved the old manual dial for focusing. performance is way better than the Merrill line.

Lots of fans of this line

 

[ToasterFlyer]

Great video

 

[allineedislight]

Excellent video! Reminds me to get my DP2s out again

PS: are you working on a review of the SD Quattro? that would be great! Since you have one on sitting on the table in your X70 vs GR video (open link in new window, or go to 11min 23 sec):

 

[Lobbamobba]

Yeah the DP1s could be interesting. There was three of them for sale on eBay at the same time as my DP1. All of them went sub €100.
I have since bought the DP2 and thats definitely fast enough at start up.

(also got the SD Quattro... hooked.. )

 

[Lobbamobba]

I sure am
My Instagram will have plenty of SDQ pics since I use it constantly.
(will also review the DP2 )

 

[target5]

Excellent video, I use my DP2s and DP2 regularly. ;-)

 

[allineedislight]

I sure am
My Instagram will have plenty of SDQ pics since I use it constantly.
(will also review the DP2 )

Look forward to both reviews!

Which DP2 will you be reviewing? Quattro, Merrill, or Classic?

 

[Gesture]

Wonderful video and commentary. You capture the spirit of photography.

 

[Winterfrost]

Very nice video. The 1S cleans up the lag and inability to change anything until the camera is completely done with the last shot. I doubt you will find it for 28 or even 280!

Yes I and others loved the old manual dial for focusing. performance is way better than the Merrill line.

Lots of fans of this line

 

[allineedislight]

well, the classic dp series obviously can't compete in terms of resolution with the Merrill and Quattro, but they are still my personal favourite in terms of color signature.

The DP2 classic renders skin tone very nicely, something that cannot be said from the Dp2 Merrill (in my opinion). The DP2 quattro is again different, but in terms of skin tone I prefer the Dp2 classic.

 

[Winterfrost]

well, the classic dp series obviously can't compete in terms of resolution with the Merrill and Quattro, but they are still my personal favourite in terms of color signature.

The DP2 classic renders skin tone very nicely, something that cannot be said from the Dp2 Merrill (in my opinion). The DP2 quattro is again different, but in terms of skin tone I prefer the Dp2 classic.

well, i don't shoot people for 99%, so i don't care about the skin tones, my work is mostly b&w, too. Everybody does have it's own taste.

 

[Lobbamobba]

but they can *never* beat the DP Merrill or any other more advanced DP Series, period.

Depends on what it is you compare. In having a good control for manual focus I think the DP1, DP2, etc beats any compact camera Ive ever tried, including the Merril
But I get what you mean.

And that's just the thing. We are all different and are willing to make different sacrifices in our photography.
And we all have to make them. Because to my knowledge, a camera without several serious flaws doesn't exist

 

[SigmaChrome]

Very nice video. The 1S cleans up the lag and inability to change anything until the camera is completely done with the last shot. I doubt you will find it for 28 or even 280!

Yes I and others loved the old manual dial for focusing. performance is way better than the Merrill line.

Lots of fans of this line

Sorry, but is this a Joke? I do own the DP2 Merrill (46 MP), one can't compete the 5 MP very old DP1/DP1s/DP1x and DP2/DP2s/DP2x Series with the DP Merrill Series - they're worlds better into IQ terms! I do have both the DP1s, DP2s, and also the DP2 Merrill.

Wow, talk about selective reading. Rick was talking about the focusing wheel on the DP1 -- unless I'm losing my mind. It was an excellent manual focusing system for a compact camera and it's a pity Sigma dropped it.

The orginal DP Series with their roughly ~5 MP Resolution still delivering great pictures into the right Light, ISO 100 and right circumstances - but they can *never* beat the DP Merrill or any other more advanced DP Series, period.

Have Fun & good Light !

Marc

 

[Archiver]

well, the classic dp series obviously can't compete in terms of resolution with the Merrill and Quattro, but they are still my personal favourite in terms of color signature.

The DP2 classic renders skin tone very nicely, something that cannot be said from the Dp2 Merrill (in my opinion). The DP2 quattro is again different, but in terms of skin tone I prefer the Dp2 classic.

I vastly prefer the colour signatures of the original DP1 and DP2 to the DP2 Merrill. Early last year, I bought one of the remaining DP2M's in Australia because that window was almost closed, and I wanted what I hoped would be an updated DP camera. And in the last year and a half, I've been striving to like it, but ending up disappointed over and over.

Operationally, the DP2M is much better than the originals except for image review time. It takes much longer for the buffer to clear and switch to Play after taking a shot. But skin tones, particularly olive and Southeast Asian, are dreadfully brown and sallow. It's difficult to correct this in SPP, too. Colours just don't seem 'pleasant' in the way that the originals did, despite their strange colour shifts and tones. And if you want good examples of original DP2 skin tones, look no further than the promotional images from Sigma taken by Shinzo Fukui aka Gris.

http://www.sigma-dp.com/DP2/sample-photo/index.html

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www.sigma-dp.com

DP2M images lack the translucency of the originals, not sure how else to describe it. There's something quite delicate about the way the originals handle detail, highlights and shadows, whereas the DP2M seems much more harsh and 'bitty'.

The Sigma DP1 is the camera which supplanted my desire to use film. It gave me images much closer to film than any of the others I had, including Canon DSLR's. I still use it now, and am thinking about getting a spare or two so that I'll be able to continue to enjoy this unique colour palette and look for a long time.

 

[Fromveur]

well, the classic dp series obviously can't compete in terms of resolution with the Merrill and Quattro, but they are still my personal favourite in terms of color signature.

The DP2 classic renders skin tone very nicely, something that cannot be said from the Dp2 Merrill (in my opinion). The DP2 quattro is again different, but in terms of skin tone I prefer the Dp2 classic.

I vastly prefer the colour signatures of the original DP1 and DP2 to the DP2 Merrill. Early last year, I bought one of the remaining DP2M's in Australia because that window was almost closed, and I wanted what I hoped would be an updated DP camera. And in the last year and a half, I've been striving to like it, but ending up disappointed over and over.

...

--
Archiver - Loving Every Image Captured Always
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archiver/

May I ask you if, according to you, a DP1s or a DP1x has the same 'colour signature' as the original DP1...? I'm under the impression that they share the same sensor, but I'm not sure, and the sensor is not everything... Moreover, to make things even more unclear in my mind, I'm confused by the analog front-end (AFE) - I don't know for sure when it was introduced, and this can surely deeply change things, even with the same sensor.

I greatly appreciate any hint you could provide.

 

[xpatUSA]

well, the classic dp series obviously can't compete in terms of resolution with the Merrill and Quattro, but they are still my personal favourite in terms of color signature.

The DP2 classic renders skin tone very nicely, something that cannot be said from the Dp2 Merrill (in my opinion). The DP2 quattro is again different, but in terms of skin tone I prefer the Dp2 classic.

I vastly prefer the colour signatures of the original DP1 and DP2 to the DP2 Merrill. Early last year, I bought one of the remaining DP2M's in Australia because that window was almost closed, and I wanted what I hoped would be an updated DP camera. And in the last year and a half, I've been striving to like it, but ending up disappointed over and over.

May I ask you if, according to you, a DP1s or a DP1x has the same 'colour signature' as the original DP1...?

"Color signature" is a phrase that can mean almost anything, as can any answer you may get to your question. ;-)

I'm under the impression that they share the same sensor, but I'm not sure, and the sensor is not everything

Yes, they share the same sensor.

... Moreover, to make things even more unclear in my mind, I'm confused by the analog front-end (AFE) - I don't know for sure when it was introduced, and this can surely deeply change things, even with the same sensor.

The DP1x and DP2x have AFEs. Also SD15 and all Quattros.

When an AFE is used, there is a Programmable Gain Amplifier between the sensor output and the ADC input. Changing ISO changes the gain, more for higher. The ADC output is therefore the same (more or less) for any ISO setting, all other things being equal.

When an AFE is not used, there is no amplification change between the sensor output and the ADC input. Instead, the ISO setting itself is sent to SPP which does the multiplication digitally during conversion. The ADC output therefore reduces as the ISO setting is increased.

The former is unpopular because the ADC output can easily get clipped even at higher ISO.

The latter is preferred by those who like to play it safe with more 'headroom' by shooting at 200+ ISO.

--
"What we've got hyah is Failyah to Communicate": 'Cool Hand Luke' 1967.

 

[Lobbamobba]

I sure am
My Instagram will have plenty of SDQ pics since I use it constantly.
(will also review the DP2 )

Look forward to both reviews!

Which DP2 will you be reviewing? Quattro, Merrill, or Classic?

Classic