HOW ABOUT HIGH ISO? VIDEO?
The high ISO settings on the DP2 go up to ISO 3200 and up to 1600 it is usable. Especially when shooting in black and white mode. Shooting B&W at higher ISO’s can give you that high speed film look. Here are a couple higher ISO shots with crop. Keep in mind these two images are at ISO 800 as the DP2’s highest ISO when shooting JPEG is 800. RAW is 3200. I shot these in JPEG.
So ISO 800 looks good. Probably a bit better than the D-Lux 4 at 800, but it should be as this is a larger sensor. I think it is a bit odd that you can not do ISO 1600 with JPEG. Hmmmm. Anyway, higher ISO is acceptable to me for a camera in this class.
The video? No comment. I feel if a camera like this does not at least have HD video capability then it should not have video at all. I would rather have NO video on the DP2 than the low res video it does offer. The new Oly EP1 at $799 has beautiful HD video capability with an HDMI port. The DP2 is NOT a camera for video lovers. Booooo on Sigma.
MY CONCLUSION: Sigma. Get it together! Make the camera a bit tougher, sleeker and improve the AF speed! This is not 1996! The sharp 2.8 lens is great and an improvement over the DP1 but I would love to see an even faster lens on this camera.
The DP2 left me a bit cold. I disliked the look, build, ergonomics, video and AF speed. I loved the image quality and the easy manual focus dial. But isn’t a camera all about the final image? If you think so then there is quite a bit to like about the DP2.
It is a camera that can and WILL give you amazing quality images when everything goes right. The files are rich, film like and I have yet to find a pocketable camera with better image quality. If you can live with slow and sometimes inaccurate AF, less than stellar build quality and the occasional hiccup (the DP2 froze up one me once in the two weeks I used it) then the DP2 could be the camera for you. It’s a trade off but it is a shame we can’t have both speed, build and the IQ.
As for the lens, it is world class and the sensor, while lower resolution that most, can really deliver the goods with its sharp and rich presentation. It is recommended for those looking for top quality results in the smallest package. I can’t wait to see what the DP3 brings. Also, keep in mind that it may take a week or two to get used to how the DP2 operates before you get the best out of it. The Sigma DP2 is NOT a point & shoot camera so you will not get point & shoot results! It is a photographers camera..correction, a patient photographers camera!
UPDATE: After a few days WITHOUT the DP2 I actually kind of miss it. I have been shooting the D-Lux 4 today and it is much faster, but the image quality (while terrific in its own way) is not in the same league as the DP2. Again, I stand by my statements! If using a slow camera does not bother you, the DP2 can really give you “best in class” image quality.
This camera kind of messed with me. I disliked its build, and its slow, sometimes inaccurate AF but I fell in love with its “soul”, which is its fabulous image quality. If I did not own my Leica M8 I probably would of bought a DP2 for myself.
If you do buy one, my suggestion would be to use manual focus when you can and shoot RAW. It can be a rewarding experience, much like my Leica M8. If you do get one, e-mail me and let me know how you like it!
If you want to buy this camera then I can HIGHLY recommend B&H photo.
Below you will see a few images I took while I had the Sigma DP2. Enjoy!
I THANK YOU!!
I thank you for reading my review and hope you enjoyed it. Running this free site costs me money, but my passion for for photography and gear has led me to create and share all of this info with fellow camera nuts. I work 7-10 hours a day on this site, as it consists of a lot more than writing these pages. When I am not writing, I am shooting with the lenses and cameras I write about, then going through the images and preparing them for the site. If you enjoy the site and find it useful, then you can help me to continue bringing these reviews and write-ups! How? Just click here to find out. Thanks!
Speaking of resolution, I do not understand how Sigma gets away with calling this a 14MP camera! I know they have been doing this ever since the “10MP” SD9 which was more like a 3-4 MP camera, and I know all about their “foveon” sensor technology. I also know there are Sigma fans who SWEAR by these “foveon” sensors, and with good reason. The color, depth and tones are superb! It’s just not really 14 mega-pixels! Others will disagree but to me, the resolution was not up there with my 10MP Leica M8.
With that said, to have this quality in such a small compact is a pretty cool. No other compact will deliver this quality. Here is a shot I took of some lazy smelly pigs. One is sleeping, one is smiling and sleeping and one is mooning the camera. You can click the image below for the full size “14 MP” out of camera image.
As you can see, the original shot which was converted from RAW using the software included with the DP2 is nicely detailed and smooth. Focus was on the middle smiling guy :)
When shooting with the DP2 here are the range of emotions I went through:
DAY 1 - Damn! Did they send me a DP1 by mistake??!?? Ummm. Nope, it’s a DP2. Damn, it looks and feels the same!
DAY 3 - Not so bad. It was growing on me. Starting to use manual focus.
DAY 5 - No longer noticed the cheap feel or build but started to appreciate this camera for what it was made for. Taking images.
DAY 7 - DAMN! Some shots with AF missed focus. What the hell?
DAY 9 - Hmmm. Battery life is pretty good and it even charges FAST compared to my M8 batteries.
DAY 11 - Wow, the tones I am getting are superb! Image quality beats my D-Lux 4 in all areas. High ISO is not bad at all!
DAY 13 - It has to go back but for a second I had a few thoughts...should i buy it? Hmmmm...that Olympus EP-1 is on its way so I better not.
DAY 14 - Packed up and sent back.
I have never shot with such a small compact camera that gave me such high image quality and it was nice. If only it was a “true” 14 megapixels, had faster and more reliable AF, and even better high ISO performance. It would then be a KILLER camera that I would buy for myself. A fast F2 lens like the D-Lux 4 would also be cool even though the 2.8 lens is superb and an improvement over the F4 lens in the DP1.
The DP2 sports a 24mm lens, equal to a 41mm on a full frame camera and has a maximum F2.8 aperture. The lens is superb for this type of camera. I love shooting with prime, non zoom lenses. Actually, I am NOT a fan of zooms at all so I applaud Sigma for making this lens such a high quality fixed focal length lens. It’s sharp, even at 2.8.
Shooting at 2.8, wide open, the lens will give you some great bokeh (background out of focus rendering).
The DP2 can give such great quality, especially if shooting RAW. Once you take the time to learn the camera and get serious with it, the images you can create will beat ANY other compact out there to date.
I mentioned in the first paragraph of this review that this camera has some flaws and the biggest one to me was the deal-breaker:
THE CAMERA IS TOO SLOW.
Its auto focus is slow and even makes the same grinding noise that the DP1 made. It almost sounds like the DP2 is being choked and it is coughing while trying to focus. Like it is a 98 year old man struggling to see and adjusting his glasses. Why does my D-Lux 4 focus so fast and this DP2 focus so slow? I was hoping for an improvement over the DP1 but it is only a slight improvement. Bummer.
If Sigma can continue to improve upon the DP series and get the AF up to speed, increase the resolution, beef up the build a bit and add an even faster lens then I am “in like flynn”. Until then I will enjoy the D-Lux 4 and Olympus EP-1 for my compact high quality needs.
BUT WAIT! If you are a fan of the foveon sensors and want the HIGHEST QUALITY files in a compact camera and do not care about speed or build then the DP2 is a GREAT CAMERA. I may sound like I am bashing it a bit but the fact is that it has outstanding image/file quality. When this DP2 was good, it was VERY good and I did like the image quality much better than the Leica D-Lux 4. Sort of like the difference between film and video.
The DP2 files are MUCH more richer and film like than the D-Lux 4 which produces a more “digital” looking file. Also, I found myself using manual focus quite a bit as it was easy to use and easy to implement by pushing the focus button until the MF letters appeared on the LCD. You then turn the MF dial on the back until you are in focus. Pretty simple and works great. If you work slow and pace yourself then the DP2 is not so bad. Just do not expect speedy operation of fast AF.
THE SIGMA DP2 DIGITAL CAMERA REVIEW
Friday, July 17, 2009
“Finally!!!” That is what I said when this little Sigma DP2 arrived via UPS. I have been wanting to try out this camera since it was launched but I had problems getting one as they were always out of stock! Due to the popularity of this little guy I have had quite a few e-mails asking me to check this camera out!
Well, the wonderful B&H Photo sent me one out for review (Thanks Isaac!) and I have been shooting with it for the past two weeks every day!! I have discovered this little cameras pros, cons and flat out flaws! YES, I said FLAWS! But hey, this is all personal opinion. I am no scientific camera review guru, just a real world photographer with a passion for great camera gear!
As for the DP2, read on if you want to find out how I liked it.
For Sigma fans, this camera was eagerly awaited. Many owned or passed on the previous version, the DP1. That little DP1 was a camera which had top class image quality in a small compact package. Basically, it was a first for a compact of this size to have a sensor with DSLR quality. The problem with the DP1 was that it was slow as molasses, the AF missed half of the time and the images had a greenish cast (at least on my DP1).
If you owned the DP1 and learned its weaknesses, and were VERY patient, then you could coax some superb images from it that rivaled most bulky DSLR’s! I owned a DP1 and to be completely honest I HATED IT. This is why I did not review it here as it would of been a blog post of me bitching and moaning about the problems I had with that camera.
I found the previous DP1 model VERY VERY VERY slow and when my wife shot with it during a vacation, only ten shots out of 100 were in focus. It was awful. We sold that camera after a few months as neither of us could get the thing to focus reliably. Low light? FORGET IT! So long DP1...
Fast forward a few months and HELLO SIGMA DP2! I just KNEW that Sigma had ironed out the issues with the DP1. I mean, they HAD to right? I was looking forward to seeing this new updated DP camera. My wife now owns a Leica D-Lux 4 which she LOVES. It has never failed her, always locks focus, and is super versatile. I wanted to see if the DP2 would be good enough to replace her D-Lux 4.
As for the features of the DP2, here is the lowdown direct from the B&H website:
• Foveon X3 Image Sensor
The 14 megapixel FOVEON X3 direct image sensor (2652 x 1768 x 3 layers), is the same as used in the Sigma SD14 digital SLR. The image sensor uses three silicon embedded layers of photo sensors, stacked to take advantage of silicon's ability to absorb red, green and blue light at different respective depths.
The camera is not REALLY 14MP. Actually, it is 1/3 that and the true res of the DP2 is more like 4.8MP.
• Fast Lens
A 24.2mm f/2.8 Sigma lens, with field of view equivalent to 41mm on a 35mm film camera, has been developed to maximize the image quality in conjunction with the full color capture image sensor, and the wide aperture of this lens allows users to get better shots in low light. There is also an optional lens hood available that includes a hood adapter designed to accept a 46mm lens filters.
The lens has been improved in the DP2! No more slow F4 like the DP1, this lens is sharp, contrasty and a faster F2.8. Superb job on this new addition!
• Sigma 'True II' Image Processor
Sigma's unique and powerful 'True II' (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) image processor is incorporated into the DP2, enabling it to handle the large image files produced by the 14 megapixel sensor and reproduce exceptional definition with image quality equal to professional digital SLR cameras and on a par with top quality film.
This is somewhat true as the sensor is of very good quality. When compared to my M8 and its 3+ year old sensor though, it falls a bit short with less dynamic range and not as much resolution. Still, for a compact camera, this is the best image quality I have seen to date.
• Versatile Focus System
The AF area of the DP2 is equipped with 9 focusing points, and it is possible to manually select the desired focusing point of the 9 available. The camera also provides Manual Focus for photographers who like to take more control or for use when autofocus or focus lock is not effective.
As with the DP1, the focus leaves a lot to be desired. A bit disappointed in the AF, though it is an improvement over the DP1.
• Accurate Color
The DP2 takes advantage of the image sensor's superior technology to capture accurate, full color image information.
Well, any digital camera today in this price range will give you good color. The DP2 takes it a step up and does actually provide a film like look in its colors. Very rich.
• Advanced Metering
The DP2 has three metering modes, Evaluative Metering, Center Weighted Average Metering and Spot Metering. It is also possible to select the exposure mode from Auto, Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE or Manual. Exposure compensation can be set in 1/3 stop increments from +3.0 to -3.0 stops and an auto bracketing function is also available.
The metering for me tended to err on the side of UNDER exposure but it was pretty accurate most of the time. No issues here.
• Movie Recording
The camera can record movies with QVGA resolution (320 x 240) at a fame rate of 30 fps, plus the digital zoom function can be used during movie shooting.
To me this is a JOKE!!! Where is the HD video? Almost every camera these days records in HD and the fantastic Olympus EP1 Digital PEN has gorgeous video! C’mon Sigma, give us the HD or none at all.
THE DP2 IN REAL WORLD SHOOTING AND USE
So now that you have seen the features of this camera, and my thoughts on some of them let me tell you about my 2 weeks with this little camera.
The build and styling of the DP2 is just about the same as the DP1. What does that mean? Well, for those who have never handled a DP1 the build is somewhat on the “cheap” side IMO. It is light, hollow feeling and sort of clunky in its build. The knobs do not inspire any confidence and the feel of the camera is just average. It is not up there with others in the $700 range. I prefer the feel of the Leica D-Lux 4, the Canon G10, and especially the newer $799 Olympus EP-1 digital PEN and by a large margin!!!
BUT a camera is not really about build quality is it? Sure, it is nice but it is not mandatory for a camera to be built like a freaking SHERMAN TANK! The real test of a good camera is its image quality and the DP2 has plenty.
Yes, this little guy is all about the image and the quality of that image. Some of the files I got out of this guy really blew me away. I can also say that the files this camera produced had some similarities to my M8 files. Of course the DP2 files are of a lower resolution (about half) and not quite as detailed and clean as the M8, but they are very “rich” in quality.
