Sigma Dp1

[Nordlys]

Anyone seen it sold in Thailand yet?

[The Vulcan]

I know that "hughden" has one of these. Maybe he bought it in Thailand.

Why not PM him and ask?

Good luck

[hughden]

Indeed he does, indeed I do!

I bought mine from a dealer in Hong Kong via eBay. Ordered at midnight on a Friday (I tend to buy stuff after a few beers, dangerous!). It was packed and picked up by a courier by 1000 on the Saturday and in my eager little hands on the Monday morning. A little bit of tax to pay, less than expected as the dealer had foolishly understated the price on the package (without even being asked to do so).

I read somewhere in this forum of a Power Buy exhibition in BKK where they had the DP1 on display but I have yet to see it in the shops. I asked in the Big Pro Camera shop in Pattaya and they had never heard of it.

Great little camera. Slow and clunky to use, but a Foveon sensor and a stunning lens provide fabulous images. I also bought a Voightlander viewfinder which is the same price as the Sigma but better build quality.

[Nordlys]

So how much did it end up costing you all in all (in approx Thai Baht)?

I don't mind clunky but being slow sounds like a big turn off for me. I know you have one of the fastest dSLR (1D Mk3). Do you find the slow speed to be tolerable for you, especially for a camera that is most likely designed for snap shot (photography least suited for a large camera like your 1D Mk3).

What's holding me from buying it (Although I haven't found a shop in LOS that sells it yet) is the fixed focal length of 28mm. I have 4 zoom lenses for my 5D and not one prime. I haven't used a fixed focal length prime in ages and I'm jut not so sure if I can get used to the limited versatility of the fixed prime. Did you find that to be something you could compromise for its small size but dSLR-like image quality?

BTW does it come with image stabilization feature?

And what does Voightlander viewfinder look like?

Edited June 8, 2008 by Nordlys

[Nordlys]

A nice aluminum made grip for DP1 available in U.S. (and Japan).

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1857

And a leather case available in Japan...

http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/00503711135/Sort.../ImageID=65917/

http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/00503711135/Sort.../ImageID=65793/

[astral]

I haven't used a fixed focal length prime in ages and I'm jut not so sure if I can get used to the limited versatility of the fixed prime.

You just have to move your body to fill the frame as you wish.

The TV remote produced couch potatoes, now we have become couch photographers.

What is the max F stop?

Primes usually have much wider apertures than one can dream of with a zoom

[Nordlys]

You just have to move your body to fill the frame as you wish.

The TV remote produced couch potatoes, now we have become couch photographers.

I thought you yourself just bought a new 70-200 zoom.

What is the max F stop?

Primes usually have much wider apertures than one can dream of with a zoom

F4, not so impressive for a prime lens.

I suppose they could have come up with a much faster lens. But then the idea was to make it as small and compact as most compact point & shoot and it won't be so compact with a F2.8 lens when it comes with a sensor that is APS-C size, same as most cropped sensor dSLR.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Nordlys

[astral]

I thought you yourself just bought a new 70-200 zoom.

Guilty as charged

Zooms do offer flexibility, but Canon does offer 200mm primes with F2.8 or even better F1.8 :sigh:

[Nordlys]

Zooms do offer flexibility, but Canon does offer 200mm primes with F2.8 or even better F1.8 :sigh:

Yes, but the size, weight and cost are no object with those lenses.

Just look at this link in dpreview.com for the size-by-sode comparison of DP1 size with dSLR and compact point & shoot (with 1/1.8 size sensor). DP1's size is only slightly larger than Ricoh GR digital, while it's sensor is almost as big as the Nikon D60 next to it.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sigmadp1/page3.asp

I guess that makes DP1 a very unique compact digital, and a well job done for Sigma.

[The Vulcan]

Zooms do offer flexibility, but Canon does offer 200mm primes with F2.8 or even better F1.8 :sigh:

Yes, but the size, weight and cost are no object with those lenses.

Just look at this link in dpreview.com for the size-by-sode comparison of DP1 size with dSLR and compact point & shoot (with 1/1.8 size sensor). DP1's size is only slightly larger than Ricoh GR digital, while it's sensor is almost as big as the Nikon D60 next to it.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sigmadp1/page3.asp

I guess that makes DP1 a very unique compact digital, and a well job done for Sigma.

DPReview just do not rate this camera! Take a look at their "conclusion" section - ABOVE AVERAGE.

Having said that the Foveon sensor likes exciting for the future.

I'm hoping the DP2 shows some improvements to the existing "cons" and then maybe...........!

As for fixed focal lenses I'm progressively moving back into this area. I have a full compliment of prime lenses which shamefully have been cast aside lately for the flexibility (laziness) of using zooms. The problem here is the tendency to shoot any and all subjects with the same zoom irrespective of whether it's actually the "correct" focal length to produce the required perspective. i.e. I frequently find myself shooting landscapes with my 17-40 just because it's fitted to the camera and yet I actually hate wide landscapes. I much prefer "long" landscapes and compressing the scene.

As Ansel Adams once said, the first rule in a good photograph is position. Zooms remove this.

I've recently spent a full week using only a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm - loved it. I had to move position, consider which lens would compliment the subject, consider framing, evaluate aperture and hyperfocal distance. And just to round it all off I elected manual exposure and manual focusing. Believe me, by the time I'd gone through all of this I was not inclined to take a few snaps as I have been doing. Result was a far greater ratio of "keeper" shots than has been of late.

Have you ever checked the accuracy of autofocus? It's amazing what we let the camera do!

Just my 2 bobs worth!

[Nordlys]

I'm hoping the DP2 shows some improvements to the existing "cons" and then maybe...........!

My thought too. Sigma president said the company will keep on working on improvements with DP1, in recent press interview in Japan on the occasion of acceptance of award DP1 received for Camera Grandprix 2008.

As for fixed focal lenses I'm progressively moving back into this area. I have a full compliment of prime lenses which shamefully have been cast aside lately for the flexibility (laziness) of using zooms. The problem here is the tendency to shoot any and all subjects with the same zoom irrespective of whether it's actually the "correct" focal length to produce the required perspective. i.e. I frequently find myself shooting landscapes with my 17-40 just because it's fitted to the camera and yet I actually hate wide landscapes. I much prefer "long" landscapes and compressing the scene.

As Ansel Adams once said, the first rule in a good photograph is position. Zooms remove this.

I've recently spent a full week using only a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm - loved it. I had to move position, consider which lens would compliment the subject, consider framing, evaluate aperture and hyperfocal distance. And just to round it all off I elected manual exposure and manual focusing. Believe me, by the time I'd gone through all of this I was not inclined to take a few snaps as I have been doing. Result was a far greater ratio of "keeper" shots than has been of late.

Have you ever checked the accuracy of autofocus? It's amazing what we let the camera do!

I fully concur with all you said. But with DP1 it's not so much that its lens is prime, it's also not interchangeable.

For all that reasoning you stated, I've once thought of buying Leica M8, a range finder camera that zoom lens (and AF) is of no use.

I've recently spent a full week using only a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm - loved it. I had to move position, consider which lens would compliment the subject, consider framing, evaluate aperture and hyperfocal distance.

Are we going to see the works from that field trip any time soon?

So they might be self-explanatory and hence convincing.

[hughden]

Current price out of HK seems to be around $960, plus the shipping costs of your choice. I paid about 1,300 baht tax. Check ebay.

I rather enjoy the complete change of pace compared to the 1D. You can speed things up considerably using manual focus, but most subjects I take with the DP-1 do not require a speedy response. What continues to blow me away is the colour and sharpness of the images. Going for a prime lens was, I expect, part of the compromise to maximise image performance.

The viewfinder has a black metal body which blends in with the camera very well; the similarly priced Sigma offering is plastic. Bought mine off the web from a specialist retailer in the USA. Sigma have announced a screw-on lens that will provide macro, that will be interesting to try.

I wanted a camera I could carry everywhere, and use in places where the 1D might attract too much attention; and which gave me images that were comparable to a DSLR. The DP1 does all of that for me. I would like image stabilisation and quicker auto-focus, DP2 perhaps!

[astral]

I've recently spent a full week using only a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm - loved it. I had to move position, consider which lens would compliment the subject, consider framing, evaluate aperture and hyperfocal distance. And just to round it all off I elected manual exposure and manual focusing. Believe me, by the time I'd gone through all of this I was not inclined to take a few snaps as I have been doing. Result was a far greater ratio of "keeper" shots than has been of late.

For many years my outfit was an OM4 with 24mm F2, 50mm F1.4 and 135mm F2.8

It was all very light and compact and produced excellent results

in almost any lighting conditions.

[Nordlys]

For all that reasoning you stated, I've once thought of buying Leica M8, a range finder camera that zoom lens (and AF) is of no use.

Was at Fotofile this afternoon.

They have a promotion for Leica M8 (black or silver), 175,000 Baht with 35, 50 (or 75?) or 90mm lens of your choice (but very compact, not-so-fast lens). Body usually sells for 165,000 Baht, 10,000 Baht for any of those lenses only if you buy it with M8 body.

But what a pain focusing with range finder camera, not to mention framing.

[The Vulcan]

For all that reasoning you stated, I've once thought of buying Leica M8, a range finder camera that zoom lens (and AF) is of no use.

Was at Fotofile this afternoon.

They have a promotion for Leica M8 (black or silver), 175,000 Baht with 35, 50 (or 75?) or 90mm lens of your choice (but very compact, not-so-fast lens). Body usually sells for 165,000 Baht, 10,000 Baht for any of those lenses only if you buy it with M8 body.

But what a pain focusing with range finder camera, not to mention framing.

I used an M6 for years - no problem when you get used to it. Manual focusing a little tricky to learn as you're not looking through the lens! Grid lines confusing at first - but again you get used to it.

THEN YOU SEE YOUR FIRST IMAGE!

That's what a Leica is all about.

Not sure about those "cheapo" lenses though.

[Nordlys]

Not sure about those "cheapo" lenses though.

They were all Leica Summicron lenses though.

I heard M3 was the most successful M series Leica.

BTW DP1 firmware update was announced (but I don't have a link in English)

Changes include addition of ISO50, among others.