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Sigma DP2 Merrill shots

Kyndel

Member
Hello all

This is my first post. Landed here due to interest in Sigma DP2 Merrill, and I promise that my interest has not diminished, so I just ordered it along with hood and viewfinder, but unfortunately it is not in stock, so I have to wait in suspense.

There is an incredibly friendly communication here on this website - it can not be appreciated enough.

And there have been some very good input, not least the thread starter, but also others, thank you for that.

I have read all the posts, every single post, I think - it took me the last 2 days - 26 pages, about 1200 posts !!-;)

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I shoot otherwise the D3x, D7000 and Olympus E-M5 with particular Olympus 75mm f/1.8 (fantastic lens) + IR converted D40, but some might suggest that these cameras are a little on the shelf when I get the new baby, at least as regards landscapes and cityscapes.

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One thing that has not been discussed is the use of flash (unless I have overlooked it ? ) ?

I hope I can use my Nikon flashes (SB 900+800+600 + 400) In manual mode in both the camera as in the flash (I do not think they can be used in addition to manual mode, and not CLS, but I would be happy if just manual mode in flash and camera) - some experience here?

Sometimes you can have good use, also in landscapes ("strong" foreground), from a flash, and you can use this camera for portraits also, I have seen here, even it perhaps is best suited for landscapes and cityscapes, but the camera is pocketable, so together with e.g. the small SB 400 I am dressed for nearly everything, always, because I plan to carry this camera always.
 
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Kirk Candlish

New member
One thing that has not been discussed is the use of flash (unless I have overlooked it ? ) ?

I hope I can use my Nikon flashes (SB 900+800+600 + 400) In manual mode in both the camera as in the flash (I do not think they can be used in addition to manual mode) - some experience here?
I'm not a Nikon user so I can't answer your question about Nikon flashes specifically but I can tell you that with the DP2M in manual mode I've successfully triggered a Quantum flash set to manual. The duration of the trigger is quite long, as though the camera were waiting for a confirmation that the flash has fired but isn't receiving it, but it works.

And welcome to the forum. I agree, it is a very nice group that's willing to share a lot of information.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Thanks to Bob for the PS heads up, and the excellent CC on my Mother's image. How/what did you do? It's a real improvement (and that green colour cast on the RHS of her face is gone: thanks!). And I would like to make a print for her, so if you can tell me what you did, I will fix the TIFF original.

And thanks, Lee: I will be sure to tell her!

To Kyndal: I am using an Nikon SB-30 to trigger studio strobes and it works perfectly with zero delay—but I do not have an SB-400 any more, so cannot confirm whether this works.

@ Quentin—I am with you on the DP3, and I am hoping that someone at Sigma will convince management to make a DP4, with a 21mm EFOV, or thereabouts. I am using the CV 12/5.6 on the X-E1 for this images and the results are excellent, but they are not DP Merrill excellent.
 

Kyndel

Member
"To Kyndal: I am using an Nikon SB-30 to trigger studio strobes and it works perfectly with zero delay—but I do not have an SB-400 any more, so cannot confirm whether this works."

Thank you, Kit, and that means that you also can use it as flash, not just to trigger ?
 

Kyndel

Member
Thank you, Kit, then I am 99,99% sure it can fire every Nikon flash I have - I want to be very pocketable (you can not say I am with the very huge D3x, and also not with the E-M5 with the (fine) 75mm,

but with Sigma DP2 Merrill + the viewfinder in another pocket together with the small SB 400 I am "dressed" for a lot of things, just in a pocket.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Arne: image #1 is superb, and looks as if it will print very well.

Norm: unbelievably good for hand-held! PTGui?

And Michiel, W. Utsch, et al.: just lovely work. I will post a panorama tomorrow; what an inspiration this thread is!
 

W.Utsch

Member
@Kyndel
Welcome to the "best" and most friendly Photoforum!

My experience with flash and the DP2M:

1. I used an old Nikon SB 80 DX flash mounted to the hotshoe (A or M mode). The cam triggers the flash, but you have to use shutter speeds shorter than 1/125. With longer speeds you will get shadowed areas in the pic. Sync is not correct.

2. Pocket Wizard radio triggers (Canon model in basic trigger mode) on cam and flash. Works perfect with all my flashes (Nikon and Canon in A or M mode) Due to the cam's leaf shutter at all speeds. Sync is always correct.

3 . I bought the Sigma flash ET-610 DG ST, this flash works perfect on the DP2M (TTL). You have to watch the aperture and shutter combination, not all combinations work. This is true with or without flash, have a look to the cams manual.
 

Kyndel

Member
W.Utsch: Thanks for the welcome.

Do I get you right: I can shoot at 1/125 and slower (as 1/60 and so on), but not 1/250 and faster = 1/2000 and so on?

First I interpretated it the other way, but when you write that the corners get darkers, it mus be this way---or ..... ?

Thank you
 

W.Utsch

Member
Kyndel:

No, your first interpretation is right.

With LONGER speeds as 1/125 = 1/100,1/60 etc you will get the upper part of the pics shadowed. With SHORTER speeds as 1/125 = 1/250 and up the synchronization is OK.
Thats what others have reported as well.
Sorry, probably no good news for your Nikon flashes. They should however work with a radio trigger.
As said, because the DPM's have a leaf shutter , there is no need of a FP or other high-speed Sync mode on the flash.
 

Kyndel

Member
Kyndel:

No, your first interpretation is right.

With LONGER speeds as 1/125 = 1/100,1/60 etc you will get the upper part of the pics shadowed. With SHORTER speeds as 1/125 = 1/250 and up the synchronization is OK.
Thats what others have reported as well.
Sorry, probably no good news for your Nikon flashes. They should however work with a radio trigger.
As said, because the DPM's have a leaf shutter , there is no need of a FP or other high-speed Sync mode on the flash.
Thank you,

....interesting (sort of) because it looks like the Nikon flash behaves as FP with this dark upper site, but:

I think I can work around it with the flash output in manual mode - we will see, thanks again.
 

Norm N

Member
Kit, thank you for your kind comments on the Rookery pano. It's my most successful interior shot, even with the slightly blown globes. The photos were massaged in LR4 and then a simple pano blend merge in PS6. The Rookery is sometimes used by commercial agencies as background. An individual photographer on his own can only shoot from the floor of the lobby.

Your photo of your Mom is marvelous. The green cast in flesh tones is a well-known problem of DP2m users, as is shadowing in interior light. I'm going to show a Rookery photo with a green cast:




The green cast around the gold gilt occurs in areas where the skylight is shadowed. I tried reducing it using both the fringing tool in SPP and LR4. SPP was more effective, but also removed the gold gilt. LR4 was less effective, but left the gold gilt. The photo you see is after defringing in LR4. The DP2m needs light, preferably natural light. The first photo was successful because of the skylight. I love the DP2m,but also carry another camera when I shoot interiors.
 
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