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Farewell to Sigma Merrill cams

xpatUSA

Member
There's a certain balance to my collection of Sigma cameras, my old lenses, my oldish computer, my 1280x1024 pixel monitor, my slow satellite connection, my shaky photographic ability and my viewing only on-screen.

Twice now, Merrills have upset this balance. Sold a DP2M some time back and now the SD1M is sold.

The high resolution shows up my shaky hand and my somewhat fuzzy lenses. SPP 5.5.3 does it's job well but I am way to old to wait patiently for X3Fs to load and for that incredibly long wait between adjustments. Please do not advise me to get SPP 6.x which is said to slightly faster.

I ended up shooting in LO res to bring some sanity to my snapshot processing but, frankly, the images were only slightly "better" than those from my SD14. So goodbye, SD1M, it was fun while it lasted.

Ted
 

darr

Well-known member
IMO if a photographer wants to get the best results from a Merrill camera (SD1M, DPMx), there are a few requirements in the workflow/technique similar to shooting 4x5". A tripod, excellent lenses, and robust computer equipment for post-processing. I think anything less than those requirements may not produce optimal results and could leave you very frustrated.

I was shooting my SD1M recently after not shooting it for a few months and I immediately noticed the processing speed while I waited for it to complete; definitely more time consuming than my medium format CMOS digital back! And how setting the bracketing drive button requires you to move it back to single drive before you shoot is odd, but that is how it was designed.

So yes, the Merrill cameras have their quirks, but they also have the best resolution IMO for their size if you learn what their best shooting and post-processing requirements are and have the patience, etc. to apply them.

Merrill cameras are definitely not for everyone! :deadhorse:
 

xpatUSA

Member
Ted,

I advise you to get SPP6.2.1 which is in fact a lot faster :D

No, it really is if you have a decent amount of Ram
I'm on Windows XP Pro 32-bit with 3GB of of RAM, is that a decent amount?

Still, no reason to "upgrade" - the SD1M is sold and SPP 3.5.2 works well enough for my SD9 & SD10 . . as does many other converters.

Ted
 

darr

Well-known member
I'm on Windows XP Pro 32-bit with 3GB of of RAM, is that a decent amount?
No. Your operating system is 12+ years-old and Microsoft does not support it any longer. I would not attempt to run a XP machine in fear it would lock up with the digital files I shoot. I could not run Quick Books for my business and a bunch of other necessary programs. Your computer is a dinosaur. I am running a four year-old WIN Pro 7 machine with 24 gigs RAM in 64-bit mode and SPP 6.2 runs faster than v.5 ever did.
 

xpatUSA

Member
No. Your operating system is 12+ years-old and Microsoft does not support it any longer.
Thank you for answering for Quentin, but I already knew that.

I would not attempt to run a XP machine in fear it would lock up with the digital files I shoot.
My XP machine has never, ever, "locked up" with the digital files that I shoot. (raw ~12MB), so I have no such fear :)

I could not run Quick Books for my business and a bunch of other necessary programs.
I do not have that problem. All my necessary programs run quite well - even RawTherapee 4.2.3.

Your computer is a dinosaur.
Like myself ;)

I have three of them. All in perfect working order :)

I am running a four year-old WIN Pro 7 machine with 24 gigs RAM in 64-bit mode and SPP 6.2 runs faster than v.5 ever did.
I have no need of any of that, I'm pleased to say. SPP 3.5 is faster than V5 on my my machine too, BTW.

Forgive me if I sound a little brusque but I get this lecture every time I mention the keyword "XP".

I'll mention, so as to gain some understanding, that my dinosaur is also completely Adobe-free not even Flash. Will the advice now be that I can not exist without subscribing to Adobe-in-the-clouds?
 

darr

Well-known member
I'll mention, so as to gain some understanding, that my dinosaur is also completely Adobe-free not even Flash. Will the advice now be that I can not exist without subscribing to Adobe-in-the-clouds?
No; Adobe has nothing to do with this. Your computer would not be able to run Adobe CC according to their system requirements, nor would it be able to run SPP 6.2.
 
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xpatUSA

Member
I can't play old LP's on a CD player. Sorry, Ted, you need to upgrade your computer...:confused:
No need to be sorry, I personally have absolutely no need whatsoever for an upgraded computer:

I am no Photographer with a capital 'P' - mostly snaps, I'm afraid.

I am however very interested in Foveon technology - but without much desire to produce stunning 4704x3136px masterpieces.

I don't print (shock, horror). I rarely save or post anything over 1280px wide.

With my poor eyesight, my 1280x1024px un-calibrated (shock, horror) NEC MultiSync 1600SX is perfectly adequate for my purposes.

All my cameras produce "small" 12MP raw files which usually get dumped after post-processing (shock, horror).

My 139GB C drive is still only 1/3 full and does not fill up by leaps and bounds unlike that of a true Pro.

My 350MB Seagate backup drive is maybe half-full, what with SWMBOs stuff and my old stuff.

On my machine and my SD9 and SD10, SPP 3.5.2 is quite fast enough for my needs, as is RawTherapee 4.2.3.

Sorry, Quentin, I don't see the "need". Didn't really want to go into all this, but you seemed confused ;)

regards,

Ted.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
All sorts of folks are are welcome here as long as they enjoy photography.
As a matter of fact, I have seen more smartphone images recently processed entirely in-phone.
Not a bad solution for folks who want a camera that they always carry.
Technology is certainly evolving. What I have learned is that old technology takes a LONG time to really go away while new technology adds to the pile.
It is all about making images any way you want.
-bob
 
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biglouis

Well-known member
Ted

I think it is good that you have tried out Foveon technology. You'll always wonder about it if you did not. If it isn't working for you, fine. I am sure there are plenty of other cameras out there that will.

I can highly recommend the Ricoh GR. You'll be amazed at the image quality and like the DPxMs it is a little bit different and you have to think about how to get the best out of the fixed lens.

Just a thought.

LouisB
 

xpatUSA

Member
Ted

I think it is good that you have tried out Foveon technology. You'll always wonder about it if you did not. If it isn't working for you, fine. I am sure there are plenty of other cameras out there that will.

I can highly recommend the Ricoh GR. You'll be amazed at the image quality and like the DPxMs it is a little bit different and you have to think about how to get the best out of the fixed lens.

Just a thought.

LouisB
Thanks for your thought, Louis,

Been a foveonista for 5+ years. I'm still very much into Foveon technology and still have and will keep two cameras - the SD9 and SD10. The SD10 is my IR/full spectrum camera. The SD9 is for fighting to get a good image and sometimes even winning :)

Otherwise, in the world of Bayer, My Panasonic m43 GH1 does a great job for me in terms of ease of use - and the Panasonic 14-45mm and the Panasonic-Leica f/2.8 macro-Elmarit 45mm are almost unbeatable. A 45-200mm serves for long shots and all of it fits into a 10x10" bag!!

Try that with my Sigma house-bricks . . . ;)
 

xpatUSA

Member
Thanks for your thought, Louis,

Been a foveonista for 5+ years. I'm still very much into Foveon technology and still have and will keep two cameras - the SD9 and SD10. The SD10 is my IR/full spectrum camera. The SD9 is for fighting to get a good image and sometimes even winning :)

Otherwise, in the world of Bayer, My Panasonic m43 GH1 does a great job for me in terms of ease of use - and the Panasonic 14-45mm and the Panasonic-Leica f/2.8 macro-Elmarit 45mm are almost unbeatable. A 45-200mm serves for long shots and all of it fits into a 10x10" bag!!

Try that with my Sigma house-bricks . . . ;)
Update:

I've refined my philosophy a bit. I am now 100% Sigma, having given the Panasonic m4/3 stuff to my son. I was a DSLR-only guy for the Sigmas but now own a couple of DP models. The philosophy is slightly revised to be non-AFE, non-Merrill and non-Quattro; so now it's SD9, SD10, SD10 (IR), SD14, DP1s and DP2s.

regards,

Ted
 
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