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Sigma DP3M
- Thread starter pophoto
- Start date
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
Lets bring up this thread 
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
Let's bump this thread, C'mon guys I know you want to post more !
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
Ok, more girls then, look like girls are forum fuel !
Charlie, one of my new models - DP3m 800 ISO
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
A last one for today.
Few (slightly late perhaps) thoughts on the Gigapan units....
The Merrill's (not SD1 of course) will actually work on the slightly lighter and cheaper normal Gigapan Epic, don't really need the 100 as you can get the button pusher part high enough to work with the Epic.
I've had the Epic 100 as well and one of the main reasons I bought that was it can have a remote release cable which was great for my GH2, but rather pointless with the DPXm. It also can take multiple shots in each position, which is nice for bracketing, but I found by just setting a long shot to shot time and long shutter press, you can get by pretty well with just auto bracket as the camera takes 3 shots, while the Gigapan thinks its just doing one.
Additionally in that regard, I find it better to shoot a pano at one exposure, then go back and change exposure. Reason being, each shot to shot frame has less stitching error from blowing clouds and changing light. The first bracket frame with the normal exposure needs to wait for 2 more frames to be taken before shooting the next position basically. It would be like manually doing a pano, taking a shot, then waiting. I just think having 2/3 pano's with the best sitching, and then blending the whole thing works best.
Battery life. The DPxM and Gigapan are a match made in battery hell. Spares are needed for both and you will go through many sets on a day of shooting. Both devices just are awful in that regard. Is what it is, but be aware.
Size/weight. The Gigapan is under 4lbs but darn if it doesn't feel like a brick in the back, but while a brick would be easy to fit into any bag, the design makes it a big of a space hog too. You can carry it with the camera mounted at least so its quick to set up as you can program in the FoV for the camera in advance though. The results can be worth the effort though.
Other options.... One thing I don't like about the Gigapan is that you mount the camera horizontal. That means almost everything is a 2 row pano at least, when really 1 vertical row could of worked just fine. For this reason, amongst others, I think a manual rig, like a NN, or even just a ballhead flipped upside down to give you a level panning base, is much quicker to use and easier to carry.
Just using an inverted ballhead and little homemade right angle bracket I can knock out a 4-5 frame single row pano quicker than I can even get the Gigapan turned on.
Gigapan is an awesome thing when your doing a big multirow and it works great, but you have to really do a lot of pano's and mosiacs at that.
Buying one for single row occasional stuff is going to result in a unit that always gets left at home
The Merrill's (not SD1 of course) will actually work on the slightly lighter and cheaper normal Gigapan Epic, don't really need the 100 as you can get the button pusher part high enough to work with the Epic.
I've had the Epic 100 as well and one of the main reasons I bought that was it can have a remote release cable which was great for my GH2, but rather pointless with the DPXm. It also can take multiple shots in each position, which is nice for bracketing, but I found by just setting a long shot to shot time and long shutter press, you can get by pretty well with just auto bracket as the camera takes 3 shots, while the Gigapan thinks its just doing one.
Additionally in that regard, I find it better to shoot a pano at one exposure, then go back and change exposure. Reason being, each shot to shot frame has less stitching error from blowing clouds and changing light. The first bracket frame with the normal exposure needs to wait for 2 more frames to be taken before shooting the next position basically. It would be like manually doing a pano, taking a shot, then waiting. I just think having 2/3 pano's with the best sitching, and then blending the whole thing works best.
Battery life. The DPxM and Gigapan are a match made in battery hell. Spares are needed for both and you will go through many sets on a day of shooting. Both devices just are awful in that regard. Is what it is, but be aware.
Size/weight. The Gigapan is under 4lbs but darn if it doesn't feel like a brick in the back, but while a brick would be easy to fit into any bag, the design makes it a big of a space hog too. You can carry it with the camera mounted at least so its quick to set up as you can program in the FoV for the camera in advance though. The results can be worth the effort though.
Other options.... One thing I don't like about the Gigapan is that you mount the camera horizontal. That means almost everything is a 2 row pano at least, when really 1 vertical row could of worked just fine. For this reason, amongst others, I think a manual rig, like a NN, or even just a ballhead flipped upside down to give you a level panning base, is much quicker to use and easier to carry.
Just using an inverted ballhead and little homemade right angle bracket I can knock out a 4-5 frame single row pano quicker than I can even get the Gigapan turned on.
Gigapan is an awesome thing when your doing a big multirow and it works great, but you have to really do a lot of pano's and mosiacs at that.
Buying one for single row occasional stuff is going to result in a unit that always gets left at home
TKSpaulding
New member
Inside a coffee shop in Mo.
-Tom
-Tom
W.Utsch
Member
W.Utsch
Member
Swans, Lake Lugano, Switzerland:
The white of the Swan (left) was on first sight totally blown out. Heavy PP in SPP and a little bit in LR could bring a lot of the structures back - amazing high light recovery with the Foveon files.
The white of the Swan (left) was on first sight totally blown out. Heavy PP in SPP and a little bit in LR could bring a lot of the structures back - amazing high light recovery with the Foveon files.
biglouis
Well-known member
OK, well for better or worse, I've ordered a DP3M today. I found on my holiday that I really wanted to get a bit closer when doing landscape shots. I'm hoping the DP3M will do that especially given the ability to crop Foveon sensor images right down to the pixel level.
LouisB
LouisB
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
I'm sure you haven't, but don't forget there is a £200 cash back offer from Sigma still open until June 16
Hulyss Bowman
Active member
My new toy by the DP3m @ 400 ISO. I'm happy !
Collin Orthner
New member
Red Deer County, Alberta DP3
biglouis
Well-known member
Absolutely, that's why I decided to bring forward the purchase but in fact *** even better news *** if you go to the website they have extended the offer into July!
BTW, I got mine at Clifton Cameras and is was less than the £799 RRP which other companies are selling the DP3M at, and it is UK stock so savings are even better.
LouisB
biglouis
Well-known member
That is pure camera porn. If I ever go back to Nikon, I want one! Please inform us when you post some results!My new toy by the DP3m @ 400 ISO. I'm happy !
LouisB