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Sigma SD1 Merrill - first photographs and a review!

vieri

Well-known member
Hello everyone,

finally my SD1 Merrill and a few lenses got delivered, and I brought them with me to Mantua, Italy for a first test. I am enjoying very much the camera and lenses so far, and will do some more controlled tests on the camera and lenses soon; I can say that while it is indeed a great camera for a certain type of photography and photographers, it is definitely not an "Universal Shooter" by any means...

Here a couple of images from that outing:


Mantua, VI


Mantua, V

You can see more photographs HERE, (all the Mantua images in this gallery have been taken with the SD1 Merrill); as well, I published an article reviewing the SD1 Merrill on my blog, with more pictures, HERE.

Best,

Vieri
 

retow

Member
Hello everyone,

finally my SD1 Merrill and a few lenses got delivered, and I brought them with me to Mantua, Italy for a first test. I am enjoying very much the camera and lenses so far, and will do some more controlled tests on the camera and lenses soon; I can say that while it is indeed a great camera for a certain type of photography and photographers, it is definitely not an "Universal Shooter" by any means...

Here a couple of images from that outing:


Mantua, VI


Mantua, V

You can see more photographs HERE, (all the Mantua images in this gallery have been taken with the SD1 Merrill); as well, I published an article reviewing the SD1 Merrill on my blog, with more pictures, HERE.

Best,

Vieri
Can you share which lenses you chose and how they perform with the SD1`s sensor and in comparison with the DP1/2 M.
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Can you share which lenses you chose and how they perform with the SD1`s sensor and in comparison with the DP1/2 M.
Vieri, you work is always marvellous. The composition and elements are always... perfect (no better word comes to mind!). I like the luminosity and colours in these pictures.

Like 'retow' I would also enjoy knowing about the lenses you have chosen to use with the camera.

LouisB]


Added late: Doh! Should have read the links more carefully - great article and a full list of lenses used. Thanks!
 
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Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
Looks good! Please tell some more of your experiences soon. No one on this forum works with this camera as far as I know.

Did you buy the Sigma 35/1.4?
 

Hulyss Bowman

Active member
Looks good! Please tell some more of your experiences soon. No one on this forum works with this camera as far as I know.

Did you buy the Sigma 35/1.4?

I did :) I bought the SD1m once he was out along with great lenses (85f1.4, 150f2.8 macro ...). As I bought all SD since the SD14 and all DP since the s version.

My end result is very clear: SD cameras sucks as reflex camera, especially when you own a proper body like a D700/D800 ...

In SIGMA world, the better is concentrated in the DP series, period. At least you have a live view ...

Even if I'm a SIGMA evangelist, I stay pragmatic. The best thing out of the SD1 is the handling...

This is of course my humble opinion.
 

vieri

Well-known member
Can you share which lenses you chose and how they perform with the SD1`s sensor and in comparison with the DP1/2 M.
retow,

I posted a lens list in my review for everyone to see; in short, 8-16mm, 17-50mm (came with the camera), 35 f1.4, 50 f1.4, 70 f2.8 macro, 85 f1.4, 150 f2.8 macro. About your comparison request, I will (time permitting) compare the SD1 with the DP1/2/3 M, however the comparison will not be exact: I don't have a prime to compare with the DP1's 19mm; I have the 35mm f1.4, which is unfair to compare with the 30 f2.8; and I have the 50mm f1.4, not the 50mm f2.8 macro which would have been a better comparison...

Vieri, you work is always marvellous. The composition and elements are always... perfect (no better word comes to mind!). I like the luminosity and colours in these pictures.

Like 'retow' I would also enjoy knowing about the lenses you have chosen to use with the camera.

LouisB
Thank you very much Louis, I really appreciate your comment on my work a lot - thanks again.

About lenses, I posted a list in the review for everyone to see; in short, 8-16mm, 17-50mm (came with the camera), 35 f1.4, 50 f1.4, 70 f2.8 macro, 85 f1.4, 150 f2.8 macro.

Looks good! Please tell some more of your experiences soon. No one on this forum works with this camera as far as I know.

Did you buy the Sigma 35/1.4?
Hello Michael,

I will, some comparison between the SD1 and the D800e with FOV-equivalent lenses (more or less) is in the works, which shall prove interesting I think.

Yes, I got the 35 f1.4, and so far I am very very happy with it.

I did :) I bought the SD1m once he was out along with great lenses (85f1.4, 150f2.8 macro ...). As I bought all SD since the SD14 and all DP since the s version.

My end result is very clear: SD cameras sucks as reflex camera, especially when you own a proper body like a D700/D800 ...

In SIGMA world, the better is concentrated in the DP series, period. At least you have a live view ...

Even if I'm a SIGMA evangelist, I stay pragmatic. The best thing out of the SD1 is the handling...

This is of course my humble opinion.
Well, the SD1 has the same sensor that you find inside the DP M cameras; plus, you can use a lot of different lenses with it. I don't see how it can be inferior to the DP M, except for portability and live view.

That said, I totally agree with you, the body / feature list is some 5-10 years behind CaNikon. However, if you compare image quality at base ISO, then things are quite different... stay tuned, I have a comparison between the SD1 & the D800E in the works that shall prove interesting... :)
 

magosak

Member
Vieri, Beautiful pictures. It's good to see what SD1M can do in your capable hands. I look forward to seeing your review of 35 f1.4.
 

Kyndel

Member
I did :) I bought the SD1m once he was out along with great lenses (85f1.4, 150f2.8 macro ...). As I bought all SD since the SD14 and all DP since the s version.

My end result is very clear: SD cameras sucks as reflex camera, especially when you own a proper body like a D700/D800 ...

In SIGMA world, the better is concentrated in the DP series, period. At least you have a live view ...

Even if I'm a SIGMA evangelist, I stay pragmatic. The best thing out of the SD1 is the handling...

This is of course my humble opinion.
At least you have a good finder in the Sigma SD1M :)
 

vieri

Well-known member
Vieri, Beautiful pictures. It's good to see what SD1M can do in your capable hands. I look forward to seeing your review of 35 f1.4.
Great pictures, now that new constant f1.8 18-35mm zoom with the SD1 could be quite a combo.
At least you have a good finder in the Sigma SD1M :)
Thank you everyone! About the SD1 vs DP cameras differences, I won't go there; it's a matter of choice between having an optical viewfinder and interchangeable lenses vs a smaller package with live view only. The sensor is the same, the lenses - well, I prefer the SD ones, and I'd take the 35mm f1.4 vs the DP2 Merrill any day of the week; I'd also take the 10-20 or 8-16 against the DP1 Merrill any day of the week. The DP3 merrill, on the other hand, is the best of the three and to get the same quality I have to carry the 50-150mm since the 50mm f/1.4 is not up there at all. I haven't tried the 50mm f2.8 macro, though, which seems to be a wonderful performer on the SD1 Merrill.

Horses for courses, but it's great to have the choice and it's great to have such great IQ in such small cameras as the DP Merrill! :D
 
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