Two new DP1 reviews

[trisberg]

One on Luminous Landscape by Michael Reichmann - http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sigma-dp1.shtml

and the other by Sean Reid - http://www.reidreviews.com/reidreviews/

Both are well worth the read (and the fee for Sean's site)

Thomas

 

[Player]

Too bad MR didn't compare the DP1 to the GRD2 instead of the GX100. The GRD2 has higher IQ than the GX100, plus it has a fixed lens like the DP1.

I find Reichmann's review misleading since the DP1's images look way better than the Canon G9 or GX100, but the GRD2's raw files would look quite a bit better than Canon's G9 or the GRD2's sister camera. Throw in the GRD2's operational user friendliness, along with more than adequate IQ, and he might have been able to crown a winner.

 

[Martin S]

I think that there is a typo in MR's review. He used the Casio name instead of the Sigma name in the report.

He must be testing the Casio EX-F1 also.

Martin

 

[Sean_Reid]

Thanks for mentioning those Thomas.

Part Two of my review will include comparisons with the GR2 and M8. Part One compares the functionalities of the Sigma and the GR2.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Brian Mosley]

I thought MR's review of the DP1 was a sharp reality check for many Sigma fans - he certainly didn't sugar coat the criticism, but for those of us who have been experiencing the same frustrations with the UI, MR should be complimented for helping to focus Sigma on coming up with a firmware upgrade quickly.

All I expect from Sigma is that the User Interface be finished properly and a firmware update released asap.

I will be collecting my thoughts and suggesting the best improvements over the next few days and weeks - and expect Sigma to be listening now, even more carefully.

Kind Regards

Brian

 

[cam]

Sean,

a fantastic beginning! i particularly loved the two people pics you included -- thank you! you've done a very excellent job, nailing it's strengths and weaknesses (i really loved that your jaw dropped as well when you initially saw the images).

however, one of the joys of your reviews is you usually come up with some practical workarounds for each camera's "features" (i.e., occasionally giving in and shooting JPEG on the original GRD). there have been some tidbits imparted, but much fewer than usual. will they be coming in the next sections?

i say much fewer, but it may just be me. i need a lot more assistance with this camera than i ever did with the GRD's (the DP1 is far less forgiving of errors or, perhaps, it's just *so* much easier to tell when you've got it right that i find far fewer possibilities)... i look forward to part two!

again, many thanks!

 

[Sean_Reid]

Hi Cam,

Thanks. What sort of workarounds are you wondering about?

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Martin S]

Sean!!

Great DP1 review so far.

Looking forward to Part 2.

Keep up the good work.

Martin

 

[cam]

again and again

Hi Cam,

Thanks. What sort of workarounds are you wondering about?

Cheers,

Sean

LOL, at this point everything! seriously, i should just shut my mouth. i treasure your reviews because you come up with wonderful gems that i never would have asked about in the first place (you just always seem to know!)... and it ups the value of your site because i can always go back and read it again (and again) and get something out of it (again) :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[Joan]

MR's review was very telling. I am going to subscribe to Sean's site soon and look forward to reading his, too.

To me it all really boils down to one question though ... do you really want to spend $1,000 just to be able to carry your camera in your pocket?

My answer would be yes, IF that camera was really fun & intuitive to use and gave me very good results right out of the box. Seems the DP1 doesn't meet those requirements yet.

 

[Brian Mosley]

Hi Sean, I know that I've recommended people to consider your review over on dpreview - but I just wanted to thank you for a marvelous effort. I'm really pleased with it - I've been out this morning with the E-420 + 12-60mm lens on the Y-strap, and the DP1 - and the experience was like chalk and cheese wrt usability (as you would expect - comparing a compact camera with a DSLR).

Anyhow, here's a DP1 shot from that outing - I'm struggling a bit to get a neutral white balance using SPP.

I'm enjoying the DP1, but after this outing I realise that I'll need a Voigtlander brightline viewfinder for sure... the only question is, what's the difference in viewing accuracy/quality between the 28mm metal, and the 28/35mm minifinder?

Kind Regards

Brian

 

[Lili]

Sean, I have been quite busy today, so as I have got I find your review as insightfull as ever, and the samples to be impressive!

 

[Joan]

Thanks for mentioning those Thomas.

Part Two of my review will include comparisons with the GR2 and M8. Part One compares the functionalities of the Sigma and the GR2.

Cheers,

Sean

Sean,

Just chimed in on Brian's thread over at DPR and wanted to also come back here and thank you for the DP1 review. Very happy that I finally subscribed to your site, terrific work! I was about ready to write the DP1 off completely after reading MR's review, now I have an entirely different feeling of, "hmmmm, will have to keep watching this one." May someday be a very late adopter when/if I can afford it. Or, more likely, be watching like a hawk for Sigma's next model.

Looks like lots of late nights ahead reading all of your other articles, too. I've been missing out!

Regards,
Joan

 

[Sean_Reid]

Brian, Lili and Joan,

Thank you very much. Most of Part Two is now published and I decided to merge the two parts of the DP1 review for the sake of simplicity. There's a lot of new material up, in case anyone's interested.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Hypnohare]

Nice DP-1 review Sean!!!

It's pretty crazy all the software hoops you had to go through to compare the RAW files of those three cameras!

After reading your review, I'm still holding to my position, which is to stick with my Rico and wait to see if a second version of the DP-1 comes out in a few years.

I noticed some print ADs for the DP-1 in the magazines and I hope Sigma sells a ton of these cool little cameras. And as a result the other manufacturers consider making their own versions of this new kind of camera: the medium sensor compact.

Levent
www.flickr.com/photos/16699882@N07/

P.S. I can't wait to read your review of the Nikon D-3!!

 

[Sean_Reid]

Thank you. I'd love to see competition among makers with medium sensor compacts and maybe someone will put a rangefinder in one.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Terry]

Thank you. I'd love to see competition among makers with medium sensor compacts and maybe someone will put a rangefinder in one.

Cheers,

Sean

Agree on all of the hoops to compare. In real life shots how much of a pain has it been to use SPP? Much of what you've posted as non "test" shots have been B&W because that is how you saw the shot or because it is hard to get good color? It would be great to see more cameras with a large sensor, sensible controls, fast write times and all the other stuff. I sense that done right people will pay for it. Hopefully the manufacturers are reading the forums!

Terry

 

[Sean_Reid]

Hi Terry,

It isn't hard at all to get good color from the DP1 but I'm primarily a B&W photographer. I try to make sure that there are various color examples in the camera reviews simply for illustration/example purposes. Very little of my own work is in color unless it is for clients and color is what the client needs (ie: architecture and interiors, editorial, etc.)

B&W, moreover, isn't really something that I think about on a frame by frame basis - its my main medium unless I am specifically making color pictures (pictures where color plays a specific role). This whole question will be a subject of a future article.

In twenty + years of work as a photographer, I've only done two personal projects in color: the Daytona wall pictures and a large project about people and malls. Everything else has been B&W.

The hoops came because only Photo Pro, right now, can handle the DP1 files and that program has limited WB controls.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Brian Mosley]

Sean, thanks again for another riveting read! One request... could you examine the colour shift from blue to green as the ISO increases?

Amin has posted a useful set of images here :
DP1 vs E-420 vs 5D comparison set

Could this be the reason a profile fix is difficult/impossible? if the blue channel data gets weaker (shift to green) as the ISO increases.

I would think the DP1 would be great for B&W shooting at high ISO - surely a simple firmware fix to give B&W sidecar jpegs... the LX1 was great for that - you could shoot whatever jpegs and the RAW would remain as full format RAW.

Kind Regards

Brian

p.s. I notice in your ISO comparison set, there's a blue card on the table - it should be easy to see how the blue channel changes throughout the range, but your crop doesn't include a blue reference as far as I can see.

 

[Sean_Reid]

Hi Brian,

Maybe DP1 pictures of the full set of produce at all ISO levels would be useful? I certainly have the source files needed for that.

Distortion tests coming up for later today.

Cheers,

Sean