Sigma DP2 Review

[johnastovall]

A review by Ken Tanaka at The Online Photographer.

"Few cameras have faced the great expectations that Sigma’s DP1, and now the DP2, compact cameras have faced. Sigma’s own marketing tag line certainly fuels these expectations: "A Full-Spec Compact Digital Camera With All The Power of DSLR." I never touched a DP1, turned away by widespread stories of poor usability. But I was eager to take a look at its successor, the DP2...."

Full review here....

 

[hilld]

Goodness! I could be wildly wrong here ... but I don't think the man likes it.

 

[ddk]

"After using the DP2 daily for over a week I found it to be a sluggish, noisy, unreliable, and generally charmless device which I ultimately decided to return for a refund. That’s the bottom line of my opinion."

Echoes my own experience with the DP1! Good to know that nothing has changed at Sigma.

 

[Streetshooter]

If you want a real review.... Check out the many good images from the
Camera on this forum. The truth lay in the images, not in the camera.
Don

 

[ddk]

If you want a real review.... Check out the many good images from the
Camera on this forum. The truth lay in the images, not in the camera.
Don

I haven't heard or seen anything to the contrary about the handling of this camera here either. From all accounts its still as unresponsive as DP1 and about the only surprise here is that they didn't even bother to replace the cr@ppy battery with anything decent. I doubt that any of us here that didn't care for the dp1 are going to feel any different about dp2!

 

[hilld]

If you want a real review.... Check out the many good images from the
Camera on this forum. The truth lay in the images, not in the camera.
Don

I totally agree with those sentiments, and not just regards the DP2 pix on this forum.
I would defy anyone to look at the dozens of superb images on the Flickr Sigma DP2 group pool and not be convinced that they have come from a superb camera.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sigma-dp2/pool/

 

[hilld]

"After using the DP2 daily for over a week I found it to be a sluggish, noisy, unreliable, and generally charmless device which I ultimately decided to return for a refund. That’s the bottom line of my opinion."

Echoes my own experience with the DP1! Good to know that nothing has changed at Sigma.

Oh yes. And your experience with the DP2?

 

[ddk]

Oh yes. And your experience with the DP2?

I'll pass, thank you!

 

[Streetshooter]

The DP2 needs 3 things to make it a great camera....
1-A viewfinder
2-Richards Grip
3-A piece of rubber washer below the focus
wheel for tension.
Hmmm, same for the DP1.
The DP's are not the only compacts that make
good images, but in the hands of a good
photographer, they will deliver superior
quality to make great images.
Am I biased... Darn right....

 

[hilld]

I'll pass, thank you!

Very wise, if I may say so; for one of the things the dyspeptic reviewer omitted to mention is that the DP2, like the DP1, would be especially difficult to use for people wearing blinkers.

 

[trisberg]

That was a pretty poor review in my opinion. Not that I disagree with what he writes, he seems to have uncovered some usability problems that exists for the DP1 as well. Nothing new here. He should however have tried a little harder to make use of the defining features of the camera which in my opinion are the sensor and a high quality lens on a pocket sized body. Looking around the web, it doesn’t take long to find some excellent pictures taken with both the DP1 and DP2, so for him not even trying to produce some magic with this camera is disappointing and I expected a lot more from TOP.

On the other hand, I really wish Sigma would get their act together and improve on the LCD, AF, image processing speed etc. that is preventing this camera from being a greater success.

-Thomas

 

[Diane B]

I moved from the G9 to the Panny G1 because of the VF issue. It would keep me from trying the DP2 also--as well as the LX3 and the probable Oly m4/3rds offering.

I added a terrific Voigtlander 35mm VF to the G9 but never got on with it (one still has to use LCD for many things)--and of course, it was pretty useless for zoom. I even had a turret VF--but still trying to focus in just normal light is very unpleasant for me.

The DP2 appears to be able to take terrific photos--a lot less noise, the ability to use DOF creatively, very good color--and I'm also surprised Ken Tanaka didn't talk more about that. He's a very good photographer and likes small cams--but I think the Canon G's just have made it difficult for him to like small 'lighter' cameras and not willing to suffer some other things (slow to write, etc.) for the good photo quality.

Diane

 

[ddk]

Very wise, if I may say so; for one of the things the dyspeptic reviewer omitted to mention is that the DP2, like the DP1, would be especially difficult to use for people wearing blinkers.

:wtf: (insult removed out of respect for Guy & Jack!), I never understood morons (insult removed for same reason) who turn gear chit chat to personal insults!

 

[fordfanjpn]

:wtf: (insult removed out of respect for Guy & Jack!), I never understood morons (insult removed for same reason) who turn gear chit chat to personal insults!

And I never understood people who frequent forums related to cameras they don't own and have no actual experience with or interest in for the sole purpose of making constant, repetitive and insulting comments when they don't have the slightest idea what they're talking about. There is a definite difference between chit chat and abuse. We get it that you don't like the camera, over and over and over again. Point taken. So now why not stay out of the Sigma related forums, stop insulting those of us who like the camera, get on with your life and let us do the same!

 

[Streetshooter]

What Bill said!
Wayne

 

[ddk]

And I never understood people who frequent forums related to cameras they don't own and have no actual experience with or interest in for the sole purpose of making constant, repetitive and insulting comments when they don't have the slightest idea what they're talking about. There is a definite difference between chit chat and abuse. We get it that you don't like the camera, over and over and over again. Point taken. So now why not stay out of the Sigma related forums, stop insulting those of us who like the camera, get on with your life and let us do the same!

Didn't know that responding to someone else's post and another's review constitutes personal insults to anyone here...

A bit touchy today Bill? You might not like what I say but negative opinions have value for people looking for information too?

 

[nei1]

I have to say david that your posts here are putting the spotlight on you and not on the camera.

 

[DP1er]

Didn't know that responding to someone else's post and another's review constitutes personal insults to anyone here...



It's a very true saying that "an empty can makes the most noise"

 

[fordfanjpn]

What Bill said!
Wayne

Thanks Wayne. I have to apologize to the other forum members for my little outburst. As much as I hate it when people badmouth (repeatedly) a piece of gear when they have absolutely no experience with it themselves, I hate it even more when I let them pull me down to their level. I'm using the Ignore List now so I can get back to enjoying the forum without the distraction of being constantly reminded of what a moron I am for liking such a horrible camera.

Bill

 

[fordfanjpn]

It's a very true saying that "an empty can makes the most noise"

Very nicely put, and welcome to the forum. It's always nice to have another DP1 user with us. I hope you'll be posting some pics soon.

Bill