Digital Home Thoughts: Dpreview Reviews Sigma DP1

"The Sigma DP1 is without doubt one of the most eagerly anticipated cameras of late, certainly in the compact camera sector. Sigma first presented a concept prototype of the DP1 at Photokina 2006 but the first production models only hit the shelves in March this year. Interest in the camera was so big that Sigma even took the very unusual step of explaining the delay in an official statement (unforeseen image quality problems which resulted in a requirement to change the specification of the camera's imaging pipeline). So what is all the fuss about? It's the sensor. The DP1 uses the same Foveon X3 sensor as Sigma's SD14 DSLR and that makes it the first compact camera ever to be made with an SLR-sized sensor (it's around the same size as the Four-Thirds format). But not only the sensor differentiates the new Sigma from the zillions of compact cameras that are currently available. With its no-nonsense feature set and 28mm (35mm equiv.) prime lens the DP1 is a million miles away from the superzooms, smile modes and face detection functions that are nowadays standard on so many compact digital cameras."

The DP1's forte is no doubt the image quality at low sensitivities. The camera offers a resolution and an amount of detail that is unheard of in the compact camera sector and can keep up with quite a few DSLRs. To make the most of it you have to shoot in RAW though. Overall Sigma deserves credit for doing something that most other manufacturers have failed to do so far with getting the DSLR sensor into the point and shoot variety of cameras. However, the camera also gets panned in this review for a multitude of reasons - poor function in low light, extreme slowness, limitations due to fixed focal length, and the list goes on. The camera serves as a great concept and a version 1 at best; and I, much like most other people I suspect, will be passing on this camera. I hope this inspires other manufactures to try the DSLR chip in their point and shoots, and I look forward to version to of this camera.