Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Sigma DP2 Merril

It seems the Sigma DP2 Merril may have the record for pure image quality in a compact camera. It is apparently pretty much in a class of itself.

That is amazing. But another thing which amazes me is that after three generations of the Sigma DP series cameras, even the newest ones still carry over the original faults: not very good in high-ISO, and they are slow and uncertain in operation. I wonder why Sigma still stumbles here, when Panasonic and Olympus has squashed these problems with vigor in the last couple of years. Perhaps it's a question of research budget.


A couple of other weaknesses is more a question of choice: Sigma DP1 Merril and DP2 Merril don't have stabilization, surely a must-feature today. And they don't have a zoom lens. Admittedly a prime lens solves many problems of bulk and such. But I found out when I used the Fujifilm X100, despite its ideal lens of 35mm-e (faster too, 2.0), I was much less inspired when working with just one focal length. Two prime lenses or two cameras might help the situation. But even so, one of them should be a short tele.
... Anyway, when the X100's little brother X10 arrived, with an excellent and fast zoom, I loved it much more. So much more flexible. The X100 in contrast was more of a "trophy wife", simply because one knew it was outstanding quality and it is just so beautiful, and looks so much like a classic rangefinder camera! (Love has strange ways.)
It's funny, a photographer friend talked about buying it from me, and I said "which one do you mean, the X10 or the X100?" He said: "Er..... I don't know. The one that looks like a real camera." Heh. One X100 coming up.


7 comments:

David Evans said...

I keep hoping that Sigma will licence their technology to someone like Sony. That sensor in a NEX body would be sensational. I wouldn't buy the DP2 - too wedded to interchangeable and/or zoom lenses.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, now that the Foveon sensor has finally gotten up to good resolutions, it would be nice to see it in better bodies.

Alex said...

There's an Olympus X100 too? Cool.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Seriously? Yep. A limited camera, fixed prime lens. But gorgeous in a classic style, and prime quality.
It's delightful to use if you like the Leica experience.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Dang it, it is *Fujifilm* X100. That's what I meant. I blame my high-end keyboard, it types faster than I think.

Stephen said...

Just wanted to mention that I just picked up a Fuji X10 a week ago; I did not know this camera even existed until I literally stumbled across it at a display at Costco (a US.-based discount warehouse) while looking at HDTVs.

After doing some online research on my iPhone, I decided to pop for the little Fujifilm X10; then zipped over to Looking Glass in Berkeley, CA (one of the very few REAL brick-and-mortar camera stores left anymore), and bought a Fujifilm hard leather case for it. This is a really nice hard shell leather case with velvet lining, just camera cases of old.

This really is quite a lovely camera that harkens back to the rangefinder film cameras of years gone past. I love how the camera turns on when you move the lens zoom adjustment ring from off position to the desired focal length. Also love the zooming function on the lens, just like the zoom on a full SLR-lens, which makes for very intuitive operation, much better than a zoom switch near the shutter. Really fast autofocus, no shutter lag, optical based IS, and I really like the different shooting modes and shooting flexibility. It even has a classic threading in the shutter button for a cable release. And that metal lens cap that goes on like those old lens caps from Leica IIIs? All way cool. The build quality and function of this camera just exudes class...

I've been out and about shooting with it this last week, and I absolutely *love* this camera. My Canon G9 and F31fd are fine cameras (well, maybe only the F31fd...), but they feel like "digicams". The X10 feels and works like a "camera" camera; it feels like a fine photographic instrument rather than a "digicam". Like Ken Tanaka, I think the X10 is going to be my "constant carry" companion, and like you, this cameara just makes me want to grab it and get out and generate some "work".

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, it's just a gorgeous camera.