Serac
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This is a photographers camera. If you shoot in green mode, shoot casually, spray-and-pray when you take photos, or want an all-rounder camera to take on vacation, shoot photos of your kids, and maybe a landscape or two, this is certainly not the camera for you. However, if you find yourself in manual mode often, enjoy slowing down and getting a few keeper shots, enjoy developing from RAW, shoot film, or are obsessed with sharpness, this is the camera for you. Sigma cameras are niche cameras. If you arent sure you want a Sigma camera, I can tell you that you do not. The Foveon sensors in Sigma cameras are a completely different engineering paradigm. This means that the strengths and weaknesses of this camera are different than a run-of-the-mill Canon or Nikon (or Sony, Pentax, Fuji, Leica, or anything else). The camera is slow. Write times feel endless. The noise in the shadows feels like it is 1990 all over again. Dont even think about going above ISO 800. Probably not even ISO 400. The headroom in RAW isnt terrible, but it isnt great, either. So, why five stars? One word: sharpness. The sensor in this camera delivers incredible sharpness. Even at 100% resolution, images from this camera look good. There is a fidelity to reality that this camera captures that other cameras do not. I read the reviews, read about "breathtaking images," and was critical. So, I rented this camera for a week to see for myself. I uploaded the first photo to my computer, and well, I gasped. So sharp. So detailed. So many variations in color. So true. Using this camera is a lot like getting a new pair of glasses or contacts - you do not know what you are missing until you see better. If you dont believe me, check it out for yourself. A few small things: The JPEGs out of this camera are respectable. Not as good as RAW, but better than most cameras besides Fuji. The ability to record RAWs in DNG is groundbreaking. Do it. Unfortunately, you cant record DNG+JPEGs. Maybe Sigma will fix this in a future firmware update. Many people complain about the EVF in this camera. I found it sufficient and enjoyable to use. Focus peaking rocks. Learn to manual focus with focus peaking, and a new world of vintage lenses opens up to you. A Pentax m42 to K-mount converter will let you use m42 lenses. Also, some Pentax lenses will work with little modification (and in manual focus). The IR filter is easily removable, so if you are interested, you can investigate IR photography. The black and white images from this camera are very, very good. Perhaps second only to the Leica Monocrom (yes, seriously). This camera is so sharp, you will notice things that you may not have noticed otherwise - lens quality, and camera motion. This camera screams for the best lenses you can find, and to shoot on a tripod. That said, the Sigma 30mm lens in this kit is respectable. The edge resolution wide open isnt quite as good as I expected for a Sigma Art lens. I like the lens a lot, though. Is this for you? If you are still curious, then this camera may be. Certainly, a camera worth consideration. Think of this this way: most digital cameras in the world operate using the same sensor technology. In fact, Sony makes most sensors. And if they are not made by Sony, the sensor is based on the same fundamental design. Foveon sensors in Sigma cameras are different. Shooting with this camera is like changing to a different type of film. It is just different. For some applications, it may be a lot better. It is like shooting landscapes in Provia for years, and then trying Velvia. Whoa. I heard a quote that was to the effect of: "It is one think to look, and something else entirely to see." Try this camera and start seeing.