Sigma is contending the throne for the most exciting new Photokina product announcements with the FinePix X100 and Panasonic GH2. The new Sigma SD1 has a 15.3MP X3 foveon sensor.
More about that camera on Engadget and Dpreview. There are two reasons why we should be interested in future Sigma developments.
1) It looks like Sigma is working together with Olympus. Nagy (one of our readers) had an intuition: “Look at the reflection of the matte screen in Sigma SD1! http://www.sigma-photo.co.jp/english/news/img/SD1-front.jpg. The autofocus system features an 11 point twin cross sensor. The shifted twin cross type sensor improves AF accuracy. It is absolutely the same specifications as the Olympus E-3/E-5 AF modul. Did they buy an AF modul from Olympus?“. Or did both buy the AF technolgy from the same third-party manufactor?
2) According to two of our sources Olympus is testing foveon sensors on their PEN prototypes. And Sigma is part of the FourThirds “coalition”.
I will closely follow the Sigma SD1 reviews!
And now let’s talk about that awesome Fuji FinePix X100. We have good news. We all expected the X100 to cost around $1.500-$1.700 but according to Engadget the real price will be $1.000! The camera itself will be available in March 2011. Read the Engadget Hands-on (Click here) and on Photographyblog
43 Responses
What is the price on SD1? Unclear why they refused to add video to it. Perhaps 46 MP Foveon is not able to do so yet? New sensor looks awesome tho.. it is probably equivalent in resolution to Bayer ones. No, I don’t buy their math when they multiply the actual # of receptors by three to say it is 46 MP. Freakin hackers…
Expected to be around 1700-1900 usd….
Around 7D ($1500)
MK. How do you think the megapixel count on a Bayer Filter Image Sensor is calculated?
I.e. 12.3 MP = 6.1MP green + 3.1MP red + 3.1MP blue.
At least with the SD1 the 15.3MP Foveon sensor has a true pixel reading for Red, Green and Blue. Not an interpolated value from a surrounding pixel.
So if your pixel count is derived from each pixel in the array then 45.9MP is correct.
> Unclear why they refused to add video to it.
Well known fact: company has to sign up with bunch of licensing groups and pay undisclosed amount of money to random people. After that they are allowed to start thinking about adding video capability.
Oly is in the same boat, why they still have MJPEG but no AVCHD.
> I don’t buy their math
You do not have to. First you have to actually learn the math. 1st grade should suffice. Then learn how Bayer sensor works and used to produce images. Then – Feveon. It is rather easy – unless you are total retard.
BTW, I also missed the “15.6MP new sensor bit”. Quite excited about the development on the Feveon front.
hooray is the SD1 the only dSLR today with no video
gotta say, looks good on spec
chunky design
no-nonsense modes without arty/farty modes
… iso range?
also, Sigma dSLR is probably the only way to have a ‘safe’ Sigma lens in terms of future compliance
I have already started selling stuff to buy the x100, but this Sigma is a great looking DSLR!
The foveon technology is exciting, could this sort of thing be enough to keep Olympus in 4/3? Would these sensors allow for the benefits of the format while at the same time overcome some of the weaknesses?
That’s not a bad question, since one of (many of) the Foveon’s weaknesses is off-axis incident light. And one of Four Thirds’ strengths is telecentric lenses…
With our powers combined, I am Captain Planet!
Hehe, but realistically, I don’t see any collaboration happening, because it would just make too much damn sense. 😛
The new Sigma SD1 is definitely on my map along with the X100. For $1000 I’m buying the X100 for sure. I’m looking for a pro-level camera that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and the Sigma looks promising. Prices should be decent since the market hasn’t bought into the Foveon hype yet. Hope it delivers. I don’t need video since I’ll have the GH2.
Ouch, I’d hate to hear what you say to yourself when you are looking in the mirror.
I removed the post. THe guy called “Tom” only posts offensive posts all the time (Since months!). He is only the second guy in 18months I had to censor. 🙂
Thanks!
Cheers!
Maybe you haven’t got all that time in your hands right now, but this would be a good time to run that poll asking ig the comments should continue on pages or run flat.
With many of the posts reaching the hundreds, it’s getting harder to follow by the day.
The option to have choice between FLAT and TREE view (à lá dpreview) would be even better…
Thanks for your work, I believe it’s paying off! 🙂
I agree, there should be a way to see more comments at once.
@admin The site is getting better by the day. Thanks for the increased number of posts, it makes it more interesting. Almost replaced my homepage :).
Thanks Mirslav 🙂
Good news Duarte and Miroslav. I just “ordered” my designer to add a flat view option for the comment system. In few days you will see some improvement 🙂
I would really be happy if they came out with a Sigma with a 4/3rd mount.
Maybe just a special order, but they would surely sell to people heavily invested in Zuiko glass.
well, at least you feel better now
Sigma will be getting my coin for sure. An absolute cracker of an announcement that. Big congrats to them. No-nonsense is what we want.
As for the AF, yes it is the same and word has it that Oly manufactured the camera body too.
As for Foveon 4/3rds, I predicted / wrote about it a while a back and would welcome it with open wallet if it were to surface.
As for now, SD1 is on my roadmap. This whing will rock in the studio. Can’t wait.
I also thought the body resembles E-3/5 too much upon first glance. Note that it is also a magnesium alloy body with weather sealing and O-rings (per their website). If not made by Olympus, it is for sure inspired by their cameras.
> As for Foveon 4/3rds, I predicted / wrote about it a while a back and would welcome it with open wallet if it were to surface.
LOL. That would perpetuate the “43 == bad high-ISO” since Feveons also have problems at ISO 800 and up.
I don’t need a video all I want is a better cam I can used my trusty epl1 always for video but the fuji is tempting offer at 1000 but vs d7000 lol
And one more thing the sensor is like the rumor of panasonic 3 layer sensor… If this SD1 will come out next year this will be a trail and error unit of pana and olympus
If Oly did m43 with Foveon, I’d give it a go! But Sigma is terrible at speed of their releases, and I’m finding Oly rumors to be unreliable, so I’ll chalk this one up to wishful thinking, but I’d be happy to eat crow at some point.
Admin, would it be too much trouble to make the comments moderated? I know you are already spending many hours on this “hobby”, but honestly some comments are just too vulgar. As an example, the comments on “the online photographer” website can be a good example.
Sorry to ask you to spend eve more time, but it’s your site and honestly comments like this will drive away some traffic.
haha, if really they secretly shake hand with Sigma and this rumor site shout it out loud to Panasonic , what do you their partnership would be?!!! Oly will the one be damned!
Panasonic is not Apple. They won’t throw a hissy fit if one of their customers finds an alternate supplier.
If it grows the market, all the better for them.
However, I don’t see m43 being a good fit for a Foveon. Short flange distance and stacked photosites may not get along. Also, the high ISO performance (already a m43 weakness) is not great on Foveon so far, although there’s always hope it will improve. I have seen some nice pushed DP1 pictures, though.
43 would be a better fit, but sadly, the format is for all intents and purposes dead. No more lenses means that Oly has pulled the plug on the life support, and it would be folly for Sigma to try and resurrect it by themselves.
Obviously (IMO) the two biggest annoucements and surprises from photokina 2010….i want them both…
Rumors != News.
If this were a news site, it would be called http://www.four-thirds.org/news.
Sometimes rumors are wrong. Get over it.
if there is ever a 4/3 or micro43 with that sensor, I will buy one for sure.
Thank you Admin for posting a nice mix of reviews, news, RUMORS , etc. I love that Fuji design. If it takes AWESOME photos, I will be interested.
ANd thanks for getting rid of that nutjob “Tom”. No one needs to hear that stuff.
1000USD! Hurray!
I think the 11 AF points are telling us anythin. Pentax has 11 points arranged the same way and so do some other cameras.
Nice to see how today’s Foveon sensors are like. Olympus is certainly stuck with Panasonic sensors ATM.
aren’t
Sigma has taken me by surprise. I am sure that their new primes (50mm & 85mm) on this body will produce stunning images. I am not sure whether or not I should switch from my beloved L1 to something else. But if I do, I will most certainly look into the SD-1.
I’d like to have a E-5 with x3 sensor. this way the balance between 12mpx and resolution would be ok. in my business I always do bracketing and HDR, with a natural look as a goal. the x3 sensor would fit very well but not with the Sigma lenses but with Olympus high grade ones.
I also think x3 video output would be excellent (as good as Sony F35 or better). it would have to be packed in a much better codec than mpeg2 or h264 to be able to capture the smooth gradations without banding. resizing 46mpx and converting to video seems like a big task for the today’s cameras. a 4k, 2k or even HD sensor based on x3 technology is something many wish for. actually a windowed 4800 would make a nice 4k. another Red company would have to come up and solve this problem.
Thank you!
Thanks you!
The Sigma looks great, does’t it? Very nice. Can’t wait for a full review.
wow … pics of the fujifilm x100 from photokina in my flickr contacts 🙂
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chiif/sets/72157624878100883/
> Fuji FinePix X100.
Was there, seen it. Prototype without a sensor. It was standing on a tripod – and nobody was allowed to go hands on with it. Too soon to say anything.
> The new Sigma SD1
Was behind the glass. No hands on. About as large as the E-30.
The perfect camera will be Olympus-setting-Cropped-SD1-Foveon, to be frank Foveon need telecentric lenses which Zuiko (not M.Zuiko) can offer.
Let’s do more dreaming 🙂
An Olympus made m43 body using Foveon sensor with sensor shifting IS, to go with 14-35 SHG lens with an m43-to-43 adapter which is AF-able, WHAT A DREAM!