Sigma DP2 Has Arrived: Testing Commences More Thoughts on the Sigma DP2

Sigma DP2 Image Quality: The Wow Factor

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Posted by Patrick on Jun 17, 2009 in Cameras

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I managed to get away yesterday and hit one of my favorite spots for pictures, Bash Bish Falls. In tow, the Sigma DP2 and the Olympus E-620. This was my first outing with the DP2, so I was more than a little excited to see how it worked and what it could bring home. As a camera, the DP2 is very straight forward. If you’re a photographer you’ll know just what to do, beginners might be a bit confused (no “intelligent auto?”). Of course, this is a camera for photographers, everything about it seems oriented in that direction from the removable lens cap, the neck strap, fixed length f/2.8 lens, and simplistic design. The menu system is very basic, but effective. There’s a “quick screen” that I like for getting to ISO, metering, flash, and white balance settings. Picking an AF point is easy too, press the AF button, and you get a choice of 9 points. About that AF, it’s noisy but I’m not having any issues with it thus far (camera shipped with firmware 1.01). What you’ve heard about the LCD is true, you get the distinct feeling in the field that you might be missing out. When I got home to look at the images, my theory was quickly confirmed. The images opened up in the included Sigma Photo Pro are vivid and beautiful right out of the camera, there was a literal wow factor. Wow.

A few samples for you. These are all at f/8 and ISO 100. Processed very little using Sigma Photo Pro (exposure, fill, etc.). I highly recommend the full size images. Not one highlight blown by the way, thanks in part to the live histogram.