Sigma DP1 Digital Camera

Having read all the reviews I went ahead & bought a new DP1. I thought very carefully about what I wanted this camera to help me do: architecture & landscape. In context I have a Canon 5D & Ricoh GX100.

Here are my random thoughts:

- I was genuinely surprised that it is not only well built but feels that way too. It's a bit 'slippy' - probably because I haven't got used to holding it yet & am treating it unnecessarily carefully

- I like the simple clean styling - to my eyes it is not tacky, not showy, or boastful. I admire the design.

- The first time I clicked the flash unlock button I nearly dropped it - the loud clunk is lovely & mechanical (made me smile anyway)

- I like the way the lens cap fits on - it's the pedant in me that likes the idea that the name has to line up

- The power-on button reminds me of a long gone Canon 35mm film camera - sort of metal & big & mechanical (I like that). And mine makes a sort of endearing noise as the lens extends. A sort of 'I'm getting the lens out but it will take as long as I need'

- Outside when the sun shines the DP1 LCD is a little weak. And reviewing my shots is a little more challenging. Setting it to 'bright' looks quite washed out.

- I played around with a few of the buttons & smiled at some that were clearly labelled with white letters & others that just had a very small icon stamped into the button

- I dived into the menu & played around having paid no attention to the manual - & I did get it a bit wrong but muddled through after a short while. I got puzzled as to how to set RAW but was just being impatient & conditioned by menu structures from my other cameras

- I tried the manual focus mode - by the way I like cameras doing automatic stuff for me - which is probably why I get dissatisfied with the photos I take because I trust them much. I like the dial & the scale on the LCD - maybe I'll get to actually control my camera for a change :-) & stop being so lazy

- As has been said the DP1 is not a point & shoot compact camera - more of a 'think-point-check-think-shoot'

- Noticed a little feature - as it's about to lock focus the LCD image kinda shakes for a moment - now whether that is intentional I know not but I find it useful outside when the bleeper is turned off.

- When I did some candid shots in the shopping areas, guess what - no one noticed me & that small black box cos it doesn't shout 'I'm a camera'

- When I tried to do a bit of an action shot of a tube train coming into a station - not exactly a speedy thing as it was slowing down but I missed the moment. So no chance of taking photos of my 5 year old son then!

- My 8Gb class 6 memory card sucked up the bits quite quickly & I wasn't slowed down by the relatively long write times - you just need to be patient.

- The prime 28mm is not a limitation for me - I just move myself instead instead of having a zoom

Annoying stuff:
- First is the rubber flappy bit over the DP1 connectors - it doesn't flap back enough & I may end up biting it off in rage.

- Then there's the choice of the very mini USB connector when everything else I have uses the more usual size

- The software to convert RAW needs work - especially on my MAC where it look poor in comparison to other apps.

- RAW format is proprietary - you have to use the software provided or use JPG

The Pictures

Detailed, colourful, smooth & lovely - put some effort into the DP1 & it will reward you with the best you've ever seen from a compact camera.

I bought this to take wide angle landscapes and sometimes as a "street camera". The resolution is very high thanks to a CMOS chip. To get the same quality from anything else you'd have to carry a huge DSLR, which I hate. The lens is fixed at 28mm in 35mm terms, so if you are a zoomaholic, you'll hate it. It's a bit like carrying a light 35mm rangefinder film camera such as an Olympus RD, but with a wide lens, although the lens is only f4 and there is no viewfinder, so it's more like the wide 50s 120 folder that never existed. You can fit Sigma's own viewfinder at a truly astronomical "I saw you coming" price but I use an old KMZ turret finder. I've given it "good" rather than "excellent" because of the pathetically overblown price of accessories. The results are stunning in terms of accurate colour and detail, and what I call the impact of the lens. (I won't use the pretentious word bokeh.) Not since the Planar on my Rolleiflex, etc. It's the exact opposite of a piece of shiny pink metallic plastic for disco donkeys. Yes, it takes RAW images. Some report that the battery can drain itself. I have had no such problems. Perhaps it's about updating the firmware. If you read German you might get one new for 200 Euro or so on eBay. I have great hopes for mine.