I always found it interesting that reviewers at the time of the initial Sigma DP1 release in 2008 focused very much on the fact that it was an APS-C sized sensor in a small camera and even compared it to other small sensor cameras. This was definitely a very practical approach to camera reviewing and Sigma also mentioned this many times. The special Foveon look wasn't being given enough credit and rather seen negatively due to the shortcomings of the sensor and camera bodies. If you don't think the Foveon look is special, it is unlikely the camera would have any other redeeming qualities to illicit a purchase.
Going back a bit further, I recall 2 reasons why I wanted a Foveon camera way back. First, someone on RangeFinderForum had posted a beautiful picture of a night landscape which totally stunned me. The gradations were so smooth yet it was also colourful and detailed at the same time. I kept on looking at that picture over and over again. Unfortunately I cannot find the picture that I recall in my imagination but the feeling of looking at that image always stuck with me. Secondly, the photography and layout of the Sigma DP2 catalog was outstanding again with the mix of color, sharpness and smoothness that I believe is still unique today. The catalog for the DP2x is still available, however Sigma's old website content can only be accessed from the Wayback Machine.
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| Sigma DP2 catalog photos |
Why did I want a Sigma DP2, a 10+ year old 4.6 MP camera, in 2021? Truthfully I still have regrets from selling my Sigma DP2 Merrill so many years ago now and I wanted a bit more Foveon in my life. Recently in Hong Kong, younger people have started taking up film again and prices for cheap point and shoot cameras have risen dramatically. That got my attention as I really enjoyed my film experience but the hassle of processing was just too great. The Foveon sensors are known for providing a much more film-like digital experience for both colour and black and white.
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| My new camera |
One day while browsing the local classifieds, I came across this well used example for a reasonable price. My workhorse Panasonic GX7 has now been benched for the the near term as I experiment with this camera. So far the Sigma DP2 has been a lot of fun to use and the images are holding up with that special look of colour, sharpness and smoothness. Could the same be achieved by other cameras today? Most likely yes by reworking images of 16 MB+ with downscaling and colour adjustments. Computational photography on mobile phones is excellent and in many cases exceed the quality of the DP2 especially in less ideal conditions. However in just the right setting, there is just a special look to the Foveon images that's hard to match in other cameras, like when using film.
There are just not many resources available anymore for this camera and I feel it is worth preserving some user knowledge about this camera. The content has been divided into 3 sections:
- camera talking about the camera hardware
- images sharing photos
- settings getting the most of the Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro
This site was incepted August 27, 2021.