January 03, 2021

Sigma Photo Pro recommended settings

What is Sigma Photo Pro?

"SIGMA Photo Pro is an exclusive software package for displaying and manipulating RAW images taken with all SIGMA digital cameras on your computer." The application is available for both Windows and Mac users.

It is not the only application that has to be used with X3F files. For the original Sigma DP2, other options include Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Photo, RawTherapee, and SILKYPIX. It is worth noting upfront that SPP does not include normal features you would expect from a RAW processor such as custom white balance, fine rotation, or cropping. However it tends to work better than the other applications at performing the initial processing especially with the unique Fill Light adjustment.

If critical work is required, the files can be exported as TIFFs for further processing. I tend to use SPP to export to JPEG and I am usually happy with the results.

Resources

  • The latest version can be downloaded from Sigma
  • Scott Barton Kennelly has a number of resources available on his Sigma Photo Pro site
  • Sigma had also produced a 5 part series on Sigma Photo Pro 6. Although some of the contents relate to the Sigma Quattro cameras, this provides a good look on initial settings and user interface.
  • Sigma provide a User Manual as part of the installation. It is well organized and explains most of the functions and settings in Sigma Photo Pro.

    Main Window tips

    Sigma Photo Pro is not the easiest software to use. I wanted to highlight some tips to make learning the software easier. The application is split between the Main Window and Review Window.

    • Main Window is like Windows Explorer for your X3F files
    • Review Window is where the image processing takes place. The Main Window must be open in order for Review Window to be used.
    • Review Window can be opened by opening the X3F file through the Main Window.
    • It is also opened by default when a file is opened from your computer (e.g. Explorer).
    • If "Do not open Review Window automatically when" is on (see Preference Settings), when a file is first opened, Sigma Photo Pro will open and will select the file you want to open. Unfortunately it does not automatically scroll to the file. To open this file directly without finding it in the list, you can click "Open New Review Window" in the top right corner.
    • Main Window allows for the batch conversion of JPEG files, this is best done with saving the desired photo settings into the X3F file (see below)
    Main Window Preference Settings

    The usage of the Main Window should be relatively self-explanatory. For the Main Window there are a number of preferences to note. These are the settings most relevant to the Sigma DP1 and DP2 (non-Merrill non-Quattro) cameras.

    • Display the splash screen: Off
    • Do not open Review Window automatically when: On
      • This will prevent the Review Window opening automatically when opening a file from your computer (e.g. Explorer). If Main Window is not open yet, it will open Main Window open already, 
    • Display size of letters and icons: Large (150%)
    • Activate Lens Data Auto Update: Off
      • There are no lens profiles for these cameras
    • Register Copyright Information: Off
      • "Only X3I files, X3F files created using the dp Quattro series or sd Quattro series, and DNG files created using SIGMA fp series."
    • Applicable adjustment setting(X3F/DNG): Apply previous setting
      • This retains adjustment settings when flipping between images
      • The reason not to choose Apply default or Apply auto settings is because those are easily done with a click of one button. However recreating the previous adjustments may take a lot of work.
    • Use extra memory to accelerate operation: On
    • High speed processing: Off
      • "This function is applicable to the X3I files and the X3F files taken by dp Quattro cameras as well as the sd Quattro series."
    • GPU Acceleration: On
    • Activate Auto Binning: Disable
      • "This function is only compatible with X3F files taken with sd Quattro series cameras at over ISO 800."

    Review window tips

    Review Window
    • It works best to have the Display Guide (Histogram, Navigation, Information) on the left and the Adjustment Mode Palette (all the photo settings) on the right. The process to adjust these panels is a bit fidgety and may require undocking the menus by clicking and dragging.
    • For the original Sigma DP2 (non-Merrill non-Quattro), settings such as Detail, Monochrome Mode, Tone Curve, Noise Reduction are not enabled
    • It is important to understand how Adjustment Mode (X3F, Auto, Custom) works:
      • This toggle is duplicated on the top of the Review Window as well as in the Adjustment Mode
      • X3F Mode: Use the adjustment settings that are saved in the X3F file
      • Auto Mode: Sigma Photo Pro will try to make some automatic adjustments
      • Custom Mode: The mode that is typically used. Once any adjustments are made from the Adjustment Mode Palette, Sigma Photo Pro will switch to this mode
    • It is also confusing there are two Saves, the round SAVE button and Save Settings
      • The round SAVE button will save the selected adjustments as updated parameters into the X3F file. In other words the X3F file will be modified. These can be reloaded by using the X3F Adjustment Mode.
      • Save Settings will create a profile that can be applied to other images via the drop down menu
      • For colour images, the main settings that I use are the Tonal Adjustments. The descriptions below are taken from the User Manual.
        • Exposure: "overall brightness of an image as if the original exposure had been changed"
        • Contrast: "blackness of the blacks and the whiteness of the whites"
        • Shadow: "blackness of the shadows"
        • Highlight: "brightness of the highlights"
        • Saturation: "intensity of the color in your image"
        • Sharpness: "clarity of detail in your image"
        • Fill Light: "adjust the brightness of an image by adding extra light energy to shadow regions without altering the exposure of highlighted regions"
      • My preferred post processing approach is as follows:
        • Adjust the overall Exposure first
        • Use the magical Fill Light feature to get the overall image brightness as desired
        • Adjust the Highlights and Shadows using the "Show Warnings" as a guide to see what information can be brought back into the file
        • I like to add a small degree of sharpening (+0.3) to make the images pop a little bit before the JPEG export
      • For cleaner black and white images at high ISO, there is a trick to use only the sensor's first colour layer (blue) and reducing the saturation. This can be done via the Color Adjustment and dragging the target ring to B 100.0 (straight left). However this requires additional work with the Tonal Adjustments to arrive at a reasonable image.
      • From the Review Window, useful keyboard shortcuts of note:
        • Next Image: Shift + →
        • Previous Image: Shift + ←
        • Show Warnings: Ctrl + H

      I tend to export JPEG files one at a time after processing. On a modern computer this is practically instantaneous for Sigma DP2 images. Merrill and Quattro images still take a while to process.