The Digital Camera Store

Written on the 2010-08-30

rating of 5.0

Use to run the digital imaging dept for a major ad agency, now retired. I was looking for a digital camera to replace my old Fuji digital outfit and I was always like the Sigma brand of lenses ( We had a couple of them at work.) so I looked into the Sigma and was amazed at the quality of the samples I downloaded. I then purchase a SD 14 outfit. When I first opened the first shots in Photoshop I was a little dismayed on the low pixel count but when I made a 11X14 print my anxiety disappeared. The saturation and fine detail is amazing. It must be seen in the flesh to be believed. The quality is equal or better then any 14 meg camera I've seen. My best description of the camera would be "the digital version of Kodachrome film". the only cons (Although not for me.) might be it is a somewhat slow, no make that a deliberate camera, not suited for quick action photography.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-02-22

rating of 4.0

This camera is not for everyone. The context of the technology into which the Foveon sensor is placed is not a very good one. This means things like ISO, white balance, and user interface will look downright horrid to those who are used to the technology of the big two camera companies. The truth of the matter is that because of this, the SD14 is a niche camera-- it's not meant for all shooting situations. When used in those situations which it is good for, it produces amazing results. It has many weaknesses, but if you use it for things like its film-like bokeh, ability to capture texture, and blatant crispness, you can produce stunning images better than those any Bayer mosaic sensor camera has ever produced. If you use it outside of those situations, you may be disappointed with your results. A good post processor is highly recommended.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-01-06

rating of 4.0

Nice camera, well built even built better than my Nikon D40X or my friends D5000. It has its shortcomings like slower buffer, sluggish in low lights, not good auto white balance, weird control settings and only compact flash memory. It needs that personal attention when wanting that wonderful shot another words you got to work at your photographs but it really shines when you get things right. All in all I love it yet I hate it when the color balance is off or the exposure could have been better so you need to take your time and fine tune your settings. I find it a joy to shoot because it has a solid feel, it's heavier better dampen mirror slap and quieter than my Nikon. The viewfinder also has a cleaner brighter focusing screen inside. I love the concept of the removal IR absorbing filter so you can shoot Infrared without a conversion yet I find it more of a challenge to gain a good IR image than using the Sony F717 or V3 point and shoots. But do not dismay there are many great IR photographers out there using Sigmas and getting great IR images...
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-10-05

rating of 5.0

The Sigma SD14 is hands down one of the best dSLRs on the market! But, it is not for the beginner or novice shooter! It has no auto modes or fancy shooting modes, just the bare basics a Professional needs! Resolution is on par with a Canon 5D full frame sensor camera. Color reproduction is unmatched thanks to the FoveonX3 sensor technology capturing all RGB colors instead of interpolating(guessing) at 2 of the three colors per photosite. Dynamic range on the SD14 is quite simply, insane! It is almost impossible to blow highlights as the data is till there and they can be recovered easily. It is best to overexpose your images by at least +.7EV. Because the SD14's one downfall is the nasty color blotching in seriously underexposed areas. <br /> <br />Another superb feature of the SD14 is the ability for the user to remove the cut pass filter and turn the camera into a full time IR(infrared) camera with the addition of an IR filter to the lens. Or shoot without IR filter for IR+VIS light imaging. <br /> <br />If you are a B&W shooter, then the SD14 is also for you!! It is amazing in B&W due to the superb Dynamic Range(DR). <br /> <br />But colors are, of course, phenomenal! No issues with red or shades of red like Bayer based sensor cameras(Canon, Nikon, etc.) have! All colors are recorded on each photosite, therefore true colors are reproduced. <br /> <br />While the SD14 can do sports, I would look elsewhere for a fast paced lower light sports camera. I don't mind the SD14 for this because I am used to manual film cameras for shooting sports, lol. <br /> <br />But, for portraiture, weddings, product photography, macros, nature, wildlife, etc. it is hard to beat the SD14. For landscapes, it is next to impossible to beat it short of a medium format digital camera. <br /> <br />The SD14 CAN do tethered shooting just fine, do it all the time with my laptop. :). <br /> <br />The Sigma ProPhoto software is also very top notch, very much like Lightroom. <br /> <br />For conventional lenses you are stuck with Sigma, but that is NOT a bad thing!! Sigma makes some of the ebst consumer and professional lenses on the market! You can also purchase a low cost M42 thread mount adapter and use any older M42 screw mount lenses on your SD14 in manual focus, but still with focus lock confirmation. :). There are also other adapters to convert the SD14's SD mount to another brand's mount. <br /> <br />My only true complaint is the odd blotching in seriously underexposed areas when you try to recover them and the somewhat flimsy battery door. Other then that the SD14 gets my full recommendations and kudos! <br /> <br />I only gave it 3 stars for ease of use because most novice or beginning shooters will find it having a large learning curve because of it not having any of the auto and scene modes on it. <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-09-24

rating of 5.0

Sigma SD14's were expensive when they first came out, but I just couldn't resist when price dropped below $300, too bad price has gone back up again lately. <br />For a digital camera of this calibre, and like most other high end digital cameras, shooting RAW and processing it properly will give you the best results, however its JPG files are really quite excellent as well as long as you know how to adjust WB, exposure, and other parameters correctly to your liking according to the shooting conditions. <br />Controls are very intuitive, straight forward, and easy to use, many testers complain about the "one-way" user interface but trust me, after using it just a couple of weeks you will have it easily memorized and you will know exactly what comes next. Those who complain are simply unfamiliar with its controls. <br />This is not a camera for beginners, you really do need to practice sound photographic techniques to get the most out of it, also using Sigma's top the line EX lenses will certainly help bring the most out of its unique Foveon X3 sensor. <br />Sigma SD14 is a really unique product, currently there is really nothing in the market place quite like it. It is not a product designed for the masses, but a product designed by and for lovers of photography. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-08-21

rating of 5.0

I purchased this camera to use as backup but I was impressed enough that I puchased a second to use as my main and a backup, The camera does have some short comings, it is slower than I would like and you do have to allow for that but the picture quality is second to none.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-05-27

rating of 1.0

I was very, very excited about this camera when I ordered it. An underdog, it seemed to be getting great reviews here, and it's backed by a good name in lenses. Excitement turned to disappointment once I started reviewing the images it captured. I sent it back after less than a week, dissatisfied. <br /> <br />I shot everything at the 4.7MP setting, using Sigma's 17-70mm lens (the same lens that turns out great photos on friends' Canon and Nikon bodies). This was the first DSLR I've owned, but I'm comfortable with manual film SLRs and I've spent time with borrowed Canon Rebel XT and XTis. This camera was to be an upgrade to my Fuji S602 Zoom, a nice but outdated SLR-ish point-and-shoot with a 3MP sensor. <br /> <br />The no-frills controls were great--two dials is definitely the way to go. The camera is heavy in hand, but not unmanageable. Great orange-backlit LCD on top of the camera for reviewing settings, though the backlight sometimes wouldn't engage. <br /> <br />Autofocus was slower than the Canon system, but fast enough for me. The delay between the shutter release and the LCD image review was too long, sometimes a few seconds. <br /> <br />As for image quality, I was never able to capture a sharp image with this camera. I took around 100 photos, most indoors and a few outside in the rain, and every one of them lacked the detail I've seen in other samples online. Soft edges everywhere. <br /> <br />In addition, the camera's auto white balance was terrible. I could shoot at a white sheet of paper under incandescent lighting and wind up with a strong yellow cast. Not even a calibrated custom white balance setting could compensate for this fault. Even my Epson digicam from 2000 had better on-camera white balance. <br /> <br />Now, white balance isn't so important if you're shooting in RAW. Sigma's own Photo Pro software doesn't work on my platform (Linux), nor did I expect it to. I tried RAW a few times, but the dcraw and ufraw processing tools that work well for Canon's RAWs have a bug that adds green banding to Sigma images. Ordinarily, this would be fine; I don't mind shooting in JPEG most of the time. But, coupled with the camera's white balance problems that aren't easily correctable in JPEG, I couldn't produce usable photos without full-spectrum lighting. <br /> <br />Thinking the softness might be in my head, I tried the SD14 side-by-side with the Canon XTi (with the 18-35mm kit lens) and the Fuji S602 Zoom. I photographed a photo calendar on a wall about 3' away under bright soft white lighting at 100 ISO (160 on the Fuji, its lowest setting), shooting handheld. The Canon and Fuji turned out acceptable images, and the Sigma's were soft and yellow. <br /> <br />To stack the odds in the Sigma's favor, I even tried shooting RAW (colors be damned), putting the camera on a tripod, using mirror lockup, and focus bracketing (!!) in case the autofocus was miscalibrated or something. It didn't seem to make much of a difference. Even with all those additional precautions, I got better image definition from the handheld 3MP Fuji and better overall image quality from the XTi. I can believe and accept that the XTi might be capable of creating better images, but I couldn't believe the SD14 had trouble matching my rusty trusty Fuji. <br /> <br />I started with really high hopes and an open mind, but this camera just couldn't perform for me.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-05-23

rating of 4.0

The Sigma Sd14 is a digital single-lens-reflex with interchangeable lenses. On first impression the Sigma SD14 is a big clunky camera; wider and taller than the Canon XTi, and XSi, and much much bigger than the Panasonic G1. However, it doesn't feel extremely heavy which makes me think that it's mostly plastic. It does give the overall feeling that it was designed for people with big hands, but in practice, while a fist-full, the controls fell nicely under my fingers--a comfortable grip that balances well. The 2.5 inch LCD screen, 150,000 pixels, is coarse and barely adequate for seeing the histogram and exposure info. The stop-down preview button is excellent, as is the QS (quick-set) button which makes it easy and fast to alter ISO, Format, and White Balance. The viewfinder is very clear and bright, and I really like Sigma's choice of placement for the Drive and Mode Dials at top. I was surprised at how well-dampened the camera was for vibration and noise. <br /> <br />Image quality: Highly detailed, rich, nuanced color. Usually amazingly beautiful. Even stunning at times. I find myself wowed by its quality, depending on the lens. The Foveon sensor loves light and I found a big difference in the midtone tonalities just by adjusting from ISO 200 to 100. In sunlight at ISO 100 midtones are silky-smooth; but shooting at ISO 200 on an overcast day produced big, ugly, blotchy noise patterns in the midtones and shadows. (Here the Sigma DP1 is superior at ISO 200 and even 400.) Limiting oneself to shooting at ISO 100 especially when the camera lacks image-stabilization (only available in certain Sigma lenses) is annoying. Hopefully noise issues will be fixed with the new TRUE II processor in the Sigma SD15. <br /> <br />My gripes: Autofocus isn't always accurate; the "C" Dial (command Dial) collar surrounding the shutter release is WAY too stiff for single-finger pressure to change aperture/shutter speed/exposure-override combinations which require pressure from thumb-at-the-back and turning the dial at front. It felt awkward. (The design of the Canon Rebel series or the Panasonic G1 is superior in this respect.) The SD14 dial seems like it was designed for someone wearing gloves, which is strange because the camera is not weather-sealed for extreme temperatures. And processing shots is VERY slow. About 5-to-7 seconds (!) to save a RAW file, and if you shoot a burst of six-shots in RAW it takes a whopping 40 seconds to process all of them (30 seconds for JPEG burst). And while it's processing the camera is disabled. If you shoot one, then another, as "single-shots" you may not feel the pinch until you exceed the sixth shot. This is NOT the camera for sports or photo-journalism. <br /> <br />All in all, the Sigma is the "only game in town" if you want the Foveon sensor quality. (I find the Sigma DP1 to be faster at processing RAW files than the SD14.) Would I buy it again? Yes. The quality of its stunning images is unsurpassed (IMHO) but I'm definitely looking forward to improvements in the SD15.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-05-21

rating of 4.0

The Sigma Sd14 is a digital single-lens-reflex with interchangeable lenses. On first impression the Sigma SD14 is a big clunky camera; wider and taller than the Canon XTi, and XSi, and much much bigger than the Panasonic G1. However, it doesn't feel extremely heavy which makes me think that it's mostly plastic. It does give the overall feeling that it was designed for people with big hands, but in practice, while a fist-full, the controls fell nicely under my fingers—a comfortable grip that balances well. The 2.5 inch LCD screen, 150,000 pixels, is coarse and barely adequate for seeing the histogram and exposure info or to gauge the quality of your capture. The stop-down preview button is excellent, as is the QS (quick-set) button which makes it easy and fast to alter ISO, Format, and White Balance. The viewfinder is very clear and bright, and I really like Sigma's choice of placement for the Drive and Mode Dials at top. I was surprised at how well-dampened the camera was for vibration and noise.<br /><br />Image 'quality': Highly detailed, rich, nuanced color. Usually amazingly beautiful. Even stunning at times. I find myself wowed by its quality. The Foveon sensor loves light and I found a big difference in the midtone tonalities just by adjusting from ISO 200 to 100. In sunlight at ISO 100 midtones are silky-smooth; but shooting at ISO 200 on an overcast day produced big, ugly, blotchy noise patterns in the midtones and shadows. (Here the Sigma DP1 is superior at ISO 200 and even 400.) Limiting oneself to shooting at ISO 100 especially when the camera lacks image-stabilization (only available in certain Sigma lenses) is annoying. Hopefully noise issues will be fixed with the new TRUE II processor in the Sigma SD15.<br /><br />My 'gripes': Autofocus isn't always accurate; the "C" Dial (command Dial) collar surrounding the shutter release is WAY too stiff for single-finger pressure to change aperture/shutter speed/exposure-override combinations which require pressure from thumb-at-the-back and turning the dial at front. It felt awkward. (The design of the Canon Rebel series or the Panasonic G1 is superior in this respect.) The SD14 dial seems like it was designed for someone wearing gloves, which is strange because the camera is not weather-sealed for extreme temperatures. And processing shots is VERY slow. About 5-to-7 seconds (!) to save a RAW file, and if you shoot a burst of six-shots in RAW it takes a whopping 40 seconds to process all of them (30 seconds for JPEG burst). And while it's processing the camera is disabled. If you shoot one, then another, as "single-shots" you may not feel the pinch until you exceed the sixth shot. This is NOT the camera for sports or photo-journalism.<br /><br />All in all, the Sigma is the "only game in town" if you want the Foveon sensor quality. (I find the Sigma DP1 to be faster at processing RAW files than the SD14.) Would I buy it again? Yes. The quality of its stunning images is unsurpassed (IMHO) but I'm definitely looking forward to improvements in the SD15.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2009-04-19

rating of 5.0

First-class product (Sigma sd14 camera) at a give-away price. At age 72, one of the best buys to ever present itself to me.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-03-26

rating of 5.0

this is a complicated camera to operate and it takes an effort to maximize its abilities. <br /> <br />but, when you "tame the beast" the results provide an amazing payback for your efforts.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-03-03

rating of 5.0

Impressive does not begin to contend for the image quality and color that this camera can produce. I know people who have digital slr ranging from nikon d40 and canon xt to the nikon d3 series and canon 1d series and have loved the quality some of these cameras can create. But when it comes to landscape and studio photography (mainly what I do) this can contend with anything from canon or nikon. My dad who just got a canon 40d for 3x the price was amazed as I was at the stunning clarity and quality. The Foveon sensor lives up to what others say about capturing color. <br /> <br />There are a couple of things that could use some work though, night shooting and the slow and small buffer. As others have also noted these issues also, but this does not effect my shooting since I do landscape and studio photography and there my experience has been almost unrivaled picture quality and the price is so low (means save money for more expensive lenses), thus I gave it the 5 stars easily. <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-28

rating of 5.0

The Foveon chip gives excellent color rendition, the built in flash is handy, camera is easy to use and I have made 13x19 prints with excellent sharpness (OK image size is only 12 x 18 but I have also cropped a smaller area of a 'larger ' print . This is the second sigma digital camera I owned ( previously owned a SD10 ). Would I like to see other features sure, I'd like interchangable finders ( I was weaned on an ExactaVX . Maybe a 18 Mpixel chip<br />also I'd like to see Sigma and foveon come out with a mid size camera ala Pracktica 6x6 w/ 45 Mpixel rez HLG
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2009-01-26

rating of 5.0

Matched with a good quality lens, this camera can give you extremely sharp photos. However, as is true with all (d)SLRs, it isn't for casual photographers---just serious amateurs and pros.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2009-01-06

rating of 5.0

You should get one, if you want to get yourself to a different place. Yes, a place where you cannot rush, you're forced to slow down, to work out, to think. The lower the price of this camera, the more convinced you should be that you will not be able to be always fast and precise, and to deliver always great with it. I think this is the point. <br /> <br />That's why my overall satisfaction is a 5 stars, and that's a very high rating considering that sometimes the shutter button gets stuck and that at high ISO the performance is really outrageous (forget about resolution/tone above 400). Sometimes you can get really disappointed, as much as sometimes you feel good with the job you have done. Not just for the pictures, but for the fact that once you get the camera in your hands you know that something is going to change and you must stop while all around everything keeps running.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-12-07

rating of 5.0

I'm a Nikon user. Have been since 1992. I just bought the SD14 with lens package here on Amazon. I only shoot RAW, whether it be Nikon or in this case Sigma. <br /> <br />If final image quality is ultimately your biggest priority, then the SD14 is a winner. The Foveon sensor is just incredible. I expect it to get even better in the future as Sigma has bought the Foveon corporation. <br /> <br />I received my SD14, and the next day, at 7:30am, went out to a local marina and shot 150 or so photos. Spent the rest of the day in Sigma Photo Pro software tweaking each keeper. The final results are simply stunning. <br /> <br />I own 2 Nikon bodies and 15 or so Nikon lenses. I'm going to hold on to them for awhile, but ultimately, I think I'll end up being a Sigma guy. <br /> <br />Ok, so the SD14 will have some downsides for most people. But not me. My Nikon D300 must have hundreds of settings. The SD14 has only a few. It is a pretty simple camera. So, if you like hundreds of options(and more control), then stick with Nikon or Canon or whatever. Also, mainstream software choices are limited to Sigma Photo Pro and Adobe Bridge or Lightroom. <br /> <br />But, man, if your goal is to shoot some photos and get great results with RAW, then try the SD14. <br /> <br />Pros: <br />Stunning photo quality after tweaking. The colors just pop. <br />Easy to use and powerful Sigma supplied software. <br />Simple in-camera menu <br />Few options to mess with(could be a negative for more advanced photographers) <br /> <br />Negatives: <br />Slow autofocus <br />Small buffer <br />Clunky body <br />Not really 14MP. More like 9MP.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-11-19

rating of 5.0

I have took pictures in RAW mode with Minolta A2, Leica V-LUX 1 and SD14 is very best!!!<br />Not only the colors but deep details too.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2008-11-17

rating of 4.0

This is a truly amazing and different breed of DSRL on market. It should not be your first DSLR to buy because it is not an all around camera to use (IMO). If you are planning to buy your first DSLR, Nikon D60 or Canon XSi should be a better choice since that's what they're designed for. <br />The Sigma SD14 has a very unique image sensor (Foveon X3) that can produce a very sharp and beautiful color image under sufficient lighting. However under dim light, images could be disappointed due to high noise and grainy. Using Sigma's own Photo Processing software to process the RAW (X3F) files is truly joyful. <br />The SD14 is a big improvement over the previous models (SD9 and 10) on design. The camera body feel very comfortable in the hand, shutter noise is nice and quiet, much improved battery system, a build-in flash... Besides, when you take off Sigma's unique dust protection filter on the body and add an infrared filter on the front of the lens, you can turn the SD14 into an IR ready camera and open up a whole new photography field. <br />Sigma is planning to have a new SD15 coming out soon so the SD14 has drop to an unbelievable price. It is really a joyful camera to use but remember that it has it's own drawbacks. Also you might find the choice of lenses are kind of limited. That's why I don't recommend it as your first DSLR.
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-10-26

rating of 5.0

I own a Canon 5D and Nikon D3 and my Sigma SD14's image quality is on par with both of these cameras. <br /><br />However,... <br /><br />... it does have a few shortfalls. Such as: <br /><br />1. In low light conditions,... shadows will have "blotchy" noise and speckles of magenta compared to the same shot taken with a 5D/D3 at the same ISO settings. This can even happen in daylight conditions where there is a very wide dynamic range. The SD14 will expose correctly for the image, but the deep shadows will at times fail to render details in the shadows and those blotchy/magenta characteristics will appear. <br />2. Poorer AWB in mixed lighting than the 5D/D3. <br />3. Small buffer. If you need to keep up with action (sports, etc..), then you will be disappointed that after a burst of 6-8 shots the camera will lock up and take 5-20 seconds to write all that data to the card. And faster CF cards won't help. It is the buffer. The fact is that the processing is complicated and does not process quickly for fast shooting environments. Yes it will shoot 3fps, but the buffer is so small that you only get a little over a handful of shots and then the camera needs time to process that burst. <br /><br />The positives? <br /><br />1. ISO 50-200 in daylight conditions is spectacular. I prefer the SD14 over my 5D/D3 up to 200 ISO. <br />2. Image sharpness is amazingly crisp and has a 3D type feel that you can only appreciate if you have shot with this camera and a Canon/Nikon in the same shooting conditions. I have done so from the same tripod to compare shots taken with similar lenses in the same lighting conditions and can attest to the differences. <br />3. You can use Canon speedlites to use within wireless ETTL setups. I have two Sigma EF 500 DG flash units and three Canon 580EX II speedlights. I set the Canon's to ETTL slaves and the two sigma's to wireless and then the camera to wireless. You can set all of the flash units to either channel 1, 2 or 3, then match that with the camera's channel output to fire off all the flashes. The camera meters properly using this mix of flash units. I found all this out by accident. I was testing out the 5D and wireless flash setup VS. the SD14 and wireless flash setup. I had left the 2 Canon speedlights on while I fired off the SD14's and expected only the sigma EF 500 DG units to fire. The canons did as well and the SD14 metered for all four properly. <br /><br />I'd have to go further into details to review all the pros and cons. I'll just say that as a 5D and D3 owner, the SD14 can hang in image quality. And in good daylight environments I prefer it to the IQ of either the 5D or D3. The SD14 is at a minimum, on par with both respectively and often trumps those two when lighting is strong. <br /><br />Also, the dynamic range of the SD14 seems to be wider than reported. I don't know why. In lightroom I'm amazed at the amount of details I can recover in the highlights VS. 5D/D3. Maybe it is the fact that because the SD14 captures R,G,B on each pixel, those hightlights are of better quality and it is able to pull those details out of the highlights for that reason. I don't know. It just "is what it is". <br /><br />Well worth the purchase. The far lower price point makes up for it's low light performance. Using flash or strong daylight environments, the SD14 can hang with ANY $2000-$5000 DSLR. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-08-24

rating of 5.0

I bought an SD14 [...] and the 18-50mm lens (from B&H!) exclusively for shooting IR. I suspect that the SD14 does take excellent "normal" photos at 100-200 ISO, but what it does really well is take excellent IR photos.Configuring the SD14 for IR photography is easy. You remove the lens, then remove the (fragile) "dust cover," which is also the camera's hot mirror. (Put the dust cover in something suitably protective, where it won't be broken or lost.) Voila, the SD14 is now ultrasensitive to IR. Pop on anything from a 25 to an 89-series filter and you're ready to go. The sensor is very sensitive to IR relative to visible light, and if all you have is a 25 or 29 you will be fine - it's like shooting with HIE instead of one of the more limited response films that are still available. Shooting with an 87 or 89 has the acute disadvantage of having nothing but blackness in the viewfinder - a 29 is probably just fine for most purposes.At 100 ISO the images are clear and have very little noise. You can shoot through an 87 at around f/10, 1/60 sec in daylight (+/- umpteen stops, you know how IR is). The camera is *VERY* forgiving of overexposure when used to shoot B/W IR (I do my raw processing with Lightroom), which is wonderful, because again IR is such a fun-filled light for exposure.The camera focuses just fine with an opaque IR filter attached. I've shot the 18-50 at 50mm f/2.8 and it seems to produce in-focus IR shots. (It's certainly not going to produce something focused for visible light if there's none entering the lens.)I know it may seem like an extravagance to buy a body and lens just for shooting IR (I have a large closet full of EOS gear already), but then again, with the demise of HIE, and rolls going for [$] apiece [...], your options for long wavelength IR photography are limited. The best film alternative I've used is Rollei IR, and even though it's a relatively fast film, in order to get a moderate Wood effect you need to use an 87 filter, and that puts you at tripod speeds for many applications even in full daylight. With the SD14, you just point and shoot.I could have bought a used 10D or 20D and sent it off to be modified, but that wouldn't have been much cheaper than the SD14 with a dedicated lens. And with the SD14, you can pop the hot mirror back on (in 5-10 seconds) and turn it back into a normal visible light camera, which you can't do with a DSLR that has been modified.The camera is sensitive enough to IR that it works well with flash. You can use standard flash as-is, or cover the flash head with a visually opaque, IR-transmitting filter (a couple thicknesses of processed unexposed E-6 film should do the trick), the latter if you want to shoot in total darkness without a visible flash.The 18-50 works very well; I think I will spring for the 10-20 also.The camera seems to be well built. It's simple and easy to use and is devoid of frills.'Cons': As everyone mentions, the camera's buffer is slow. The battery life is not awesome. Ehhh, it doesn't matter so much when there's no other camera that compares for the purpose. Just buy an extra battery or two.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2008-08-15

rating of 4.0

Former pro, held off moving to digital because the IQ was just not the same as film. The 'look' of even high-end digital is nice, but not as smooth. All my lenses were old Nikon A.I. mounts, so effectively useless, and I was starting again from scratch. Then I tried this model. Totally satisfied now, and, generally speaking, digital (with this camera) is now as good as film.<br /><br />However, this is a pro-size camera (big), and has a stainless steel chassis (!), so it's heavy. It also is missing O-rings (so protect it in the rain), and has no scene mode automation (you have to know how to use a camera). Its generally a lot slower in overall usage than other cameras, so for pro work, where you may need to fall back on automation to ensure getting a spur-of-the-moment shot, this may not cut it, unless you're doing studio work. It would probably be bad for action photos too, and even at ISO200, you can see the tiniest beginnings of colour shift and noise, but its nearly imperceptible. At over 400 ISO, its completely unusable. This camera likes lots of 'light': as of the 1.07 firmware, you can do exposures to 2 minutes and also use ISO50, which is to die for with this camera. The newer firmware has pretty well fixed the AWB now in most situations too. When you're shooting super-saturated *pure* reds (little of any other colour in there), it tends to shift towards cyan, and needs editing to fix. You really want to shoot RAW with this camera. But it does have a '3D' effect to it, and just looks 'real', and has buttery smooth colour & tonal changes, and falls less a victim to chromatic aberration than non-Foveon sensor cameras. Incidentally, you can shoot RAW or JPEG, but the RAW has an embedded JPEG in it, and a lovely public domain utility is on the web to extract those automatically. You really shouldn't mind using RAW if you want to get the most out of this camera. If you get this camera, you can't call up your neighbour and ask to borrow a loaner flash or lens, because not many people have Sigma mounting accessories.<br /><br />I keep talking negatives, because I want to warn off those that might be displeased, but I love this camera. If you take your time to evaluate a scene and can provide enough light (buy bright lenses), the results will likely be nicer than with a Nikon D300D or Canon 5D. If you buy EX series lenses with this, you'll preserve the fantastic image quality, and you can compare it to high-end Canon L or Nikon glass. You can honestly upsample resolution afterwards (I'm not kidding) and get incredible 'quality': use the Sigma software, not the Adobe (at least until Adobe figures out how to properly deal with a non-Bayer image). If you need to edit portions of the image, extract a 16-bit TIFF and make your changes. I haven't been able to compare against the *very* top Canon and Nikon cameras, and if money was no object, I might still go for those, but the Sigma EX lenses of the last few years have been so darn good, that even though there's no price competition for the lenses, you can get an unbelievably good camera and glass for an unbelievably good price. If you have the time now to craft a good shot, and understand how a camera works, I can't recommend this highly enough. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there's a lot of people out there who will hate it for the reasons I've mentioned above. For its intended market though, it's definitely a 5-star product.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2008-08-10

rating of 5.0

I sold my Canon 40D and lenses (Including L glass) to fund my purchase of the Sigma SD14. I miss the low light ability and the all around speed of the 40D. I miss the superior battery life and the ability to shoot full frame (If I bought another camera body) with the same lenses that I invested in for the Canon. I miss the stable operation (No lock-ups) of the 40D. The Canon 40D is an excellent camera, and is hands down a highly recommended option for many people who are into photography, I really do miss it in many ways. <br /><br />But wait, this isn't a review of the Canon 40D, it is a review of the Sigma SD14. I would not trade back my SD14 with all of it's quirks (You must have read about them all if you got this far, and are interested in buying one) for the 40D. The reason is that when I look at my photos, I realize that nothing in my budget could get me anywhere near the quality of the images that I get from the SD14. I'm not a very good photographer, I'm still learning every day. But the learning experience is full of excitement with what this camera can produce. I don't care about all of what this camera cannot do when I sit down and have a look at what it can do- which is reward the effort of taking pictures with images that invoke everything from thoughts of "wow, did I really take that picture?" to a deep feeling in my gut that I really can one day arrive at my goal of producing images that reflect how I see the world. <br /><br />For those of you who can afford to add the SD14 to your current system- you are in a fortunate position to explore this little gem without giving up on the stronger points (High ISO, high speed, stability, etc.) of your current camera. <br /><br />For those of you who are thinking about getting started with digital SLR's, keep reading everything you can on the internet before making your decision, you will be giving up a lot of capabilities of the other camera systems, but if you have the same experience that I have had with the images, you may just find the SD14 to be the camera for you. <br /><br />For those of you (like me) who would have to sell their current camera and lenses to purchase the SD14, all I can say is- I'm not in a position to tell you if it is the right decision for you, but I don't regret it for a second. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-08-10

rating of 5.0

I sold my Canon 40D and lenses (Including L glass) to fund my purchase of the Sigma SD14. I miss the low light ability and the all around speed of the 40D. I miss the superior battery life and the ability to shoot full frame (If I bought another camera body) with the same lenses that I invested in for the Canon. I miss the stable operation (No lock-ups) of the 40D. The Canon 40D is an excellent camera, and is hands down a highly recommended option for many people who are into photography, I really do miss it in many ways.<br /><br />But wait, this isn't a review of the Canon 40D, it is a review of the Sigma SD14. I would not trade back my SD14 with all of it quirks (You must have read about them all if you got this far, and are interested in buying one) for the 40D. The reason is that when I look at my photos, I realize that nothing in my budget could get me anywhere near the quality of the images that I get from the SD14. I'm not a very good photographer, I'm still learning every day. But the learning experience is full of excitement with what this camera can produce. I don't care about all of what this camera cannot do when I sit down and have a look at what it can do- which is reward the effort of taking pictures with images that invoke everything from thoughts of "wow, did I really take that picture?" to a deep feeling in my gut that I really can one day arrive at my goal of producing images that reflect how I see the world.<br /><br />For those of you who can afford to add the SD14 to your current system- you are in a fortunate position to explore this little gem without giving up on the stronger points (High ISO, high speed, stability, etc.) of your current camera.<br /><br />For those of you who are thinking about getting started with digital SLR's, keep reading everything you can on the internet before making your decision, you will be giving up a lot of capabilities of the other camera systems, but if you have the same experience that I have had with the images, you may just find the SD14 to be the camera for you.<br /><br />For those of you (like me) who would have to sell their current camera and lenses to purchase the SD14, all I can say is- I'm not in a position to tell you if it is the right decision for you, but I don't regret it for a second.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2008-06-20

rating of 5.0

Don't let the price or the soothsayers and complainers even suggest that this isn't a great camera......it is simply different, and different in a better way! I came to this camera from a Nikon D2X primarily due to the high prices of Nikkor Lenses......and trust me, the Sigma SD14 for the price is the best value on the market today. Just don't plan on shooting JPEG's......even the Sigma literature will tell you that this camera and it's processor were designed for shooting in RAW mode. I am totally impressed with the results, the color, the clarity and the low light capabilities. The supplied software easily converts from RAW to JPEG and is easy to use once you get the hang of it......then you can do additional post-processsing with Adobe or other image software, The possibilities seem endless and the more I use it, the more I love it!
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2008-06-02

rating of 5.0

I am a long-time Sigma digital camera user. I have used an SD9 in my fine-art photography business for four years. When the SD-14 came out, I was figuring out how to budget for the $1500 purchase price of the new body, when its price started dropping. Imagine my surprise when I found it on AMAZON for a third of its original price! <br />The camera has had lukewarm to lousy reviews, largely because the reviewers of digital cameras want a camera to shoot at ASA 5000 at 8 frames per second. Of course they never show us any of the fabulous images they've shot under those conditions. <br />The Sigma is an honest camera, at ASA 100, 200 or 400, it shoots beautiful files with its unique Foveon chip. Printers, who reproduce the images I shoot, love my files because they are so clean and free of digital artifacts. <br />The increased file size from the SD9 is very welcome and Sigma has always had the best software in the business. Sigma lenses test out as fine as anything made by Canon or Nikon, and are, at times, superior. <br />My only complaint comes from the fact that an AC converter is not sold with the body. My SD9 came with one. Sigma will gleefully sell me one for $135, an outrageous price for a $35 dollar item. <br />The new Sigma is faster, has a bigger screen in the back, has a pop-up flash, a PC connection for external flash and is a joy to use. <br />At this price, and while they last, there is no better deal in photography. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)