Sigma releases SD1 flagship digital SLR
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 06:00 GMT DPreview Photokina 2010: Sigma has announced the SD1 digital SLR, which uses a brand new 46Mp 1.5x crop Foveon X3 sensor (4800 x 3200 x 3 layers). Designed as the company's flagship camera, the SD1 has a weatherproof magnesium alloy body, 3" 460k dot LCD, and new 11-point twin-cross AF system. Image processing is in the hands of a 'Dual True II' engine that promises improved speed and image quality, and the camera is compatible with the full range of Sigma lenses.
Press Release: SD1 Digital SLR Camera Flagship digital SLR with 48.1 megapixel Foveon X3 sensor 46 megapixel 24×16mm APS-C sensor Lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy body Weather-resistant O-ring sealing connections Dual ‘TRUE II' image processing engines 11 Point Twin Cross AF Sensor The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new SIGMA SD1 Digital SLR Camera, incorporating a 46 megapixel 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor. The SIGMA SD1 is Sigma’s flagship digital SLR model, adopting a lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy for its body and O-ring sealing connections to make a weather-resistant design throughout for use in harsh conditions. The SIGMA SD1 incorporates a 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor and dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II” image processing engines. The combination of the 46 megapixel sensor and dual TRUE II processing engines ensure the high resolution images are processed quickly with high definition and smooth and subtle graduation of colour. The SD1 is SIGMA’s latest digital SLR camera which meets high requirements of professional and enthusiast photographers for all types of photography. SD1 Special site: www.SIGMA-SD.com/sd1 Product Summary 46 megapixel 24×16mm APS-C X3 Full-colour image sensor The 46 megapixel (4,800×3,200×3 layers) 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor featured in the Sigma SD1 captures all primary RGB colours at each and every pixel location, ensuring the capture of full and complete colour. Using three silicon-embedded layers of photo detectors, stacked vertically to take advantage of silicon’s ability to absorb red, green and blue light at different respective depths, it efficiently reproduces colour more accurately, and offers sharper resolution, pixel for pixel, than any conventional image sensor. Since colour moiré is not generated, the use of a low-pass filter is not required, meaning light and colour, generated by the 46 megapixel APS-C X3 direct image sensor, is captured with a three-dimensional feel. Dual TRUE II image processing engine The SD1 incorporates a dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II” image processing engine which improves the processing speed and overall quality of the final image. The unique image-processing algorithm provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images with richly graduated tones. CF card The SD1 adopts the TYPE I CF Card. This camera is compatible with UDMA Mode6, enabling fast processing of large amounts of data. * It is not possible to use Microdrives and TYPE II CF cards.
11 point twin cross sensor The autofocus system features an 11 point twin cross sensor. The shifted twin cross type sensor improves AF accuracy. Magnesium body The Sigma SD1 adopts a lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy body designed to withstand rough use and shocks in harsh conditions. Weather-resistant design Buttons and connections benefit from O-ring sealings to prevent dust and water getting inside the camera body. Large, highly visible 3.0” TFT colour LCD Monitor The SD1 camera features a 3.0 inch TFT colour monitor. This 460,000 pixel resolution LCD monitor benefits from a wide viewing angle, making it easy to check focusing and composition. Optional lenses The SD1 can be used with over 40 Sigma lenses such as ultra-wide, ultra-telephoto, macro and fisheyes which adopt the latest technology such as FLD and SLD glass, Aspherical lenses, Sigma’s unique Optical Stabiliser function, Hyper Sonic Motor and Sigma’s Super Multi Layer Coating. They meet the various and demanding requirements of all types of photographers.
Sigma SD1 camera specifications Format Format Storage Media Image Sensor Size Lens Mount Compatible Lenses Image Sensor Effective Pixels Aspect Ratio Viewfinder Type Viewfinder Frame Coverage Viewfinder Magnification Eye point Diopter Adjustment Range Auto Focus Type AF Point AF Operating Range Focus Mode
Focusing Screen Mirror Depth of Field Preview AF Point Selection Active AF point indicator Focus Lock Built-in Flash
Interchangeable lens SLR camera Compact Flash (Type I, UDMA compatible) 24 x 16mm (1.5x APS-C) SIGMA SA bayonet mount SIGMA SA mount interchangeable lenses X3 direct image sensor (CMOS) 46MP (4,800×3,200×3 layers) 3:2 Pentaprism SLR viewfinder 98% vertical, 98% horizontal 0.95x (with 50mm lens at infinity) 18mm -3.0 dpt - +1.5 dpt TTL phase difference detection system 11 points twin cross sensor EV -2 to +19 (ISO100) • Single AF • Continuous AF (with AF motion prediction function) • Manual Fixed, all matt screen Quick return Yes • Automatic Selection • Manual Selection Superimposed in viewfinder Shutter Release Halfway-Down position • Manual Pop-up Built-in flash • GN11 • 17mm lens angle covered S-TTL Auto Flash ±3EV (1/3 stop increments) Available Hot shoe (contact X synchronization at 1/180
Flash Metering System Flash Compensation Flash Sync Terminal Flash Connectivity sec. or less, with dedicated flash linking contact) LCD Monitor • 3.0" TFT colour LCD monitor • Approx. 460,000 dots Dimensions 145.5 mm/5.7" (W) × 112.5 mm/4.4"(H) × 80.0 mm/3.1" Weight TBA
Lets go digital Sigma SD1 Dennis Hissink : 28 september 2010 - 15:15 CET
Sigma SD1 DSLR camera : Sigma wist de bezoekers van de Photokina 2010 show in Keulen, Duitsland, te verrassen met de aankondiging van een nieuwe DSLR camera, de Sigma SD1. De daadwerkelijk verkrijgbaarheid is voorzichtig gepland in het voorjaar van 2011, maar afgaande op voorgaande modellen voorzien we een latere datum van verkrijgbaarheid. De grootste verrassing van de Sigma SD1 is toch wel de nieuw ontwikkelde Foveon sensor met een resolutie van 46 Megapixels. Sigma maakt al enkele jaren gebruik van de Foveon techniek en is sinds 2008 ook eigenaar geworden van Foveon. De combinatie van de 46 Megapixel (drielaags 15,36 Megapixels sensor) en de snelle True processor moet garant staan voor een hoge beeldkwaliteit.
46 Megapixel Sigma SD1 digitale SLR camera De Sigma SD1 is Sigma’s meest recente DSLR project waarmee de professionele en semipro fotograaf bediend moet gaan worden. De speciale Foveon sensor bestaat uit een drie lagen (4800x3200x3 pixels) en heeft een formaat van 24x16mm wat gelijk staat aan een APS-C formaat sensor. Foveon maakte geschiedenis toen het ‘s werelds eerste drie-lagen sensor ontwikkelde en patenteerde. Foveon sensoren leggen de primaire kleuren RGB (Rood Groen Blauw) vast in drie verschillende lagen van de sensor waardoor scherpere beelden met minder ruis ontstaan vergeleken met andere sensor technologieën. Sigma SD1 beeldsensor bestaat uit een unieke beeldtechnologie De Sigma SD1 sensor maakt gebruik van drie lagen met pixelsensors, gestapeld om gebruik te maken van de mogelijkheid rood groen en blauw licht te absorberen met verschillende sterkten, worden kleuren effectief accuraat gereproduceerd en biedt het scherpere resolutie, pixel voor pixel, dan enig andere conventionele beeldsensor. Standaard beeldsensors hebben slechts een enkele laag pixels, waarbij elke pixel slechts één enkele kleur kon vangen, gefilterd door een enkel kleurenfilter. Omdat conventionele, op mozaïek gebaseerde beeldsensors slechts één derde van de kleur vangen, is een gecompliceerde berekening nodig om de gemiste kleuren te herleiden. Dit herleiden leidt tot kleurfouten, kleurabstracten en een verlies van detail. Low-pass filters zijn dan nodig om de kleurabstracten te verminderen. Het gebruik van low-pass filters werkt echter averechts op scherpte en resolutie van het uiteindelijke vastgelegde beeld. True II beeldprocessor zorgt voor krachtige Sigma SD1 prestaties De Sigma SD1 is uitgerust met een dubbele TRUE II (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) beeldprocessor waarmee de snelheid van beeldverwerking en de algemene beeldkwaliteit sterk verbeterd wordt. Het unieke algoritme voor de beeldverwerking levert een hoge kwaliteit opnames inclusief een rijk detaillering. Het autofocussysteem van de Sigma SD1 is voorzien van een 11-punts dubbele AF sensor die garant staat voor een verbeterd scherpstel nauwkeurigheid. Sigma SD1 camera body De nieuwe Sigma SD1 behuizing bestaat uit een solide magnesium legering body die bestand is tegen schokken onder ruwe opnameomstandigheden. De knoppen en interfaces van de SD1
zijn optimaal beschermd met zogenaamde O-ringen om schade van stof en spatwater te voorkomen. De Sigma SD1 is voorzien van een 3-inch TFT kleurenmonitor met een resolutie van 460.000 pixels waarmee een brede kijkhoek gerealiseerd wordt, zodat het eenvoudiger is de scherpstelling en compositie te controleren. De Sigma SD1 ondersteunt UDMA zodat grote hoeveelheden data snel verwerkt kan worden. Sigma SD1 lenzen De Sigma SD1 kan worden gecombineerd met meer dan 40 Sigma lenzen zoals ultragroothoek, ultratele, macro en fisheye lenzen. Deze objectieven zijn gemaakt volgens de laatste technologische ontwikkelingen zoals de FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) lensdelen waarmee een gelijkwaardige kwaliteit wordt behaald aan Fluorite glas, SLD, Asferische lenzen, Sigma’s eigen optische beeldstabilisator, Hyper Sonic motor en Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer coating. De Sigma SD1 moet gaan voldoen aan alle strenge eisen die professionele fotografen hebben.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/sigma-sd1-has-a-15-3mp-sensor-weather-sealed-m agnesium-alloy-bo/ By Vlad Savov posted Sep 21st 2010 8:08AM It'd be too easy to describe this as "one for the purists," but it really rather is. The Sigma SD1 eschews any pretenses of being a video camera and gets right on with the business of taking gorgeous stills instead. Employing a 24mm x 16mm X3 CMOS sensor -- you know, the one with three stacked layers, one each for absorbing red, green and blue light -- dual TRUE II image processors, and an 11-point autofocusing system, the SD1 is eager to sweep up enthusiast photographers into its magnesium alloy embrace. 98 percent viewfinder coverage, a 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD and CompactFlash compatibility fill out the spec sheet, while price is indicated as somewhere in the neighborhood of the Canon EOS 7D. Without any live view or video options, Sigma had better have some truly spectacular image quality to show us when this thing ships in February of next year. Update: Our hopes and dreams of caressing this rugged beast were dashed upon learning that the only SD1 at Photokina was held behind a glass box of emotion, but that didn't stop us from pointing our own camera at it and firing off a few shots. Trust us, it looks just as beastly in person as it does in the press shots. Have a gander below, won't you?
Published by Carl Rytterfalk on September 21, 2010 in All and Sigma SD1. People are calling like crazy asking – Did you see? Did you see?? And NO I didn’t!! :O I’m on my way down now and I WILL see!! :D (I hope) What’s your initial reaction to this mighty beast? – 46MP!!!! My highlights made on Ferry to Denmark.. (updated) Storage Media Compact Flash (Type I, UDMA compatible) That would be the fastest possible cards would work – and most likely this camera will have be able to save lots of data per second and that will be so necessary. Image Sensor Size 24 x 16mm (1.5x APS-C) This will possibly be the biggest APS-C sensor out there – it’s exactly 1.5x crop factor and 34% larger than current SD14/15 sensor – the Nikons has smaller and what they called 1.5 is actually something like 1.53x. What this gives us is two things – Larger images and possibly sharper images as a full frame version would have been harder to get sharp enough to resolve the amount of detail possible by the sensor. My own dream size would be 1.3x as it’s WIDE and still working with most APS prepared lenses. Effective Pixels 46MP (4,800×3,200×3 layers) That IS Medium Format resolution – a sensor that has LESS noise than Sigmas sensors today and they’re trying to extend shutter speed to fit lanscapes photographers. (whatever that means) . Higher ISO, like ISO1600 will have much improved noise – if what I gather in bit’s and pieces around the booth is true. AF Point 11 points twin cross sensor Not much to say here – AF will improve, usability will improve. LCD Monitor • 3.0? TFT colour LCD monitor Approx. 460,000 Pixels For those who don’t know – the LCD on the SD15 is VERY GOOD! And this is the same one! It’s brighter than, say Canon 5D mark2 and very colorful. Now what I want is some type of LiveView function too. :D Weather sealed (O-ring) This is a biggie! This camera will be a number one choice for nature photographers and weather sealing is a must. lots of lenses will come out that will be weather sealed. The new 120-300 2.8 OS is among the first. Micro AF adjustments in menu (THIS ONE IS HUGE!!!) And finally one of my absolutely favorite features! And I so much hope this one to be correct as it’s in the menues now and I hope it stays there! A sensor with this many pixels will HAVE to be precisely focussed because a tiny bit off will be seen soooo clear. One of the main requested features from ME .. hehe And the design!! It looks great! Like a more manly version of sd15 :)
Sigma’s SD1 – Sigma’s Secret Weapon http://geextreme.com/?p=530 Admit it. You’ve been looking at those Foveon cameras coming from Sigma with a growing sense that whilst the 3-layer process has benefits, and delivers real differences in image quality, the 4.5Mp output file is somewhat lacking. As consumer and prosumer DSLRs head ever higher, with a typical sample of products currently on the market under £1500 ranging from 12.1 to 21Mp; cameras like Canon’s excellent 550D and the bargain Nikon D3100 are so highly specified and versatile that the unique Foveon image quality really has to mean a lot to you to make sense. Well… Sigma’s taking the professionals’ needs more seriously, and here’s how they’re going to answer the question – “How are you going to compete?”.
September 21st saw the SD1 announced to the world at Photokina via a French website, the German trade show which bi-annually provides Europes imaging industries with a fairly major launch platform and one-stop shop. Along with the usual new lenses (in this case, revised 120-300 and 150mm Macro) the SD1 is a truly significant announcement for Sigma; however, it may also spell trouble for the individualistic Japanese firm’s existing products.
Th e SD1's headline specification is a new sensor – the 48.1Mp (16Mp x 3) 1.5 crop factor chip developed largely in house, following Sigma’s acquisition of Foveon. Like most sensors the image area is slightly smaller, giving a 4800 x 3200 pixel (15.36Mp) image, and it’s this headline 46Mp specification that Sigma are focusing on – though the real headline is the massive leap in spatial resolution whilst retaining the unique qualities of Sigma’s X3 CMOS sensor. Undoubtedly using technology lessons learned during Foveon’s flirtation with mobile phone cameras, the new technology brings the output filesize bang into the middle of current professional systems, with 16Mp output sitting very well alongside Nikon and Canon’s professional APS-C offerings. The rest of the camera, bar a magnesium weathershielded body, is fairly consistent Sigma camera technology.
Having handled the new SD1, I can confirm that the body engineering is in a different league to the SD14 and SD15. The body is strong, yet very light. Personally I find the square, solid grip extremely comfortable, and the dials for PASM(C1, C2, C3 also suggesting custom functions) and power/mode are Metal, with the legends in raised 3D relief. The mirror up position remains marked, so that function is probably carried over.
The battery door has a positive twist latch and contains a fairly standard Sigma battery, contacts visible suggest a future power grip option if not compatibility with the PG21. Compact flash card door is solid and positive. Flash sync, USB and power connectors are behind a rubber strip cover, no HDMI but video as per DP/SD15. The on camera flash raises high above the prism, which should reduce vignetting/falloff with longer lenses. Sigma are reluctant to give an on sale date as yet, but the pre-production model is highly promising, looks well finished and complete. A hot mirror is present, and removable. I had the opportunity to see a print from the camera, and it is stunning. This is apparently full size printed at 180dpi without any resizing (the 4800 x 3200 pixel spatial resolution translates into 26 x 17? without any interpolation of the final file at that dpi, so there’s no fudging of the figures here).
Sigma's SD1 46MP DSLR with Foveon technology.
Looking at the press release and specifications, we can draw a couple of conclusions. One, this isn’t going to be delivering video; though it may deliver Live View. The image pipeline consists of two TRUE-II processors, but they’re handling 3x the amount of data – shot to shot speed is probably going to be in the region of 36 seconds once the buffer is full, and no buffer details are given – I would expect the physical capacity to be double that of the SD15 and therefore around 66% of the frame-to-frame performance when shifting this much data. What may help that is the presence of Compact Flash. though SD and CF cards show very little difference in Sigmas past.
The rear LCD sounds like the same 450,000 pixel 3.0? display from the SD15, and whilst the 11-point AF is new, an UP logo on the drive/power wheel suggests we’ll also find the SD15's new mirror/shutter mechanism with lock-up functions and immensely smooth operation – though mirror lock up isn’t mentioned in the specification. And that’s about it from the initial release. New releases from Sigma generally take some time to get to market, a source of irritation for forum users and commentators but if nothing else, predictable and comforting to real Sigma owners, who can be sure that their camera’s obsolescence is not dictated by a relentless marketing push but genuine improvements in technology. However, the SD1 should, and will, have the attention of a new group of fashion, wedding and landscape photographers. What’s telling is that the SD15 launched not at Sigma’s traditional camera launch price of over £1000 in the UK. The SD1 could carry any price, with the stated resolution who knows what Sigma’s cost and sales targets are. If, as it seems, there is a space sub-£2000 that the SD1 can occupy; perhaps around the £1800 mark, then it will be a real contender regardless of the tertiary specifications. It could be an absolutely unbeatable macro system for example, with that 1.5x crop and lack of colour interpolation to interfere with fine definition on small
subjects. Sigma may position the camera higher – yet I see the SD1 being to 2012 what the SD9 was to 2002; and if that’s the case the pricing may be strong. When the SD9 came out, it stood head and shoulders above the competition in terms of image quality at a time when Nikon DSLRs still had clear roots in their film bodies and Canon’s largest digital user base had “Kodak” written on their bodies. The SD1 looks set to repeat that in a much stronger marketplace; bringing what should be 26-33Mp-equivalent image quality without the colour interpolation of a Colour Filter Array sensor and the startling sharpness that the lack of low-pass filter brings. Even if we assume a logical progression of technology and have realistic expectations of ISO and speed, for this group of photographers working with flash the SD1 could bring a uniquely film-like quality to photography without the compromise of lower spatial resolution that past Foveon DSLR users have worked with. Hell, short of full-frame, this is approaching my ideal studio camera spec and I am not alone in the Sigma userbase in wanting this kind of spec, for those reasons. In the wider marketplace, the SD1 could damage Sigma partly because it is such a strong specification and significant leap forward. If Sigma’s past launch schedule plays out, we can probably expect to see the SD1 in users’ hands around 2012 – announce at Photokina, preview at Focus, ship after Focus the following year. Naturally I’d urge Sigma not to follow this pattern, please, but this is the reality of their past launch schedules and I see no reason for this to change. In the meantime, without published prices or availability the SD15's sales may be hindered. SD15 buyers do at least now have something to look forward to that could justify their lens investment going forward. In perspective, medium format users have endured this sort of timeline for eons, and we expect our cameras to last. The stunning Mamiya ZD DSLR was announced in 2004; I didn’t have one in my hands until the end of 2006 by which time the resolution was outclassed and the performance considered abysmal (even though sitting down and thinking about it, you realise that the bandwidth of the imaging pipeline was pretty much the same as contemporary systems). How long would you be prepared to wait for the image purity of a Hasselblad H4D-Multishot in an affordable, manageable system – and without the static subject limitation of sensor-shift capture? The SD1, whether it ships in 2011 or 2012, is a huge leap forward for Sigma, and an even bigger leap for Foveon’s X3 technology. As we enter the second decade of the 21st century it’s apparent that perhaps the ubiquitous Bayer CFA’s limitations can be avoided after all. With Canon announcing 100Mp+ APS-C sensor technology in their labs though, it’s essential that Sigma brings it to market ASAP – otherwise it’s going to launch into a numbers-driven, 40Mp+ Bayer market where the defining characteristics are frames per second, tertiary features like video/screen size/whether it has GPS or a coffee machine, and image quality in the purest sense has little relevance.
