CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 07/28/2009
- Released on: 06/11/2009
It's always difficult reviewing cameras like the Sigma DP2, a fairly niche product that inspires fierce loyalty in its devotes. A compact, pocketable camera designed to appeal to enthusiast and fine art photographers, the DP2 joins models like the Canon PowerShot G10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 targeting a relatively small market but one that is passionate about image quality. Unlike its competitors, though, Sigma doesn't do a very good job of balancing the camera's left- and right-brain appeal. On one side, the camera renders smooth, filmlike photos with a broad tonal range and attractive noise characteristics for shooting in black and white. But on the other you have a slow, occasionally ineffective autofocus system, desaturated and inconsistent colors on mid- to high-ISO sensitivity images, short battery life, and the occasional freeze-up.
The DP2's simple, relatively straightforward design lends itself to a fluid shooting experience--once you know where to find everything and how the menu navigation works. Its compact body is still a little heavier and thicker than the LX3, but it's still smaller and lighter than most other alternatives, and will still fit comfortably in a jacket pocket. It feels sturdy and well-built.
| Key comparative specs | Olympus E-P1 |
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| Sensor (effective resolution) | 12.3-megapixel Live MOS | 12.1-megapixel Live MOS | 4.7-megapixel Foveon CMOS | 10.1-megapixel CCD |
| 17.3mm x 13mm | 17.3mm x 13mm | 20.7mm x 13.8mm | 1/1.63-inch | |
| Color depth | 12 bits | n/a | 12 bits | n/a |
| Lens | n/a | n/a | 24.2mm f2.8 (41mm equivalent) | 24-60mm f2.0-2.8 |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 - ISO 6,400 | ISO 100 - ISO 3,200 | ISO 100 - ISO 1,600 | ISO 80 - ISO 3,200 |
| Focal-length multiplier | 2x | 2x | 1.7x | n/a |
| Continuous shooting | 3fps n/a JPEG/10 raw |
3fps unlimited JPEG/7 raw |
3fps 4 JPEG/3 raw |
2.5fps 4 JPEG/3 raw |
| Viewfinder | Optional hot-shoe optical (with 17mm lens) | Electronic | Optional hot-shoe optical | Optional hot-shoe optical |
| Autofocus | 11-area contrast AF | 23-area contrast AF | 9-area contrast AF | n/a |
| Metering | 324 zone | 144 zone | n/a | n/a |
| Shutter | 60-1/4000 sec; bulb to 30 minutes | 60-1/4000 sec; bulb to 4 minutes | 15-1/2000 sec | 60-1/2000 sec; n/a |
| Closest focus | n/a | n/a | 10.8 inches | 0.4 inch |
| LCD | 230,000 dots, 3-inch fixed | 460,000 dots, 3-inch articulated | 230,000 dots, 2.5-inch fixed | 460,000 dots, 3-inch fixed |
| Video (max resolution at 30fps) | 1,280x720 Motion JPEG AVI | None | 320x240 AVI | 848x480 Motion JPEG MOV |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 300 shots | 300 shots | 250 shots | 380 shots |
| Dimensions (WHD, inches) | 4.7x 2.8x1.4 | 4.9x 3.3x1.8 | 4.5x 2.3x2.2 | 4.3x 2.3 x1.1 |
| Weight (ounces) | 13.9 | 15.1 | 10.3 | 9.1 |
| Mfr. Price | $749.99 (body) | n/a | $649 | $499.95 |
| $799.99 (with 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens) | $799.95 (with 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 lens) | |||
| $899.99 (with 17mm f2.8 lens and optical viewfinder) |
Atop the camera is a typical mode dial which switches you into the manual and semimanual exposure modes (PASM), movie capture, sound recording (limited only by the capacity of the card). Unsurprisingly, the DP2 lacks an automatic shooting mode. There's a dedicated setup entry on the mode dial, which contains most of the settings you rarely change. Unfortunately, that's where Sigma chose to bury the media format option, making formatting a pain. On the other hand, the dedicated manual focus dial, located just above the thumb rest, works very well as a focus control.
To the right of the small 2.5-inch LCD sit a variety of buttons, most unhelpfully labeled in black-on-black; you really do need to at least scan the thin manual to figure out how everything works. The three buttons on the left are for AEL (autoexposure lock), middle QS (Quick Set) and Menu; and the two bottom buttons are playback and display options. The only direct-access controls are for focus and focus-point selection.
A few notable capabilities in the otherwise basic feature set include an intervalometer (various preset durations ranging from 30 seconds to 24 hours for various numbers of frames up to infinite); still photo with sound; and the ability to change button assignments.
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