Anyone using the Sigma SD9?

[j_shultz]

Im tired of using my point and shoot digital camera. My current camera is a low

end 4.3 mega pixle. Im wanting to step back in the SLR world and Im caught

between two cameras. The Canon d10 or the Sigma SD9. Anyone have any

experience w/ the Sigma? I've noticed that the Sigma isnt near as popular as

the D10. Price is an issue with me thats why Im considering the Sigma. Opinions

and comments greatly appreciated!

 

If anyone is interested in reading a great Sigma review:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sigmasd9/page2.asp

[steve_strawn]

Everyone repeat after me: Canon 10D.

 

I think a big part of the 10D's popularity is that it will use lenses built by Canon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, Phoenix, Quantarray, Vivitar, and on and on.

 

If you have the Sigma SD-9, you use Sigma lenses. Some folks like them, some don't, but with the SD-9, they're the best you're ever going to get.

 

Oh, and the 10D is one hell of a good camera.

[eric friedemann]

There simply isn't a choice. The Canon 10D is $1,499 and the Sigma SD9 is $1,099. For the $400 difference in price, you must buy the Canon. If you buy the Sigma SD9 men will taunt you and women won't sleep with you.

 

Seriously, Canon is the current undisputed leader in 35mm-SLR-styled digital cameras. Don't get yourself stuck by buying into a digital system like Sigma with a proprietary lens mount that will likely turn out to be a technological dead end.

[greg_erker]

The Sigma SLR forum on dpreview seems to be the most active

place for info on that camera. Unless you can't live without

the Foveon sensor, the $400 difference will be lost if you

ever decide to upgrade (since Sigma mount lenses and bodies

don't hold their resale value very well).

 

Another point is the Sigma has a smaller sensor so getting wide

angle shots is even harder than on other cameras.

 

Greg

[david_littleboy__tokyo__ja]

The SD9 is a 3 MP camera _without an antialiasing filter_. The images appear very sharp, but everything over 70% of the Nyquist frequency is a mass of aliasing artifacts. Look at the resolution test charts: patterns between 70% and 100% of the Nyquist frequency exhibit Moire, and patterns over 100% of the Nyquist frequency are reported as patterns at the Nyquist frequency. (In the dpreview test of the horizontal 9-line pattern, at 1550 lph, it shows a 9 line pattern but at 1700 lpm it shows a 7 line pattern even though the pattern actually has 9 lines.)

 

I suppose it's nice that someone's made a camera that doesn't have an antialiasing filter so we can see what that means...

[robert_reis2]

You can download the software needed to use the Sigma raw files here:

http://www.sigma-photo.com/Html/pages/camerasb_sd9_downloads_spp.htm

 

These files are in the Sigma raw format, in case you have not downloaded them already you can download four at this site. Manipulate them and print them. Use your own eyes.

 

http://homepage.mac.com/kgelner/MiscPhoto/X3F/DogInField.X3F

http://homepage.mac.com/kgelner/MiscPhoto/X3F/NightCastle.X3F

http://homepage.mac.com/kgelner/MiscPhoto/X3F/PuebloBonitoAndCliff.X3F

http://homepage.mac.com/kgelner/MiscPhoto/X3F/WoodCabin.X3F

 

Above information provided by Kendall Gelner.

 

Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX and 105mm F2.8EX macro lenses are as good as lenses get. Several other Sigma lenses are very highly regarded, but I do not own them.

 

Best wishes,

Bob

[robert_reis2]

The data reported below does not support suggestions made above about anti-aliasing and resolution.

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sigmasd9/page23.asp

"The SD9 is capable of delivering all nine individual lines of the horizontal or vertical resolution bars up to its maximum absolute resolution (sensor vertical pixel count) and slightly beyond. Note also that because the X3 sensor doesn't need a color filter array it doesn't suffer from color moiré.. Absolute resolution is just less than the Canon EOS-D60, Nikon D100 and Fujifilm S2 Pro (at 6 mp).

 

However, because the X3 sensor doesn't use a low pass (anti-alias) filter it is able to resolve detail all the way up to Nyquist. Beyond Nyquist the system will alias without any objectionable color moiré. Where a Bayer sensor camera would turn detail beyond Nyquist (such as distant grass texture) into a single plane of blurred color the SD9 will continue to reproduce some individual pixel detail (without color moiré)."

[msitaraman]

The best thing about the Sigma is the sports finder. Nikon, Canon et. al should have thought about this-it is absurdly easy to implement on cameras will less than full size sensors, and has great value, as any Leica shooter knows.

[kymtman]

Remember when there was a great decision whether to buy Apple or IBM?

well the IBM won out with the software being leaning in their favor. Canon is a great camera no doubt,I own a D60, but watch out for the Foveon technology, mark my word Canon will soon follow suite. It makes more sense. I have debated on whether or not to purchase the SD9 or waite for the second generation, maybe a 6mp giving 18 mgpix.

would that be great or what? Hear rumor of the same! I have in all seriousness look and concidered buying. Their Photos look great in the reviews. It's your decision, and I think you will make a good one.

[robert_reis2]

Discussion at below link with sample resolution tests on a color resolution target rather than black and white resolution chart seem to indicate this.

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1027&message=5942288

 

Cheers,

Bob

[timberwolf1]

I don't own either, but I would go for the SD9. All these cameras will depreciate. The

SD9 lenses cover everything you'll use 90 percent of the time. The foveon chip is the

future. The idea of using old Canon lenses is nice, but SD9 is giving you coverage,

anyway. Going with the flow is an old Nikon idea wherein your investment doesn't

get old. Do you really need 16x20 quality? Nope. Do you really need 11x14 quality?

Nope. Be a maverick and go Foveon. Use that $500 on a piece of lighting gear.

Sure, Foveon will go full frame soon. So, wait until it is announced, then purchase a

depreciated SD9 at $700. Enlarging using fractels I am told is very effective with

Foveon. I prefer all of the color pixtels to be aligned in the beginning!

 

Remember too, that these cameras have an expected life of only a few years. In 3

years, you'll want something else.

 

Forget the sheep who take issue with using old lenses. If you can get $1000 worth of

usage out of it in 2 years, you made out.

[george_hofgren]

I got mine 3mo's ago. This camera is big and kicks a**! The best part is that with a RAW-only format, the photos must be 'developed' at home. This 2 step process is identical to traditional SLR film process, but with all the advantages of dgital files that can be deleted in the field and perfectly tweaked in the lab(desktop). Sigma mated a good mechanical camera to a cutting-edge sensor and coupled the truly raw/unfiltered/real-color output with the nicest photo processor you'll find (SPP). All that for under a grand and you still get the flexibilty of the MANY good lenses they make. The only true limit to this set-up is in actually viewing it's full size / full color photos at home: you can either get an $8.000- monitor to view or a $200-300,000. printer and you will, infact, be able to see what some of us are raving about. That's right for around $1,500. you can have a SLR set-up that is beyond the resolving limit & color of what you already own. Now that's going to be obslete soon?

I love my camera and am greatly enjoying what it's teaching me and the results defy description.

Get it. You won't regret it, I sure haven't-

 

George

[obscura]

I was waiting for the next generation Sigma camera but the price of the SD9 kept falling and the great example photos on the web kept stacking up and... I just had to give up waiting and buy one. I also picked up a 24-70 EX lens, remote control, and vertical grip battery pack thingie.

 

Years ago I used the Leaf Digital Camera Back when I was working as a photographer full time. The Leaf DCB was a great camera because it took three pictures with red, green, and blue filters and then combined them to make a full color image. Only problem was it couldn't shoot people or anything in motion because of the three exposures.

 

Time passed and I bought other digital cameras and each and every one was plagued by moiré patterns. Its just one of those things that once I've seen and noticed, it becomes impossible to un-see... Its always there lurking waiting to spoil another photo.

 

There were times when I would be delivering prints to clients, clinching my teeth, waiting for them to say something about the visible moiré. Luckily they didn't have an eye for it and they were thrilled with their prints.

 

I guess I'm one of those who "couldn't live without" the Foveon sensor. I am also extremely pleased with the photographs I've taken with my SD9.

[alf_beharie]

Steve Strawn wrote, (jul 10, 2003; 04:28 p.m.)

 

"I think a big part of the 10D's popularity is that it will use lenses built by Canon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, Phoenix, Quantarray, Vivitar, and on and on."

 

So do the SD9 and SD10!

 

"If you have the Sigma SD-9, you use Sigma lenses."

 

Not true!...I dont use ANY Sigma lenses on my SD10!

I use Mamiya 645 medium-format lenses and M42 lenses.

 

"Some folks like them, some don't, but with the SD-9, they're the best you're ever going to get."

 

No they are not!...My M645 lenses are as good if not better than any comparable lens Sigma makes.

 

 

"Oh, and the 10D is one hell of a good camera."

 

Perhaps it is compared to a P&S but its been proved time and time again its not a patch on the SD9 or SD10.

 

Regards

 

DSG