Sigma SD14 finally available ...

[Juan Zas]

Sigma SD14, the long waited .... it´s coming, 6th March 2007, according to the SIgma german site and it will cost 1.499€ -->> $1.950.

Foveon x3 14Mp 20.7×13.8mm sensor; ISO 1600, 2,5" LCD, 5-Point Distance Measurement AF....

Original german site at:

http://www.sigma-foto.de/cms/front_content.php?idcatart=536

Translated page to english at:

http://www.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigma-foto.de%2Fcms%2Ffront_content.php%3Fidcatart%3D536&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8

White paper HERE (http://www.sigmaphoto.com/news/news.asp?nID=3292)

[Punisher77]

I can't wait to see some shots with it to see if there is any noticeable quality increase with the Foveon sensor.

[Juan Zas]

http://www.sigma-sd14.com/sample-photo/index.html

[blackshadow]

Promo photos are hardly any indication... some real world shots from real world photographers are needed.

[Juan Zas]

OK, Here I have found REAL SD-14 photos taken with t he pre-production model:

http://www.rytterfalk.com/

If you click in one of the 3 first photos you are addressed to another web page with 21 photos, if not just click HERE (http://www.rytterfalk.com/sd14/othertime/)

[manipula]

Good as this camera may be, does it still use the Sigma lens fitting? If so, it is unfortunately, effectively useless. You can't get sodding lenses to fit it. What's the point? Technology rub-off onto other cameras may be good, if the advances this brings hit something with a Nikon or Canon lens mount maybe it's worth sitting up severely and taking some note. otherwise it's got to be a blip on a big ocean....

[circa]

what is "Foveon"?

[Juan Zas]

what is "Foveon"?

http://www.foveon.com/article.php?a=67


"The Foveon X3 direct image sensor is the most advanced color image sensor ever developed. It represents a giant leap forward in color photography and is the only image sensor technology that combines the power of digital with the essence of film.

A direct image sensor is an image sensor that directly captures red, green, and blue light at each point in an image during a single exposure."

Some rumors over there speaks about that the expected Noink FF body could incorporate a sensor developed by Foveon as an alternative to Sony sensor. Just an speculation.

[NickSimcheck]

Hard to say really... Colors of the sample shots could just be highly saturated. I would think you would need a very high end LCD or a Sony Artisan CRT to really see the difference.

Fuji's S5 uses Nikkor mount, if Canon puts the brakes on Sigma making the SD14 in a Canon mount then I know a lot of people will be tempted to invest in Nikon glass.

Fuji for high dynamic range, Sigma for wild colors and Nikon for everything else.

I could see that hurting Canon a bit.

But who knows, maybe Sigma will only release this in their mount and make this camera completely useless to me.

[DrPablo]

Sigma already sells plenty of lenses for Canon bodies. I don't see how Canon could prevent Sigma from making a body or an adapter that takes Canon lenses.

[manipula]

It also sells lots of lenses for Nikon bodies, but I suspect in order to produce their own bodies which utilise these mounts there'd be a licensing needed. After Sony courted both Nikon and Canon for quite some time for use of their mounts for their own SLR's before buying Minolta out gave them what they wanted. As far as I'm aware it's because Sony were refused use of the lens mounts.

[Pete-eos]

hmmm just came across this camera, what mount does it have, can't find it on google.

Will it have a Nikon Canon mount and just take everything or will it be a new Sigma mount, making all your Sigma lenses useless if you wanted to swap?

[Kickstart]

Will it have a Nikon Canon mount and just take everything or will it be a new Sigma mount, making all your Sigma lenses useless if you wanted to swap?

It uses Sigmas own mount that they have been making for years. Same as the SD9 / SD10 and their film cameras before that.

All the best

Keith