Foveon enthusiasts and photo-technoids will be pleased to know Sigma has announced its very first APS-C format Foveon-chipped DSLR, the Sigma SD1. Depending on whose method of pixel-counting theology you choose to follow, the new camera features a 46MP imaging sensor, which in lingua Foveon translates into about 15.5 individual pixels, each of which captures all three color channels, compared to the “4-pixels=white” approach of conventional 
CMOS and CCD imaging sensors. Equally important is that previous Foveon-based DSLRs suffered from a 1.7x crop factor, while the new chip has a wide-angle-friendlier APS-C crop factor of 1.5x. Either way, Sigma claims the new camera delivers medium-format image quality in a 35mm form factor.
Other features of the Sigma SD1 include JPEG and RAW capture (in three levels of RAW compression, no less)—a first for Sigma Foveon-flavored DSLRs, weather resistant, magnesium-alloy construction, a 3.0” (460,000-dot) TFT LCD, 5 frame-per-second continuous shooting, an 11-point twin-cross AF system, an ISO range of 100 to 6400, dual Three-Layer Responsive Ultimate Engine (TRUE) II image processors, Type I UDMA CF memory card compliancy and compatibility with a full range of more than 40 Sigma SA-series optics.
Delivery of the Sigma SD1 is expected during the month of June, for an estimated suggested retail price of $9,700.
3 Comments
I own a DP2, a SD9 and a SD15, but honestly I can't see what Sigma have in mind. This camera may have the best sensor in the world but it lacks two important things:
1) Extremely expensive, no matter of how good the sensor is. It's a SMALL sensor. For this price, I would do for a medium format camera. It's something like putting a Mercedes-Benz V12 engine in a Lada. Sigma lenses aren't pair for the sensor.
2) Sigma's quality control always terrified me. My SD15 sensor came with dust from factory. Would you pay this $$ for a camera without being absolutely certain about how much care they took when making it ?
1.5x is still a BIG crop. You will always have problems in finding good wide angle lenses. It's simply ridiculous to use that terrible 30mm F1.4 as a "normal". It's still a wide angle lens, with the same perspective you will see when using it in a 35mm camera. It's just not the same.
Some Sigma lenses are great, like the prime macros, but... I would be very frustrated to use just Sigma glass on it. Also it should have a decent manual focus screen, at least to permit us to use alternative lenses in M42 for example.
C'mon SIgma... I doubt that this SD1 (with Sigma glass) will have the same IQ of a entry level Mamiya (with Mamiya glass).
Don't take me wrongly... I love the Foveon sensor, but the SD is just too much overpriced. Cut to 1/3 and then we will have a good and fair option.
Wide angle friendlier sensor? Like .2x means something. Try applying some basic math here. The difference you're blathering about equates to a all of 4mm if we're mounting a 20mm lens. I guess a hack wouldn't realize that - you'd have to be a photographer to understand.
Well the difference between (say) 100mm and 104mm is negligible, but there is a big difference between 20mm and 24mm, as every photographer knows.