sigma SD9 worth buying?

[atelier7]

hello,

I saw an ad in my local photo mag for the sigma sd9 at really really low prices.
Cheaper than any decent point and shoot! thinking of getting one for myself and giving my wife the oly e500.

is it worth picking one up? as i understand it, it's a 3 megapixel camera but 3 layer sensor? so does it make it 9mp or not?

but pixel count aside, how does it affect the actual print quality if I never go beyond A4 size?

It's also got a sport-finder... as i understand it - giving you wider view of the scene than the area captured. is this a bit like an rf's viewfinder?

any feedback would be helpful.

 

[pvdhaar]

is it worth picking one up? as i understand it, it's a 3 megapixel camera but 3 layer sensor? so does it make it 9mp or not?

The 9MP pixel count is just as valid as the pixel count of any DSLR with a Bayer filter that at any photo site masks out between 50 and 75% (making for an average of 2/3) of the light and uses interpolation to come to the overall pixel count.

You could have a look at pbase to see pictures taken with the SD9 http://www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma/sd9

 

[Uwe_Nds]

hello,

I saw an ad in my local photo mag for the sigma sd9 at really really low prices.
Cheaper than any decent point and shoot! thinking of getting one for myself and giving my wife the oly e500.

is it worth picking one up? as i understand it, it's a 3 megapixel camera but 3 layer sensor? so does it make it 9mp or not?

but pixel count aside, how does it affect the actual print quality if I never go beyond A4 size?

It's difficult to compare Bayer pixels and Foveon pixels. There's a lot of information in dpreview's Sigma forum. Print quality @ A4 is very good - even with the kit-lens.

It's also got a sport-finder... as i understand it - giving you wider view of the scene than the area captured. is this a bit like an rf's viewfinder?

any feedback would be helpful.

Yes, it is.

The only thing that annoyed me a bit about the SD9 is that it requires two sets of batteries. One set of AA batteries and a second set of two lithium photo batteries. On the SD10, they changed it to only AA batteries.

Best regards,
Uwe

 

[mervynyan]

then you have to use simga's glasses, etc... they are inexpensive in comparison, but it is an expense anyway.

i'd stick with oly e-1, which i have 2 bodies and waiting for new e-x. buying you don't need just because of inexpensive is not a good rational for purchase, get the stuff you want is.