Sigma BF (Beautiful Foolishness).

[p.giannakis]

That Werra on the right has rounded edges and a grip-able surface on most of the body. It also has a decent eye level viewfinder and in some other versions has a light meter so you can set f/stops and shutter speeds for at eye level as well as a rangefinder for accurate manual focus. It does share something of the same aesthetic as the new Sigma, but I can't imagine holding the Sigma outside in cold weather for very long.

That's the Werra 1 - it doesn;t have a rangefinder or a meter. It came to my mind in terms of aesthetics. I always liked the Werra 1 more than the rest Werras.

 

[JohnGellings]

When something is said to be "... not really that bad" that's what's called 'condemnation with faint praise'. I don't know those "many people who have held it" to know whether their statements are credible.

G

Yeah, it was pure hyperbole.

 

[olakiril]

Buy used and you can get the fp L for the price of the S9. The extra resolution is handy if you take advantage of all different aspect ratios the camera offers.

In 21:9 mode you get 38 megapixels. In 1x1 mode it is 40 megapixels. That 17mm in 1x1 mode is the same FOV as the SWC. With the 10-18mm I am usually shooting 1x1.

fp/fp L image thread.

The major advantage of S9 is the real time LUTs... You can practically get any film stock look in-camera. Fuji doesn't even come close to what you can achieve with 3DLUTs. I don't have much time for editing any more. Also if you buy used you can easily find it for 1000$, a steal for a modern FF camera. Disadvantages are the lack of an EVF, and the lack of compact l-mount lenses for me.

BF is clearly style over substance. I guess there is a niche market that Sigma aims for, but I am not it.

 

[Ken Ford]

Mine will be here Wednesday. I’m quite enthused about how the UI was implemented.

Copy-paste from what I posted elsewhere:

I’ve always been vehement about needing a VF but I recently re-examined that bias and realized I do quite well with some kinds of photography using a phone held out like a stinky baby. The difference seems to be immersion into the scene as a whole versus focusing down to a fragment of the scene in the VF, like an extension and amplification of traditional RF photography where you see outside the framelines.

 

[boojum]

Mine will be here Wednesday. I’m quite enthused about how the UI was implemented.

Copy-paste from what I posted elsewhere:

I’ve always been vehement about needing a VF but I recently re-examined that bias and realized I do quite well with some kinds of photography using a phone held out like a stinky baby. The difference seems to be immersion into the scene as a whole versus focusing down to a fragment of the scene in the VF, like an extension and amplification of traditional RF photography where you see outside the framelines.

I really want to hear about how you like the camera, how easily and well it works and what it does for photos. I'm sitting by the phone. LOL OK, I am watching the thread. Keep us posted.

 

[j.scooter]

Mine will be here Wednesday. I’m quite enthused about how the UI was implemented.

Copy-paste from what I posted elsewhere:

I’ve always been vehement about needing a VF but I recently re-examined that bias and realized I do quite well with some kinds of photography using a phone held out like a stinky baby. The difference seems to be immersion into the scene as a whole versus focusing down to a fragment of the scene in the VF, like an extension and amplification of traditional RF photography where you see outside the framelines.

Really enjoyed the Merrils when they came out. My eyesight has gotten worse since then so I rely on the viewfinder. I am guessing lots of time with my phone or ricoh gr.

I have watched a few videos on the BF and think it is pretty cool.

Let us know how you like it when it arrives and post pics here.

 

[Ken Ford]

Will do!

 

[Ken Ford]

The BF arrived late yesterday, I did some basic setup today but was gone all day. I’m hoping to get it out tomorrow or this weekend if the weather clears a little, hail and tornadoes aren’t conducive to camera testing.

I also picked up a MC-21 SA to L converter from a JP seller, it arrived in two days (!) and mounted right up. The Sigma 30/1.4 from my sdQ is mounted for now, it’s the only full featured lens I have for the BF at the moment. Adapted lenses will be fun, but at least initially I’d like to work with an integrated lens. I have both 45/2.8 and 24/3.5 on order, and will likely pick up a 90/2.8 - all Sigma I-series lenses.

One really slick feature is the ability to transfer images directly from the camera to a USB stick.

 

[JohnGellings]

ail and tornadoes aren’t conducive to camera testing.

But it is awesome for photographs... 😉

 

[Ken Ford]

iPhone proof of life with the only L mount lens I have right now:

 

[boojum]

iPhone proof of life with the only L mount lens I have right now:

View attachment 4863696

It is a fascinating camera. But beyond the "gee whiz" factor how it makes images will count. Keep posting!

 

[shawn]

Adapted lenses will be fun, but at least initially I’d like to work with an integrated lens. I have both 45/2.8 and 24/3.5 on order, and will likely pick up a 90/2.8 - all Sigma I-series lenses.

I have the 45 and 24, both great lenses. All the Sigma DG DN lenses have been fantastic.

 

[Ken Ford]

I have the 45 and 24, both great lenses. All the Sigma DG DN lenses have been fantastic.

Can you speak to the 45? It seems to be a polarizing lens, some people love how it renders and others dismiss it as soft. It seems like the close focus and mid/far focus characteristics are quite different.

 

[shawn]

I tend to use wider on my fp L but every time I have shot the 45mm I have enjoyed the images it produces. Very nice rendering and smooth out of focus. I tend to shoot it closer in though. I have some 45mm images in the fp L image thread.

 

[Ken Ford]

I tend to use wider on my fp L but every time I have shot the 45mm I have enjoyed the images it produces. Very nice rendering and smooth out of focus. I tend to shoot it closer in though. I have some 45mm images in the fp L image thread.

Very nice images with the 45, but an unintended consequences from that thread - I had been considering the 17/4, and now it’s a white hot desire.

 

[shawn]

Sorry about that with the 17mm. 🙂

If the BF lets you turn off the APSC crop also consider the 10-18mm. Very fun lens in 1x1 and does cover the sensor from about 12mm and up.

 

[Ken Ford]

Sorry about that with the 17mm. 🙂

If the BF lets you turn off the APSC crop also consider the 10-18mm. Very fun lens in 1x1 and does cover the sensor from about 12mm and up.

It does! In fact, today when I finally got out for some shutter therapy I was using my only available AF lens option, a SA mount 30/1.4 Art on the Sigma SA to L adapter and forced to full frame. I was shooting all 1:1 and 21:9, coverage was acceptable.

 

[keepright]

This is such a smart camera. I've had two weeks with it now, and it doesn't do everything, but it does what I want. And it does what it does very well.

I've only just received my two autofocus lenses for it, a Sigma i-series 45/2.8 and Panasonic 20-60 f/sad zoom. The Sigma is definitely the lens that the camera was designed for. I was torn between it and the 50/2 from the same family, but am glad I picked the smaller lens. The zoom is light but bulky – so many people called Panasonic's camera and lens brand "lummox" that I stopped correcting them – and not a great aesthetic match, but I think I'm really going to like it. I'm not a zoom person, but one of my abiding regrets was selling my Olympus 11-22 for 4/3, and this has something of the same feel.

But the BF: such a smart camera. It's set (inherently) for wide-area continuous focus, which has no problem tracking tulips blowing in the breeze. Half-press the shutter and I can immediately use the control wheel to change exposure compensation – it won't show anything as uncouth as a histogram, but lets me choose the colour and exposure value for zebras. And, shutter half-pressed, if I want it to pick a different focusing area all I need to do is press the up or down equivalents on the control wheel for it to jump from place to place. It also lets me choose the colour for focus peaking, which I have set up for my MF lenses, and works to confirm focus with AF lenses as well. (I chose magenta, since purple is a fake colour that doesn't really exist.)

Downsides?

Unfortunately the screen really is as hard to see in bright light as all of the reviews say. But I'm old enough that I have a Hoodman loupe around here somewhere, so I might get it out again. It's also going to be very difficult to find a wrist strap that's pretty enough for it. I'm using a Gordy strap right now, but have my eye on an A&A silk strap when the bank account has recovered somewhat.

And boy howdy, I thought there had been a terrible mistake when I saw the prices of the spare battery and external charger. It's a good thing I think I'll only need the two new lenses for it.

One really slick feature is the ability to transfer images directly from the camera to a USB stick.

So many reviewers and commentators seemed obsessed with the 'lack' of an SD card. People fretting about not being able to switch out cards during a trip, or having the redundancy of dual cards – all those problems, magically wiped away.

 

[boojum]

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This is such a smart camera. I've had two weeks with it now, and it doesn't do everything, but it does what I want. And it does what it does very well.

That's the whole story. You bought the camera for yourself. It pleases you. Done deal. Have fun with it and show us some of what you shot.

 

[Ken Ford]

I’m feeling a little crippled by not having a native L mount AF lens, adapting is fun but the experience with a native lens is what I want. Unfortunately Sigma is running slow on delivering the revised I-series primes, at least in the states.