lynnb
Veteran
see Sigma Rumours item. Of course this is just another gear rumour. But a juicy one.
Perhaps it would be too much to ask for Sigma to address operational speed issues. Still, a nice thought if they could.
Perhaps it would be too much to ask for Sigma to address operational speed issues. Still, a nice thought if they could.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
There was some discussion about this a week or two ago and I was pretty skeptical.
But ... the foveon sensor in an interchangeble lens body has to be good news for those who don't like being locked into the DPM system and there are some damned fine lenses available in micro four thirds mount. I still have a 25mm Panaleica Summilux in the cupboard that I was going to sell but I may hold off for a while.
But ... the foveon sensor in an interchangeble lens body has to be good news for those who don't like being locked into the DPM system and there are some damned fine lenses available in micro four thirds mount. I still have a 25mm Panaleica Summilux in the cupboard that I was going to sell but I may hold off for a while.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Wrong direction IMHO, Sigma should be doing a Full-frame foveon sensor (I mean, why is *that* so hard to do???) and charge premium price.
benlees
Well-known
Unless Sigma is able to improve low light capabilities with a new foveon this seems like a bad move. Can still sell the mFT lenses, no? The Merrills are niche but they are interesting.
rbelyell
Well-known
sigma has two problems vs m4/3, not only horrid high iso, but also not so great autofocus. still, i could personally see this as a 'second' m4/3 body, if it achieves the striking IQ of the merrills, to be used within its limitations, ie, not for sports or classic 'street' shooting or indoors.
burancap
Veteran
I think the decision is with the mount.
They could downsize to the 4/3 and have a camera instantly compatible with a world of lenses. It could also be priced accordingly and they could go for volume. But, I don't know if the sensor and its PP handling requirements would make sense in the "quick" 4/3 market.
If they went after the other side of the cost spectrum and FF -what mount would they use? Their own SA? On the other hand, a brilliant move might be to go with a Nex (proprietary?) mount and take advantage of the existing adapter world.
They could downsize to the 4/3 and have a camera instantly compatible with a world of lenses. It could also be priced accordingly and they could go for volume. But, I don't know if the sensor and its PP handling requirements would make sense in the "quick" 4/3 market.
If they went after the other side of the cost spectrum and FF -what mount would they use? Their own SA? On the other hand, a brilliant move might be to go with a Nex (proprietary?) mount and take advantage of the existing adapter world.
I have to agree. It makes no sense to go for volume.
GaryLH
Veteran
I really don't care what size the sensor is, so long as they come out w/ a csc type camera body.
They could be partnering w/ someone like Panasonic or Olympus for the other aspects they may need. They already sell their art lenses in m43. I still use m43, but mainly for long tele (omd) and ir (epl1). As Keith has said, there are lots of great lenses in m43.
They have not done much since the dp3m. And they have not done anything in terms of next gen sensor as well since the sd1 was announced. So we are talking somewhere between 1.5 to maybe 2 years now. Technology moves forward. It will be interesting to c what their next en sensor looks like.
It seems to me, the m43 bodies lately are pretty expensive and are tending to move up stream (gx7, omd and gh3).. I don't think sigma will go for the volume and fast turn around game that Sony is doing. IMHO, if they release a csc, it will be at their pace. I don't think they will make the same pricing mistake of the originally sd1 as well, but I expect a csc from them to go between 1000-2000 depending on sensor size and target consumer group for body only...
Gary
They could be partnering w/ someone like Panasonic or Olympus for the other aspects they may need. They already sell their art lenses in m43. I still use m43, but mainly for long tele (omd) and ir (epl1). As Keith has said, there are lots of great lenses in m43.
They have not done much since the dp3m. And they have not done anything in terms of next gen sensor as well since the sd1 was announced. So we are talking somewhere between 1.5 to maybe 2 years now. Technology moves forward. It will be interesting to c what their next en sensor looks like.
It seems to me, the m43 bodies lately are pretty expensive and are tending to move up stream (gx7, omd and gh3).. I don't think sigma will go for the volume and fast turn around game that Sony is doing. IMHO, if they release a csc, it will be at their pace. I don't think they will make the same pricing mistake of the originally sd1 as well, but I expect a csc from them to go between 1000-2000 depending on sensor size and target consumer group for body only...
Gary
gustavoAvila
Established
I hope this rumor pans out.
The hypothetical Sigma m43 camera does not need to compete "feature-to-feature" with Olympus and Panasonic cameras. All it needs is to do, is provide superior (base ISO) image quality and, of course, mount m43 lenses.
A Sigma Foveon body could benefit overall m43 sales as it would help counter the "full frame" argument.
(Imagine, a small, economical body with essentially the same image quality as a Nikon D800 that uses the lenses you already own.)
Personally, I would be far more inclined to buy a modestly spec'd Foveon m43 body than say, a Sony A7R. It would be a fantastic compliment to my current m43 system.
The hypothetical Sigma m43 camera does not need to compete "feature-to-feature" with Olympus and Panasonic cameras. All it needs is to do, is provide superior (base ISO) image quality and, of course, mount m43 lenses.
A Sigma Foveon body could benefit overall m43 sales as it would help counter the "full frame" argument.
(Imagine, a small, economical body with essentially the same image quality as a Nikon D800 that uses the lenses you already own.)
Personally, I would be far more inclined to buy a modestly spec'd Foveon m43 body than say, a Sony A7R. It would be a fantastic compliment to my current m43 system.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Is there any "Volume" left in Camera sales? Seems like a shrinking and already saturated market.
Let's remember that the Dp3m is one of a kind... a fixed lens, small format camera with a 75mm. It wasn't that long ago that it was released. Sigma moves slower... more like Leica than Canon.
GaryLH
Veteran
Yeah I tend to agree.. That's why I said they won't be like Sony. But I think that they want to do more then just sell lenses and their dp and sd sales may not be what they hoped for.
Gary
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
They can pit Nikon F mount against Canon EOS for lower licensing cost. Either mount will open the market wide open for the new camera.
Fuji was able to do that with their S2, S3 and S5 DSLR, why can't Sigma? In fact, Sigma has been making lenses with Nikon F and Canon EOS mounts probably more than anyone else. They have both the tools and the experience.
biomed
Veteran
This is indeed interesting. I hope Sigma is able to pull it off.
Mike
Mike
JoeV
Thin Air, Bright Sun
Regarding the poor high-ISO performance of the Foveon sensor, there are some good light-gathering lenses in the micro-4/3 lineup, like the Lumix 20-1.7, that could offset the sensor's performance. In my mind, I'd like more dynamic range in exchange for some resolution.
Actually, I'd like to see a sensor like Fuji's applied to the format, where you could down-res the image from, say, 16 megapix to 8 while offering better dynamic range in-camera.
~Joe
Actually, I'd like to see a sensor like Fuji's applied to the format, where you could down-res the image from, say, 16 megapix to 8 while offering better dynamic range in-camera.
~Joe
GaryLH
Veteran
I always thought they were getting the body from Nikon and adding their own sensor tech and digital path w/ the s series..
Gary
Range-rover
Veteran
It's great to see the Micro 4/3 camera systems grow, hey I just used mine today in the
snow!
Range
snow!
Range
mh2000
Well-known
I think it's interesting. Was always intregued by the foveon sensor. Not that worried about high ISO like most people seem to be. Better color rendition and dynamic range together are much more important to me... so a little m43 foveon chip might work just fine. Just for reference, the reason I am able to still happily shoot an Oly E-P1 is because I shoot everything at ISO 200... tripod when needed. So shooting a foveon based m43 camera with low ISO sensitivity would not bother me. The promise of possible improvements could be worth a lot to me... especially if it was in an economical package!
Anyways, I'll be interested in seeing if something pans out from this.
Anyways, I'll be interested in seeing if something pans out from this.
benlees
Well-known
Sigma is primarily a lens manufacturer, right? It would seem strange to produce a body to put other companies lenses on it when they themselves already make lenses to be used on the mFT olypans? And of course not having a camera to use their own lenses hasn't hurt them. Why not just make a Merrill type camera (APC) with a lens mount?
If the Merrills have quirks (cumbersome handling, iso) why would one assume future Sigmas mFT bodies wouldn't?
If the Merrills have quirks (cumbersome handling, iso) why would one assume future Sigmas mFT bodies wouldn't?
kaiwasoyokaze
Half Frame Goodness
that's great if sigma is joining the standard, let's hope it's not joining the consortium like Kodak's S1 (after delays it sounds like it's dead in the water but i'm not surprised.)