First look: Sigma SD14 digital camera

Sigma is known among photo enthusiasts for providing good value lenses and accessories to Canon and Nikon digital SLR owners who don’t want to shell out premium rate for own-branded products.

As Sigma already has photographic expertise, why not cut out the middleman and bring out its own class leading D-SLR? That’s exactly what it’s done with the eagerly awaited SD14, so called because at its heart beats a whopping 14 million pixel sensor.

This is no ordinary chip however - being neither the CCD nor CMOS type sensor typically sported by competing D-SLRs. While these are good at detecting the intensity of light, they miss a lot of colour information, claims Sigma.

Therefore the Sigma SD14 utilises a Foveon X3 sensor, featuring a unique three-layered pixel configuration – one layer for red light, one for green and one for blue. This, says Sigma, delivers images with an astonishingly vivid look and feel beyond that which you’d expect from the already impressive pixel count.

Other features include a removable dust protector (essential when changing lenses), light sensitivity range from ISO100 to ISO1600 and the ability to shoot common JPEG as well as best quality RAW files.

While previous generations of both chip and Sigma’s D-SLRs (this is the third) have impressed the critics, the company has yet to make much of an impact in a market dominated by Canon and Nikon.

We were able to get a hands-on with the camera at the recent Photokina trade show, and were impressed by the solidity of the Sigma SD14's smaller build (its chunky yet curvaceous look suggesting a prop from a Robocop movie), the logical placement of controls and its responsiveness. Overall the impression given is that this is Sigma’s most serious challenger yet.

That said a body-only price of £1,099 (lenses costing extra) places the SD14 camera out of most happy snappers’ league. This is therefore not a ‘budget’ D-SLR but a long-term investment for those who are really serious about image quality above all else.

With initial shipping promised prior to Christmas, we’ll be taking a more detailed look at the SD14 early in the New Year.

Also Consider
Sony Alpha 100
Verdict: With a resolution of ‘just’ 10 megapixels, Sony’s first D-SLR is easy to use and takes great pictures, though is aimed at mass-market audience.
Rating: 5
Price: £599 (body only), £699 when bought with 18-70mm standard lens, or £849 when bought with 18-70mm plus 70-300mm.

Nikon D50
Verdict: Impressive budget D-SLR fit for serious use, even if 6 megapixels now looks merely adequate.
Price: £499
Rating: 4