Sigma DP1x

It's time to take a look at another one of Sigma's new cameras with a large-format sensor. After the DP2s and its 41 mm f/2.8 lens, we're going wide angle with the Sigma DP1x and its 28 mm f/4 lens. Both models use the 4.6-Megapixel FOVEON X3 sensor and the new TRUE 2 image processor. 

Handling

Sigma's expert compact is as clunky as ever. The metal casing is certainly well-finished and feels well-made, but this isn't the sleekest, most stylish camera on the block. The brand hasn't sought to pay any attention to the kind of small features that can make all the difference in a camera's handling. For example, the DP1x is very noisy to use: whether it's the flash popping up, the buttons and mode selection dial or the noisy lens when the camera's focusing, the DP1x isn't the subtlest of cameras. Plus, the camera's very smooth finish does nothing to improve grip, in spite of a small textured patch just above the four-way arrows.

The screen hasn't got much going for it. It's small, low-def and is plagued by a noticeable ghosting effect. You can, of course, always use an optical viewfinder, but that optional extra that'll set you back just over £100.

A QS button is on hand for fast access to all the camera's main settings (ISO sensitivity, flash, exposure metering, white balance, image quality, burst mode, colours etc.). The main menu allows you to take the settings one step further, with access to a greater range of options. You can therefore play around with tweaking your JPeg shots by adjusting the contrast, sharpness or saturation. 

Responsiveness

The DP1x is clearly not designed for action shots and would even struggle at taking family snaps. It takes over four seconds to switch on, three seconds to turn around between two shots and its focusing system that gets temperamental as soon as the light starts to fade. That's enough to try anyone's patience!

You'll certainly have to take your time with the Sigma DP1x: time to line up the shot correctly, time to adjust the settings, time to tinker with the manual focusing wheel etc. It's photography at a snail's pace and goes against the current trend for cameras to do everything incredibly quickly (sometimes too quickly, in fact!).

Picture Quality

With a sensor resolution of just 4.6 Megapixels, it's difficult to compare photos taken with the Sigma DP1x to other 2011 compacts, which now have up to 16 Megapixels. That said, the Sigma does have a thing or two it could teach these pixel-packed upstarts, particularly in the sharpness of its shots. The 24 mm f/4 lens twinned with the large-format sensor (20.7 x 13.8 mm) does a great job. At 50 ISO, the shot is impressively sharp and clear, with quality that's consistent across the frame.


Although the photodiodes are around 7.8 µm in size (which is enormous compared with the 1.3 µm photodiodes in certain compacts), the DP1x doesn't handle high ISO sensitivities very well. Only too aware of the problem, Sigma has rightly decided to limit the DP1x ISO settings to 800 ISO, although you can go up to 3200 ISO in Raw mode. Up to 200 ISO, pictures are crisp and clean, but things quickly go downhill from 400 ISO, with a visible grainy effect and a dulling of the colours. Beyond that, things get much worse very quickly. Raw files hold it together much better than JPegs, and printed Raw shots taken at 1600 ISO almost look better than JPegs taken at 800 ISO.


For the rest, the DP1x doesn't come off too badly. The exposure isn't always spot-on, but the white balance is decent enough (like most cameras, it struggles somewhat under tungsten lighting).

Video

With QVGA video resolution (320 x 240 pixels), the DP1x looks prehistoric next to the latest high-def compacts. The DP1x records mono sound and there's no continuous autofocus. As pretty much no-one will use this camera's video mode, there's not much point saying anything more about it.