Sigma DP2

Review Index – (updated 31 October’09)

Shutterbug
“Bottom line: this thing captures outstanding photos with impeccable technical quality that are characteristically different than you can get from other cameras. We took a lot of photos and we can say without a doubt the camera’s overall photos performance is on par with most of the enthusiast 10- to 12-megapixel DSLRs.”

PopPhoto
“It lacks image stabilization—surprising, since this feature is now standard even in $150 point-and-shoots.
The autofocus, which strikes us as speedier than that of the DP1, is still slow to lock on. (We’re unable to test this type of AF system in our lab to measure exact speed.) And the video seems an afterthought, even for a compact—tiny 320×240-pixel files.”

DPReview
“Because it’s such a niche product, it almost doesn’t make sense to recommend (or otherwise) the Sigma – you’ll either decide it’s the camera for you or you’ll wonder why anyone would spend so much money on such a thing. Ultimately though, now you can buy, for not dissimilar money, a similarly small, interchangeable lens camera with a 1.5 stop faster 40mm-equivalent lens that is easier and faster to use, then you have to be utterly convinced by the concept of ‘the Foveon look’ to choose the Sigma.”
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TechRadar
“The autofocus system is rather less impressive. It’s not that quick, and it’s pretty noisy, too. The manual focus dial makes up for it, though. It’s quick to use and the distance markings are clear.”
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Neutralday
“For me the Sigma DP2’s main attribute, its brilliant image quality, vastly outweighs whatever flaws the DP2 may be inflicted with mechanically. As it is, the DP2 does make good on Sigma’s promise of DSLR-like image quality in a compact form factor, and I must say this element of the DP2 is very appealing.”
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Pocket-lint
“That said, because of its intended limitations and presumably unintended operational quirks, we wouldn’t recommend anyone bought a Sigma DP2 as their one and only digital camera; it works best when viewed as a compact back-up to an existing DSLR, or an experimental supplement to a more fully-featured, user-friendly digital compact.”
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PhotographyBlog
“So while the DP2 is a fairly logical addition to Sigma’s compact camera range, with a longer, faster lens and speedier, more intuitive operation, it doesn’t really offer enough new features to compare favorably with the Olympus EP-1. And with this sector of the market set to expand before the end of 2009, Sigma have certainly got their work cut out…”
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PDN Gear Guide
“While I continue to admire Sigma’s devotion to putting a larger imaging sensor in a smaller camera—something their well-funded rivals are still, apparently, incapable of doing—I’m afraid the DP2 has too many liabilities for me to recommend it. If you’re still interested in finding out what all the fuss is about with this technology, seek out the lower-priced, wider-angled Sigma DP1 instead.”

PCMag
“If you’re a pro looking for D-SLR-quality photos from a camera with a compact body, the Sigma DP2 is definitely an option—heavy hitters like Canon and Nikon have yet to deliver a product like this. But with significant speed issues, no optical zoom, and other limitations, the DP2 isn’t the right choice for everyone.”
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CNET
“However, the fact remains that for its price, for the nonfanatic, the DP2 has an unnecessarily slow AF system, abysmally short battery life, and relatively minimalist feature set. While I can’t recommend the DP2 as your primary, all-purpose camera, if you have the money to spend it’s a nice choice for artistic experimentation, especially in black and white.”
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CNET UK
“The Sigma DP2 is an expensive, specialized camera that demands a good level of photographic knowledge. Old-school photographers will love its simplicity and the degree of hands-on control it provides, but technology junkies will wonder what the fuss is about. Most importantly, though, the image quality, if you can get megapixels out of your head, is excellent.”
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Video Review at Boing Boing
Should you buy the Sigma DP2? Only if you’re in love with the sensor. While it’s definitely a better choice than its predecessor and is not without its manual charms, its high price puts it in range of DSLRs and other cameras that come without as many limitations.

PCWorld
“For the price, the DP2 is difficult to recommend to anyone but the smallest niche of users: those who will be happy with superlative image quality at one of two focal lengths, on a camera with some of the worst handling characteristics in a point-and-shoot package. Oh, and they have to be willing to shell out for the privilege.”

MacWorld
“The DP2 produce the most outstanding low ISO (100 to 400) images of any compact camera I have ever used. Their image quality is truly on the same scale as entry-level SLRs. You get sharp, accurate colors, wonderful tonality, and the ability to isolate your subject with shallow depth of field—all in a package that resembles a rangefinder and slips into a jacket pocket when turned off.”
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Neutral Day (Image quality as compared to the Olympus E-620)
“At $650, the DP2 isn’t cheap, but it’s safe to say that it does take pictures just as good (or very nearly so) as an even more expensive DSLR camera. I’ve only had it for a week thus far, and clearly already fond of it.”

Trusted Reviews
“So while the DP2 comes tantalisingly close in offering big sensor performance in a small and very discrete body, I for one can’t help but feel that Sigma has a way to go before perfecting its operation. If you can get past its obvious limitations – the price will be a factor for the majority of people – then there is a lot that the DP2 has to offer. But you really do have to want it, and know how to use it to get the best from it. For most people, I suspect, that it comes as too a high a price to pay. “
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Gizmodo
“As much as I’d like to say it’s a great camera for photographically inclined people to stash somewhere for certain situations, it’s too expensive. It costs around $650 street price; for that money you can probably get a clearance-model DSLR model these days, maybe even with a kit lens. Beautiful in concept but complex, powerful and damn expensive—if you hit it everyday, it could well get the best of you.”

The Online Photographer
“After using the DP2 daily for over a week I found it to be a sluggish, noisy, unreliable, and generally charmless device which I ultimately decided to return for a refund. That’s the bottom line of my opinion.”

Lensist
“Bad Points: LCD is pretty terrible. It’s blown away by the SD880s screen – AF is still quite slow. There should be an AiAF-type mode where you don’t have to pick the point manually – Low-light AF is weak. This camera REALLY needs an AF-assist lamp. What was Sigma thinking – Some strange or outright wrong UI choices.”

PhotoReview
“Low-light performance was only marginally better than we found with the DP1, with a severe loss of colour in long exposures that was reflected in both JPEG and raw files. Noise and colour shifts became increasingly obvious from ISO 400 on and 15-second exposures shot at ISO 800 were almost unusable.”
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