Monday, October 8, 2012

DP-1 Merrill, DP-2 Merrill & DP-X?


No, there is no DP-X yet, just a wish – wishing Sigma would eventually bring out a DP camera with interchangeable lens and of course, with better image engine that can write fast, and hopefully a file format that is friendlier.  And much improved battery.
I have been using original DP-1 and DP-2 since they came out and later also the DP-2 Merrill and the latest DP-1 Merrill, without question, with the latest offering the DP series camera has finally capable of challenging the best, and best some of the bests, in pure image quality, although getting there is not without bumps. The biggest issue is obviously the software that is designated to develop the beautiful, detail packed, and very large X3F file – around 51.8mb, compares to 76mb for the NEF file generated from Nikon D800E, as a comparison.
The DP Merrill series camera is roughly the size of a SONY NEX-7,  a little thicker body but without the hand-grip, electronic view-finer and flash – not like a SONY RX-100 that is true pocket camera, it is still very travel friendly, and with visibly better image quality a low to moderate ISO range.  It is an OK camera with amazingly good image quality; it is for the one capable of making an image than someone simply snap an image.
Firmware update to address some of its shortcomings will be welcome, popular 3rd party raw-developing software support will be much appreciated.
Image taken with Sigma DP-1 Merrill.  Original image cropped to show the detail.

Nanfang’ao, Yilan, Taiwan, 2012

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