Sigma DP1 DATASHEET

The Sigma DP1.

Unique. Groundbreaking.

A compact digital camera

with all the power of a digital SLR.

For the first time. Ever.

Having principles.

That means having your own convictions,
and living by them.
It means having unique qualities,
and an Unshakable
belief in your own sensibility.

The DP1 has principles.
It sticks to the fundamental
principle of photography:
To capture the truth.

If you live by your
own personal principles,
the DP1 was born to be yours.

This is what a camera ought to be.
This is the camera nobody could make.
Until now.

This photograph shows the approximate dimensions of the Sigma DP1.

02

The Next Dimension :
A Camera with Principles.

Photography: what other field has so
many terms for failure? Photos can
fail by being out of focus. Or due to
camera-shake. Or because of under­exposure, or over-exposure, or
a million other things. The evolution
of the camera has been, essentially,
a fight against photographic failure.
Thanks to all this failure-averse
technological development, today's
highly-evolved digital cameras are
almost failure-proof: anyone can take
a decent photo with no effort at all.

The fully-automatic mode of the
average digital camera includes
automatic flash: based on what
it detects about the subject,
the camera grabs the image least
likely to fail. Even the dreaded
camera-shake can now be eliminated
by technology. Noise-reduction,
which almost completely banishes
noise, even in high-sensitivity
photography, has also made stunning
leaps in the last few years.

Better technology means the
market is now overflowing with
cameras guaranteeing a certain level
of competence to all users, from
beginners to press photographers
who cannot afford to fail.
Of course, this evolution has brought
some immeasurable blessings.
It's made a major contribution to the
widespread adoption of cameras and
the development of photographic
culture. And of course, Sigma has
been at the forefront. Today, as
ever, we're working on all sorts of
proprietary technologies.
We certainly don't intend to loosen
our grip on the state of the art.

But at the same time we note that the
pictures resulting from this failure-

averse technology have a certain air
of flatness and lifelessness. A certain
sameness— whatever their subject.
And a certain lack of expressiveness.

Not everyone would agree that the
only "good" photographs are slick,
catalog-style pictures, every inch
impeccably lit, and with not a single
flaw. A photo may be slightly too
low-key, slightly too high-key, or
a little blurred, yet still have its own
distinctive charm. In fact, when it
comes to expressing the emotion that
moved the photographer to press the
shutter, a technically-flawed photo
may actually be more eloquent and
vivid. That's how infinitely varied the
world of photographic expression is.

You've probably heard the
following apocryphal story. There's
a photographer who takes really
distinctive photos. He uses a single­focus lens mounted on a simple
manual film camera. It doesn't even
have a program mode. One day
he gets an up-to-the-minute digital
camera with a fully-automatic mode.
That's the day he loses all interest
in photography. So the story goes.
Its moral? If you perfect all the
extra functions intended to provide
convenience for all users, delivering
a camera that captures nothing but
uniformly competent photos,
you can end up purging photography
of all individuality. Draining it
of emotionally-charged natural
inspiration. That's the last thing
Sigma wants to do. To us, a camera
isn't a tool for recording an infinite
series of acceptable images. It's an aid
in translating an irreplaceable instant
into a work of art of the highest order.
Our efforts to attain this ideal have
culminated in the DP1.

03

A Camera for Artists.

Sigma's main effort went into
perfecting basic performance.
We aimed to create a brand-new
compact digital camera delivering
top-of-the-range image quality.
We gave it a large, SLR-sized image
sensor. A direct image sensor
capable of capturing all the light and
color. We developed a lens specially
for top performance. We developed
a special image-processing engine,
from scratch. If you're pursuing the
very essence of cameras and photos,
these elements are indispensable.

We also minimized the automatic
element in selecting the capture
setting. We scaled back the image­correcting functions, and took care
to leave the photographer plenty
of creative scope. We think the
camera should be a tool that lets the
photographer take the initiative and
work the magic. We designed the
user interface with care.
We made it easy for the user to select
the best mode to shoot in, based his
or her perception of the light and
the subject's texture. We made sure
the camera's own image processing
doesn't tinker too much with the

tone when the data is processed.
This way, the light captured by
the lens is converted faithfully into
image signal. These are the ideals
behind the DP1's approach
to making pictures.

The DP1 may not be the easiest
camera to use, and it may not be
ideal for the casual user. But if you
want a camera that stimulates your
creative intelligence, brings out an
artistic urge you never knew you
had, and ignites your talent, that
would be the DP1. It may not have
the kind of extra features that hit
the headlines. But if you want to
capture the true complexities of
light and color on planet Earth, and
turn them into top-quality images,
then no other camera will do.

A camera for artists: if the DP1
increases the sum of human art by
a single work, Sigma will be happy.
A high-performance compact digital
camera in a class of its own.
A camera aimed squarely at the
heart of photographic art.
A camera that sparks the creative
urge. That would be the DP1.

04

Camera : SIGMA DP1, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/160s, Aperture Value : F8, Focal Length: 16.6 mm

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Camera : SIGMA DP1, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/2s, Aperture Value : F11, Focal Length: 16.6 mm

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08

The Soul of an SLR, in the Body of a Compact.

Image-quality and compactness:
can you have both?

The DP1 is a completely new type
of camera, packing the full spec of
a DSLR into the body of a compact.
DSLRs deliver great image quality,
but being so big and heavy —
especially when you include the lens
— they're not the sort of camera
you can take everywhere. In fact,
they're so cumbersome you would
never want to have one around,
apart from the moment you decide
you want to go on a shoot. On the
other hand, compact digital cameras
are now small enough to slip into
your shirt pocket. Of course, their
compactness comes at a price: some
essential photographic functionality
is lost. For portability and handy
"snappability", they're unbeatable.
But for serious photography, they're
nowhere. So, are there only two
kinds of digital cameras: the SLR for
serious photography, and the handy
portable compact?

Exactly like an SLR.
Just in a smaller body.

For Sigma, photography is all about
capturing the truth. That's our
philosophy, and it stays the same
whatever the camera format or the
photographic mission. We make no
exceptions for a compact camera
with outstanding portability. The DP1
is the world's first and only camera
with the full descriptive power and
functionality of an SLR, plus the same
adaptability in terms of accessories,
all built into a small body. So, how
does it differ from the average DSLR?
Well, it doesn't have a TTL optical
viewfinder, or an interchangeable
lens. Nor does it have the advanced

continuous-shooting function
you find in some high-end DSLRs.
But that's all. In terms of serious
photography, it's exactly like an SLR
in all other respects.
Just in a smaller body.

Setting you free to shoot it your way

The DP1's image-sensor – the
element that captures the image –
is SLR-sized. An image sensor with
14 megapixels, which is 7 to 12 times
bigger than the image sensors used
in ordinary compact digital cameras,
guarantees abundant descriptive
power. In fact, the DP1 uses exactly
the same image sensor as the SD14,
which has won plaudits for its top­of-the-range image quality. Then
there's the lens – the element most
crucial to photographic expression.
Benefiting from all the optical
design technology smarts Sigma
has acquired over the years, the
DP1's lens was developed to the
same design spec as high-function
interchangeable lenses for SLRs.
And that's not all. When it comes
to file formats, the DP1 supports
not only JPEG but also RAW (X3F)
mode. What's more, it offers five
Exposure mode – Auto mode,
[P] Programmed, [A] Aperture
Priority, [S] Shutter Priority and
[M] Manual plus exposure
compensation, manual focus, auto­bracketing, three Metering modes,
AF/AE locking and other features.
Equipped with what we'd call
standard SLR functions, the DP1 sets
you free to shoot it your way.

A standard DSLR spec in a compact
body. The world's first and only truly
high-performance compact digital
camera. That would be the DP1.

09

Sometimes Bigger is Better. Image Sensors are a Case in Point.

Film or digital: big photoreceptors
mean high image quality

The bigger the film size, the better
the image quality. That's common
knowledge in the world of film
cameras. Ever tried using a Brownie
film camera to shoot high-quality
photos? Then you'll have a vivid
sense of the exponential increase in
image quality as film size increases.
Basically, the same goes for digital
cameras. In other words, sensor
performance being equal,
the image quality of a digital camera
is determined by the size of
the image sensor, be it CCD or
CMOS. At 20.7 x 13.8mm, the DP1's
14-megapixel image sensor is SLR­sized. This is about 12 times the
size of the 1- to 2.5-inch sensor, and
7 times the size of a 1- to 1.8-inch
sensor used in a conventional
digital compact. This generous size
takes the DP1's image quality to
a different dimension.

A high pixel count doesn't always
mean high image quality

Even among ordinary compact
digital cameras, pixel-counts have
increased rapidly of late. However,
there may be more pixels, but the
sensor is still the same size. This
means that the pixel pitch, or the
gap between each pixel, is reduced
to about 2 micron. Decreasing the
pixel pitch also decreases the size
of the light-capturing photodiodes,
so more light is lost in the capture
process. This loss of light leads to

a poorer signal-to-noise (S/N)
ratio, a narrower dynamic range,
and a deterioration in the actual
image signal. And that's why a high
pixel count doesn't always mean
high image quality. The pixel pitch
in the DP1's image sensor, however,
is a generous 7.8micron.
The large photodiodes capture
the light coming through the lens
without losing any of it. This image
sensor is one of the secrets behind
the DP1's high resolution and
richly-nuanced images.

Full-sized sensor delivers
a shallower depth of field

The small size of the image sensor
used in a conventional compact
digital camera explains why it
captures rather flat, unmodulated
images. If the image sensor is small,
the focal distance of the lens is short.
If the focal distance of the lens is
shorter, the depth of field — meaning
the span of distances over which
the lens can focus — also increases.
The prosaic quality of the images
captured by an ordinary compact
digital camera is caused by the depth
of field characteristic of a small
image sensor: the lens focuses evenly
on everything between the subject
and the background, eliminating
any cadence within the image.
The DP1 uses a wide-angle lens with
a focal depth equivalent to 28mm on
a 35mm film camera. But because of
its large image-sensor, the depth of
field is shallow. So, when shooting
at close range or even with a wide-

open aperture, you can use the kind
of natural out-of-focus effects you'd
expect of an SLR.

A camera born of Sigma's purist
camera philosophy and universal
camera priorities. The world's first
high-performance compact digital
camera with an integral full-sized
image-sensor. That would be the DP1.

Image Sensor Size Comparison

SIGMA DP1's Direct Image Sensor

Conventional
Compact
Digital Camera's
Image Sensor

The DP1 has an integral 14 megapixel,
SLR-sized (20.7 x 13.8mm) image
sensor. This is about 12 times the size
of the 1- to 2.5-inch sensor, and seven
times the size of a 1- to 1.8-inch sensor
used in a conventional compact
digital camera. This generous size
takes the DP1’s image quality to
a different dimension. What’s more,
the pixel pitch of the image sensor
is a generous 7.8 micron. An ordinary
compact digital camera delivers
“high quality” with a high pixel count
achieved simply by dividing up the
sensor into smaller sections. In the
DP1, however, the large photodiodes
deployed at a large pixel pitch
capture pure, rich light efficiently, so
the image signal is superb right from
the start. This gives the DP1 its high
resolution and richly-graduated tones.

10

This photograph shows the approximate dimensions of the Sigma DP1.

1 1

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Camera : SIGMA DP1, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/25s, Aperture Value : F4, Focal Length: 16.6 mm

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Camera : SIGMA DP1, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/20s, Aperture Value : F4, Focal Length: 16.6 mm

15

Conventional digital cameras use
monochrome sensors only capable
of capturing light intensity. Because
these sensors do not capture color
data, a color filter with a mosaic of
pixels for the three primary colors
– red, blue and green (RGB) – is
mounted on top so that color data
can be represented. But each light­sensing photodiode has a one-color
filter, which means that each pixel
can only capture one color, and data
for the other two colors is discarded.
So, the full RGB complement is
restored by a color interpolation
process known as demosaicing,
performed in the latter stage
of the image processing.

to successfully achieve full-color
capture for the first time ever in
a single-pixel location. Just like the
three photosensitive layers of film,
each photodiode captures all the
RGB data at the outset, so no final­stage demosaicing is required, and
exquisite, nuanced color expression
can be handled in pixel-location
units. Because it does not need a
color filter, the DP1’s direct image
sensor does not generate the color
artifacts that color filters produce,
and therefore does not need an
optical low-pass filter either. In
other words, it can take in full
complement of RGB data, along
with finely-detailed subject data,

R: 100% G: 100% B: 100%

The Foveon X3® Sensor

Only the Foveon X3® image sensor
captures 100% of the R(red), G(green), and
B (blue) light at every pixel location.

without any modification. The high
The DP1’s integral 14 megapixel
direct image sensor utilizes the
special features of silicon, which
is penetrated to different depths
by different wavelengths of light,

16

color resolution achieved by this

full-color capture system delivers

the "emotional image quality" that

only a direct image sensor can

provide.

R: 25% G: 50% B: 25%

The Bayer filter Image Sensor

A conventional Bayer-filter image sensors
capture only 25% of the R(red) and B(blue),
and just 50% of the G(green).

After the DP1, Youll Never Feel the Same Way About Image Quality

A direct image sensor
that will rock your world

In developing the SD series of
DSLR cameras, Sigma has used the
Foveon X3® direct image sensor
right from the outset. Its outstanding
image quality performance has
earned high praise from users
around the world who have very
high standards when it comes to
image quality. "SD image quality
is something else" and "pictures
taken with an SD have an emotional
quality", are typical comments.
With their solid, nuanced feel and
amazing vividness, images taken
with SD-series cameras have
a quality that cannot be adequately
explained in terms of figures and
pixel counts: "emotional image­quality" is perhaps the only way
to put it. The secret behind this
extraordinary image quality lies in
the revolutionary mechanism of this
unique direct image sensor.

The difference between a color
sensor and a monochrome device

Apart from the SD series, almost all
the digital cameras on the market
use monochrome sensors, only
capable of capturing light intensity.
Because these sensors do not
capture color data, a color filter
with a mosaic of pixels for the three
primary colors – red, blue and green
(RGB) – is mounted on top so that
color data can be represented.
But each light-sensing photodiode
has a one-color filter, which means
that each pixel can only capture
one color, and data for the other
two colors is discarded. The full RGB
complement is restored by
a color interpolation process known
as demosaicing, performed in the

latter stage of the image processing.
Having been continuously improved
over an extended period, this
image-processing method has
matured to a certain extent.
If the subject contains a high
proportion of solid color, it does not
pose much of a problem. However,
a single shot of a subject featuring
complex intermingling of colors will
instantly reveal its weakness.
Fine patterns, subtle textures and
areas of finely-intermingled colors
cannot be reproduced properly by
the conventional technology.

Full-color capture system delivers
"emotional image quality"

The DP1 uses the same integral
14 megapixel direct image sensor
as the SD14. Utilizing the special
features of silicon, which is
penetrated to different depths by
different wavelengths of light, this
direct image sensor succeeds in
full-color capture with the full RGB
complement for the first time ever
in a single-pixel location.
Just like film, each photodiode
captures all the RGB data, so no
final-stage demosaicing is required,
and exquisite, nuanced color
expression can be handled in pixel­location units. The "emotional image
quality" delivered by the direct image
sensor owes everything to the high
"color resolution" achieved using this
unique sensor configuration.

Loss-free capture of light
and color data

That, however, is not the full story.
In an ordinary digital camera using
a color filter array, demosaicing can
sometimes add what are known
as "color artifacts", or colors not

actually present in the subject.
These are caused by the action of
the mosaic-form color filter when
capturing an image featuring more
than a certain level of detail
(i.e. high-frequency components).
In an ordinary digital camera,
another filter known as an optical
low-pass filter is placed over
the sensor in order to stop color
artifacts occurring. The job of the
optical low-pass filter is to cut out
any high-frequency components
which exceed a certain level.
Although this does effectively
inhibit color artifacts, the downside
is that the color resolution of the
image deteriorates. In other words,
an ordinary digital camera loses
data at two stages: first the image
signal captured by the lens has
high-frequency components cut
out by the optical low-pass filter,
and after that, two of the 3 primary
colors are cut out by the color filter.

Because it does not need a color
filter, the DP1's direct image sensor
does not generate the color
artifacts that color filters produce.
So, obviously, it does not need
an optical low-pass filter either.
Its full-color capture system can
handle all sorts of spatial high­frequency components, and
the full complement of primary
colors, which is precisely why
the DP1 can deliver that special
"emotional image quality".

A camera born of Sigma's
unique image-quality standards
and sustained obsession with
photographic expression.
The world's first high-performance
compact digital camera with
an integral full-sized image-sensor.
That would be the DP1.

17

A Photo Is Only As Good As The Lens It Was Taken With.

The all-important lens

When it comes to photographic
expression, the lens is the most
crucial element. This is true of any
camera, film or digital, and it remains
just as true in any age. Observing the
advances in digital image processing
technology designed to compensate
for lens aberrations, you would think
that digital image compensation was
the answer to everything. However,
no matter how far digital image
processing technology evolves,
it will never rival the descriptive power
of an excellent lens. Some might
argue that an adequate lens is all you
need, as long as you have brilliant
compensation technology. That's not
our view. Sigma is a lens expert, and the
DP1's special lens is the culmination of
years of lens-related R&D.

Just like a high-performance
interchangeable lens

The DP1's integral 16.6mm F4 lens
(equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm
film camera) may be small, but
it's a high-performance wide-angle
single-focus lens designed to the
standards of interchangeable SLR
lenses. Manufactured to exacting
standards, large-diameter (14.5mm)
aspherical glass molds are arranged
in the fourth group. Besides
achieving high resolution and high­contrast performance, we have
succeeded in storing the whole lens
unit in a compact lens barrel.
Its MTF – the value indicating lens
performance – is on a par with
that of the interchangeable lenses
used in SLR cameras.

A lens that keeps
straight lines straight

In conventional digital cameras,
the techniques used to shorten
the lens barrel cause deterioration
in anti-distortion performance.
This means there is a certain amount

of distortion in the image produced,
which is handled by carrying out
a little compensation in the latter­stage image-processing. Sigma,
however, has always preferred
to develop lenses with minimal
distortion, or in other words, lenses
that keep straight lines straight.
After all, as an industry leader in
interchangeable lenses, we're not
prepared to compromise when it
comes to lens quality. The DP lens
is a wide-angle lens equivalent to
28mm on a 35mm film camera, but
nevertheless, we have succeeded in
keeping the distortion to within -2.3%
even under the worst conditions
when shooting at close range.
Satisfyingly distortion-free photos,
even with a compact lens: that's
something a DP lens can guarantee.

A lens for full photographic expression

The DP lens uses the Super Multi­Layer Coating Sigma has developed
over many years of manufacturing
interchangeable lenses for digital
cameras. Despite the compact
lens-barrel, flare and ghosting can be
effectively suppressed even in when
shooting a backlit or semi-backlit
scene, allowing more dramatic
photographic expression.
We've also taken peripheral
brightness into consideration: the
drop in peripheral brightness at the
outermost edge of the screen when
the aperture is released is kept at

-1EV, which is on a par with that of
an interchangeable lens for
a precision digital camera. So, even
when you shoot blue skies whose
brightness continues to the horizon,
your pictures will be bright, clear,
and free of light fall-off at the edges.

A compact digital camera with
integral high-performance lens,
packed with optical technology
smarts, and delivering as much scope
for photographic expression as any
DSLR. That would be the DP1.

The construction of
the special-design lens

The DP1’s integral 16.6mm F4 lens
(equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm
film camera) may be small, but it’s a
high-performance wide-angle single­focus lens designed to the standards
of interchangeable SLR lenses.

Manufactured to those exacting
standards, large-diameter (14.5mm)
aspherical glass molds are
arranged in the fourth group.
Besides achieving high resolution and
high-contrast performance, we have
succeeded in storing the whole lens
unit in a compact lens barrel.

Its MTF – the value indicating lens
performance – is on a par with that
of the interchangeable lenses
used in SLR cameras.

Sigma Lens 16.6mm F4
MTF Chart

1

0.9

0.8

0.7

CONTRAST

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5

Spatial Frequency Sagittal Line Meridional Line

10 lp

30 lp

The MTF chart gives the results at the wide-open aperture.

IMAGE HEIGHT (mm)

18

19

For Everyone With a Creative Urge

Brand-new
"TRUE"
image­processing
engine

Sigma created

a new image­processing engine specially designed
for the DP1's direct image sensor. We
called it the Three-layer Responsive
Ultimate Engine, or "TRUE" for short.
Applying our exhaustive knowledge
of the image-creation mechanism of
the direct image sensor, we focused
on using a proprietary algorithm to
optimize and record the rich optical
signal it captures. The "optimal
image" is something we have always
pursued in our development of
DSLR cameras, and in developing
the DP1, a compact camera with
a unique mission, we mobilized all
our skill towards attaining this goal.
The rich optical signal captured
by the high-performance lens and
groundbreaking direct image sensor
is transformed into an information­rich image: this is the important role
played by the brand-new "TRUE"
image-processing engine.

In JPEG mode, images are
finished at Sigma's discretion

JPEG images captured by the DP1
are photos finished in what Sigma

considers the most appropriate way.
If you find that the photos you take
in JPEG mode look the way you
intended, then by all means enjoy
the ease and convenience of the
JPEG setting. Your JPEG images are
ready to print – just plug the camera
into your printer – and the image
data files are ready to share with
your friends and family. If you want
email-friendly image files that can
be transferred straight from your
camera, JPEG mode wins hands­down on convenience.

However, to create a JPEG file,
the data is subjected to irreversible
compression, which leaves very
little scope for image-correction
afterwards. And here's the rub: if you
only shoot JPEG mode, maybe you'll
find it very difficult to reproduce the
photo you saw in your mind's eye,
which is your own personal sensory
experience. If you've ever used
a conventional compact digital
camera that only has JPEG mode,
you'll know how unsatisfying the
results can be. You'll know what it's
like to find yourself thinking that the
light should have been punchier, that
the sky should have been bluer, that
the greenery should have been
a more vivid green, or that the sunset
should have been redder and had
more depth to it. Unfortunately, it's
extremely difficult to fully express

your artistic vision using only JPEG
images, which are created using the
camera's automatic settings.

X3F mode and the exclusive image­processing software Sigma Photo Pro

The DP1 has an X3F mode (RAW
file format) in which all the image
data captured by the sensor can be
recorded without any significant
deterioration in camera performance.
If you want to do your own hands-on
photo-finishing, then for best results,
we recommend Sigma Photo Pro, the
image-processing software designed
exclusively for these X3F files.
You may think that "RAW data
processing" sounds like something
scarily technical, requiring high levels
of knowledge and skill. If so, just try
Sigma Photo Pro for yourself, and
you'll soon find out how easy it really
can be. Sigma Photo Pro offers only
those functions you really need for
artistic photo-finishing. Its interface
is one of the most user-friendly and
intuitive of the many RAW data­processing software packages on the
market, so even if you're a beginner,
you'll find it simple to turn your
images into finished photos. Images
can be corrected using just seven
parameters — exposure, contrast,
shadows, highlights, color saturation,
sharpness and X3F Fill Light — all
provided in the Adjustment Controls

20

Palette, plus the
Color Wheel for
adjusting the colors.
Simply adjust these
parameters and
watch the image
change in real time.
That's all it takes to
recreate the image
you had in your
mind's eye as you
pressed the shutter.

Proprietary X3F
file format for
outstanding texture
and color

In fact, shooting
in X3F format has
other advantages
too. In a digital camera, the image
signal captured in RGB is recorded by
being converted into what is known
as YCbCr color space. The Y stands
for brightness, and the CbCr stands
for color difference. In an ordinary
digital camera, a file format known as
YCbCr 4:2:2 is used, where the color
signal is set to half the brightness
signal. This format was developed
in order to send color information
efficiently on the limited bandwidth
available back when color television
was first developed. Designed on
the principle that the human eye is
less sensitive to color data than to

brightness data,
this historical
format has
survived intact
to this day, and
is still used as
the mainstream
format in
digital cameras.
However,
now that
digital camera
performance
has improved
so dramatically,
people are using
their photos in
different ways,
displaying
enlargements on

their computer
screens, and large photo prints
are mainstream. Today's output
conditions are getting better and
better. The old YCbCr 4:2:2 format
was designed for efficient signal
transmission, and not for high-quality
output. To our way of thinking, this
format no longer adequate to meet
the needs of all photographers.

X3F images preserving
the balance of the natural data

The JPEG files from the DP1 are
output in YCbCr 4:2:2 in compliance
with the Exchangeable image file

format (Exif) specification,
which is the standard specification
for file formats. But in the direct
image sensor, each pixel location
captures the full complement of
RGB color data, so in X3F files,
which is the RAW data format,
brightness data and color data
can be kept in a 1:1 ratio without
relying on interpolation.
When this image is processed
in Sigma Photo Pro, even if it
is saved as a JPEG, if the JPEG
quality-setting selected is 7 to 12,
it will be saved as YCbCr 4:4:4.
The DP1's image quality, with its
amazing vividness and texture,
is really due to the X3F image data,
which preserves the balance
of the natural data.
For the best photos with the
best image quality, we definitely
recommend shooting in X3F mode.

A top-performance compact digital
camera for photographers who
want to take the best photographs
with the best image quality.
That would be the DP1.

21

A New Lineage in Digital Cameras

Equipment for delving into the
essence of photography

The business of taking photos boils
down to the skill of the photographer.
The photograph is the canvas for
the photographer's individual self­expression. Sigma creates equipment
for delving into the essence of
photography. Sigma's design policy
is to empower the photographer to
concentrate on the core task: taking
pictures. Our top priority is to deliver
the functionality and reliability this
requires. In packing in extra features,
we've been generous to a fault.
We've designed the user interface to
be user-friendly and intuitive,
and we've ramped up the portability
and durability. In other words, we've
made sure the DP1 is easy to carry
around, anytime, anywhere.

Breaking through old categories,
to new horizons

Simple yet distinctive, its compact
body will draw admiring glances.
Packed into a neatly pocket-sized
package, its DSLR-level functionality
is bound to amaze. And that's not
all. The DP1 does away with the old
DSLR-versus-compact distinction
that cramped photographers' style
more than they ever knew.
It offers more artistic freedom,
and new horizons in photographic
expression, making them far more
accessible than ever before.

The camera that sets the gold
standard for photos. The camera
that sets the stage for the next
generation of digital cameras.
That would be the DP1.

ACCESSORIES

EF - 140 DG

HA - 11

VF - 11

HOOD ADAPTER : HA-11

This lens hood blocks out extraneous light.
A hood adapter, designed to accept
a 46mm lens filter, is included.

VIEW FINDER : VF-11

This optical viewfinder mounts on the
camera's hot shoe. It allows framing of the
image without using the LCD monitor.

ELECTRONIC FLASH : EF-140 DG

With a maximum Guide Number of 14
(ISO100/m), this dedicated external flash is 2.3
times brighter than the camera's built-in flash.

22

23

SIGMA DP1 COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA : MAJOR SPECIFICATIONS

IMAGE SENSOR

Format
Image Sensor Size
Number of Pixels

Aspect Ratio

Foveon X3® Direct Image Sensor (CMOS)

20.7 x 13.8mm (0.8 inch x 0.5 inch)
Total Pixels 14.45 MP 2,688 x 1,792 x 3 layers
Effective Pixels 14.06 MP 2,652 x 1,768 x 3 layers
3 : 2

LENS

Focal Length
35mm Equivalent Focal Length
Maximum Aperture
Lens Construction
Shooting Range

16.6mm
28mm
F4
5 Groups , 6 Elements
50cm - oo , 30cm - oo (Full Mode)

RECORDING SYSTEM

Storage Media
Recording Format
Recording Mode

File Size / Still

File Size / Movie QVGA : 320 x 240 (30 Frames Per Second)

SD Card/Compatible with SDHC, Multi Media Card
Exif 2.21, DCF 2.0, DPOF
Lossless compression RAW data (12-bit),
JPEG (High, Wide, Medium, Low),
Movie (AVI), Voice memo to still images (10 sec.),
Voice recording (WAV)

Approx.

RAW High 2,640 x 1,76015.4

JPEG

High 2,640

Fine

:

Normal

:

Basic

:

Wide 2,640

Fine

:

Normal

:

Basic

:

Medium 1, 872

Fine

:

Normal

:

Basic

:

Low 1, 31 2

Fine

:

Normal

:

Basic

:

"Approximately 30 minutes is possible with a 1GB SD Card."

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

Approx.

3.3

1.9

1.4

2.7

1.6

1.2

1.6

0.9

0.7

0.8

0.5

0.3

MB

MB

x
2,640
2,640

2,640
2,640

1, 872
1, 872

1, 31 2
1, 31 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

1,760
1,760
1,760

1,485
1,485
1,485

1,248
1,248
1,248

880
880
880

MB
MB

MB
MB
MB

MB
MB
MB

MB
MB
MB

WHITE BALANCE

Settings 8 types (Auto, Sunlight, Shade, Overcast, Incandescent,

Fluorescent, Flash, Custom)

AUTO FOCUS

Auto Focus Type
AF Point
AF Point Selection
Focus Lock
Manual Focus

Contrast Detection Type
9-Points
Selection of 1 point from 9 points
Shutter release halfway-down position
Dial Type

OTHER FUNCTIONS

Digital Zoom Approx. 3.0 times

SHUTTER

Shutter Type
Shutter Speed

Electronically Controlled Lens Shutter
1/1000 - 15 sec.

ISO SENSITIVITY

Settings AUTO (ISO 100 - ISO 200) : With Flash (ISO 100 - ISO 400),

ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800

EXPOSURE CONTROL

Metering System

Exposure Control System

Exposure Compensation
AE Lock
Auto Bracketing

TTL Full Aperture Metering [1] Evaluative Metering,
[2] Center Weighted Average Metering, [3] Spot Metering
Auto Mode, [P] Program AE, [S] Shutter Priority AE,
[A] Aperture Priority AE, [M] Manual

+

3 EV (in 1/3 Stop Increments)

-

AE Lock Button
1/3EV Stops Up to

+

3EV Appropriate Exposure

-

FLASH

Built-in Flash Type
Guide Number
Flash Coverage Range
Flash Metering
Flash Mode
External Flash Synch.

Pop-up (Manual)
6 (ISO100/m)
30cm to 2.1m (ISO200)
TTL type
Forced Flash, Redeye Reduction, Slow Syncro
Hotshoe (X Sync. Contact)

DRIVE SYSTEM

Drive Modes [1 ] Single, [2] Continuous, [3] Self-Timer (2 sec./10 sec.)

LCD MONITOR

Type
Monitor Size
LCD Pixels

TFT Color LCD Monitor

2.5 inches
Approx. 230,000 pixels

MENU

LCD Monitor Language English / Japanese / German / French / Spanish /

Italian / Chinese (Simplified) / Korean

INTERFACE

PC/IF
AUDIO/VIDEO

USB (USB2.0)
Video Out (NTSC/PAL), Audio Out (Monaural)

POWER

Power

Battery Life

Li-ion Battery BP-31, Battery Chager BC-31,
AC Adapter SAC-3 (Optional)
Approx. 250 (+25°C)

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT

Dimensions
Weight

113.3mm/4.5"(W), 59.5mm/2.3"(H), 50.3mm/2"(D)
250g / 8.8 oz

ACCESSORIES

• Li-ion Battery BP-31, • Battery Charger BC-31,

• Lens Cap LCP-11, • Neck Strap NS-11, • Soft Case CS-70, • USB Cable,

• Audio/Video Cable, • SIGMA Photo Pro Disc, • Instruction Manual

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

• AC Adapter SAC-3, • Hood Adapter HA-11, • View Finder VF-11,

• ELECTRONIC FLASH EF-140 DG

The appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Caution : To ensure the correct and safe use of the product, be sure to read the User’s Manual Carefully prior to operation. Copyright© 2008 Sigma Corporation All Rights Reserved."Foveon X3" is a registered trademark of Foveon, Inc.

www.SIGMA-DP1.com

SIGMA CORPORATION 2-4-16, Kuriki, Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, 215-8530 Japan Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] www.sigma-photo.co.jp