Sigma DP1X BROCHURE
The DP series:
the world's only compact cameras
with DSLR specifications.
Following the breakthrough,
an evolution to greater refinement:
the SIGMA DP1x.
Trust your eye. Trust your hand,
They know a good camera.
Sigma's DP cameras treat light and color with due respect.
They don't change any of it. They don't lose any of it.
The result? An amazing capacity to capture fine detail.
Unleash your creativity.
Let your inner photographer see things in a new way.
Do it all with this compact body.
We believe in photographing things as they really are.
This shapes our concept of the way a camera should be.
With the DP series, we're aiming to recapture the essence of the camera.
The DP1 that launched this initiative has now been reborn.
You remember the DP1? The little camera that could?
It blew existing image-quality standards out of the water.
It opened up new horizons for amateur photographers.
And now it's even better.
The SIGMA DP1x.
For the photographer who wants to capture genuine emotion.
This photograph shows the approximate dimensions of the Sigma DP1x.
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Camera : SIGMA DP1x, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/80s, Aperture Value : F4.0, Focal Length: 16.6 mm
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Camera : SIGMA DP1x, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1 sec, Aperture Value : F4.0, Focal Length: 16.6 mm
The revolution has gained refinement.
The world's first full-spec compact
“A large sensor in a compact body.” Appearing
all over the media, this phrase neatly summed
up Sigma's DP series of high-performance, high
image-quality compact cameras.
Ever since digital cameras ousted film cameras
from their mainstream status, the image sensors
used in compact cameras had been far smaller
than those used in SLRs. Of course, photo
sensor size plays a crucial role in determining
image quality. This was true in the days of
film, and it's just as true in the digital age. Yet
compact cameras had been getting steadily
smaller and lighter. Meanwhile, the all-important
pursuit of higher image quality had become
an afterthought, for reasons of cost and
technological difficulties.
What's more, digital compacts were all about
extra functions and more megapixels. Higher
pixel-counts were achieved simply by making
the pixels extremely small, so that more of
them could be crammed in, while the sensor
itself remained as small as ever. In terms of
the essence of photographic expression, pixel
counts don't really count. Yet competition on
this front had reached fever pitch by the spring
of 2008, when the Sigma DP1 made its longawaited debut.
The DP1 opened up new horizons
The DP1 was introduced as a compact digital
camera with an SLR-sized image sensor. It was
a camera that satisfied the artist's need for top
image quality and yet was compact enough
to take anywhere. This had always been the
amateur photographer's dream. And a dream
it remained, until Sigma boldly took up the
challenge and overcame numerous challenges
to make it happen.
That glimpse of unexpected beauty on your
daily commute, early in the morning or late
in the evening. The subtlety of human drama
encountered on a street corner. The dewy petal
of a nameless roadside flower. As anyone who
loves photography could tell you, those crucial
moments can't be contrived. There's only one
place you find them: the often overlooked
corners of ordinary life.
At Sigma, we have strong views about what
a camera should be. Sensor size isn't our only
obsession: we're also big on pioneering sensor
design. That's why our DP cameras feature the
Foveon X3® direct image sensor, which breaks
new ground by capturing the full complement
of colors at each individual pixel location.
Thanks to this sensor, our DP cameras produce
distinctive images that combine exquisite
vividness with astonishingly high definition,
outclassing conventional digital image quality.
Thanks to the unique 3-D feel plus the clarity
and sharpness, delivered by Sigma's proprietary
three-layered Foveon X3® direct image sensor,
the images created by the DP1 won acclaim from
photographers all over the world. Their image
quality was compared to that of a mediumformat film camera rather than that of a DSLR.
The rest is recent history: the DP1's formidable
descriptive power not only made a worldwide
splash, but also transcended the existing
distinction between SLRs and compacts,
creating the new “full-spec compact” category.
There's just no doubt about it—the DP1 created
quite a buzz in photographic circles.
Sigma's photographic passion and principles
You wouldn't carry an SLR around unless you
intended to shoot some serious photos. Pictures
taken with an SLR have to be carefully set up,
framed and posed. All sorts of complicated
settings have to be fiddled with. That's
how most people would think of an SLR.
Yet Sigma took the essence of an SLR, and
packed it, unabridged, into a compact body.
We also included a generous dollop of extra
high-performance functions. We gave the
photographer more artistic control, and left
more scope for creative expression.
With the introduction of the Sigma DP series,
serious photography can now be part of
your everyday routine. And that's not all:
these cameras are the perfect fit for today's
increasingly nonconformist, free-spirited
users. They awaken the creativity within many
photographers, often causing them to fall in
love with photography all over again.
In its forms and workflows, photographic
equipment changes with the times.
Photographic expression is also subject to
passing trends. What stays unchanged is
the way a camera should be. A camera should
slavishly follow your direction. It should respect
your intention. And it should do this without
losing sight of the essence of photography,
namely, capturing your own personal sensory
experience, the picture in your mind's eye—
a single image only you could create.
This is the fundamental concept underlying all
of Sigma's evolving technological innovation.
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A Camera that Transforms Your Perception
After the ground-breaking,
the fine-tuning
The DP1 was the world's first truly full
spec compact camera. It deserves to
be remembered as the camera that
launched Sigma's DP series. This truly
high-performance compact camera
was groundbreaking in that it featured
an SLR-sized image sensor. However,
precisely because it was so groundbreaking, it faced some challenges.
At Sigma, we believe that users should
experience the joy of finessing their
pictures, working with superb image
quality. In line with this philosophy, we
gave the DP1 a specification worthy
of an SLR, based on RAW (X3 mode)
output. We wanted to create a whole
new DP world of our own. But we
must admit that, as an instrument for
taking photos, the DP1 was more of a
breakthrough than a culmination.
We must also concede that the TRUE
the first-generation image-processing
engine featured in the DP1–processed
the abundant image data output
by the Foveon X3® direct image
sensor at a speed that some found
unsatisfactory. The DP1's early
adopters may well have felt the need
for enhancement.
A more highly evolved
version of the DP1
The concept behind the DP1—the first
generation model remains unchanged
in the DP1x. The new camera features
the Foveon X3® direct image sensor,
which provides astonishing definition,
said to be on a par with that of medium
format film. It also uses a specially
designed ultra high-performance
wide-angle lens equivalent to 28mm
in a 35mm camera, which is even
better than many high-performance
interchangeable lenses used in SLRs.
We wanted the DP1x to deliver the
special 3-D feel and texture that are
the raison d'être of the DP series. That's
why, rather than concentrating on a
single index such as MTF, we aimed
for all-round lens performance. As for
image texture, which is determined by
differences in focal length, F-number
and other parameters, we took care to
make the DP1x consistent with the rest
of the DP series.
We also endowed the DP1x with the
highly-acclaimed user interface and
the TRUE II second-generation image
processing engine used in the DP2—the
second release in the DP series. With
more intuitive controls and dramatically
improved operability and processing
speeds, the DP1x is a more highlyevolved photographic instrument.
The pleasures of perspective
The DP1x has an integral wide-angle
lens equivalent to 28mm in a 35mm
camera. Since its field angle is greater
than that of the human eye, a wideangle lens can be used to bring out
perspective, adding dynamism and
drama to your photographs.
This type of lens really comes into
its own when shooting landscapes
and buildings, where its distinctive
perspective can be used to full
advantage. It allows dynamic captures
of clear blue skies, white fluffy clouds
and deep crimson sunsets. Buildings,
be they historical structures, stylish
examples of modern architecture, or
anything in between, can be cleverly
framed for maximum interest, or
captured in a thousand other cool ways.
Breathing new inspiration into
your photographic art
The wide-angle lens is also great
for snapshots. For one thing, it has
technical advantages—it's less
susceptible to camera-shake and
allows a greater depth of field. For
another, its wide field angle gives you
an edge when it comes to capturing
subtle human interactions, or snatching
that rare and unexpected photogenic
moment that can show up in the most
banal of everyday scenes.
Portraits are another genre you really
should try with the wide-angle lens on
the DP1x. The telephoto lens
is the mainstream choice for this
type of shot, so using a wide-angle
lens adds a fresh twist right away.
For a classic headshot, use portrait
(vertical) orientation. Whether you
shoot in portrait or landscape, you can
inject a sense of depth and a dash of
drama by cleverly incorporating the
existing background, or by arranging
background objects yourself.
Most photographers start out with
an interest in using telephoto lenses.
An obsession with wide-angle lenses
tends to follow later. What gets them
hooked on the wide-angle lens is its
versatility and its infinite potential for
artistic expression. This type of lens
brings all sorts of extraneous objects
into the frame, so it can be tricky
to master. The effort is more than
repaid, however, by the extra scope
for dramatic staging. In terms of sheer
artistic enjoyment, the wide-angle lens
gets more and more rewarding as you
go up the learning curve.
A lens that takes you back to basics
Like the other Sigma DP cameras,
the DP1x uses a single-focus lens. As
high-performance zoom lenses have
become mainstream even in integrallens cameras, this might seem an
unusual choice.
Certainly, when you can only
shoot from a certain spot, a highmagnification zoom lens is hard
to beat: its extensive visual field
conveniently covers the range from
wide-angle to telephoto. If you've
ever struggled to take pictures with a
single-focus lens that has the wrong
field angle, you'll know just how
frustrating it can be.
And yet, the single-focus lens has an
elegance all of its own. Give it some
serious attention, and it will repay
the favor by taking you right back to
the basics of photography. Choosing
the subject. Finding the best angle.
Framing the shot in the best way
possible. Considering the light and
shadow falling on the subject. Taking
account of the colors. This is what
photography is all about. In Sigma's
philosophy, there's only one way to
take a picture that is truly your own.
You have to establish your personal,
subjective relationship with the
subject. And that means making all
the artistic decisions yourself.
A camera that
trains your artistic eye
Shooting with a single-focus lens
forces you to frame the shot by
moving your physical position. With
a camera that automatically selects
the best field angle for the subject,
it wouldn't really matter where you
positioned yourself. With a singlefocus lens, however, actively searching
for the best way to frame the shot
makes you rethink your old habits.
This prompts you to re-establish a
new, more authentic, more personal
relationship with photography.
Rediscover the joy of photography.
Unleash your inner artist with the DP1x.
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Camera : SIGMA DP1x, File Type: X3F Raw, Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority AE, ISO Setting : 100, White Balance : Auto, Shutter Speed : 1/80s, Aperture Value : F4.0, Focal Length: 16.6 mm
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The DP1x's Foveon X3® direct
image sensor utilizes the
special features of silicon,
which is penetrated to
different depths by different
wavelengths of light, to
successfully achieve full-color
capture for the first time ever
in a single-chip configuration.
No color filter is required.
Since the X3 can capture all the
color information in its three
layers, the aforementioned
late-stage color interpolation
necessitated by the Bayer filter
image-sensor is not required,
and exquisite, nuanced color
expression can be created in
pixel-location units. Compared
with the color-fudging Bayer
filter image sensor, the X3
takes color resolution to a
new and truly amazing level.
Since it does not need a color
filter, the direct image sensor
does not generate color
artefacts. This, of course,
means that no optical lowpass filter is needed either.
This full-color capture system
can cope with all kinds of
high-frequency areas, and
capture the full complement
of colors. That's why the
results are both absolutely
natural and truly exquisite.
R: 100% G: 100% B: 100% R: 25% G: 50% B: 25%
The Foveon X3® Sensor
The Foveon X3® has three layers of
photosensors, enabling it to capture 100%
of the RGB color data at once.
The Bayer filter Image Sensor
The old-fashioned Bayer filter image sensor
can only capture 50% of the green color data,
and a mere 25% each of the blue and the red.
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