Sigma SD-9 or SD-10 Users Only. - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

08/12/2004 09:10:36 PM · #1

Are you still happy with your camera? Would you do it again? Are the kit lenses it come with worth anything?

Thanks.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

08/12/2004 09:55:28 PM · #2

I am really happy with mine. I don't think I would buy anything else unless sigma can out with one with a larger chip. I read the sigma forum for about a month before I bought mine,so was aware of it's problems but decided to buy it anyway because of the chip. I've been looking at old process photographs, the ones made with view cameras, and there is a difference in detail that can be noticed on prints as small as 4x6. I don't think there is any other digital camera in this price range that can come close to capturing those tiny details. I don't have to sharpen my pictures out of this camera so any detail that is there is actual detail. But then, I love my camera so I might be biased. I paid full price when it was high and still don't regret it. It has performed well for 1 1/2 years with only one trip to the shop, and that was because the ac adaptor malfuntioned, not the camera. I've taken 17,000 pictures so far, dropped it a few times, taken it out in thunder storms and done most of the things one shouldn't do to a camera. Truth in advertising here, it is experiencing some problems now and I'm thinking about sending it in for a checkup. I think it has to do with the last fall it took. Been goofy ever since it fell off my desk a week ago. I think I loosened the ac port's electronics. It was plugged in and I think it landed on the place it was connected.
I bought my lenses separate. The 50 and 105 macro are the best all round. I do have the cheap 24/70 and it does an ok job with no ca most of the time and generally good sharpness.
One day I will be able to upgrade to the sd10 or, hopefully, a newer one. The only thing I find sad is that I'm not a good enough photographer to live up to the camera's abilities.

wwwavenger

08/12/2004 09:56:37 PM · #3

*Invades* Canon forever!

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

08/15/2004 09:56:08 AM · #4

Anyone else? (I just don't think wwwavenger is un bias on this one.)

GoodEnd

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

08/15/2004 10:56:33 AM · #5

I don't have one. The price to me is prohibitive. I'm thinking to upgrade to a Nikon D70. But I'm a Sigma SD fan. The Foveon sensor is the best capture sensor on the world at now. It reduces artifacts of the Bayer Array, improve the dinamyc range (film latitude) and reveal the color casting more naturally.
I had taken some shots with this marvelous camera one day, the SD9 version. I felt the body design (really a Nikon based desig) no so expressive. It has the correct weigh. Battery longs enoght. The file sizes wipes out my card, you need to carry a large one. It is staedy to shot. As quick to respond as Cannon 300D or 10D, nothing supperb here.

Image quality is very well, no needs sharpening, no needs tonal range adjustments to a corrected exposed picture. You can adjust to your artistical view, but can print directly.

The lenses it uses are my only negative point. Sigma is not the gratest lens manufacturer at now. It produces second line lenses to Canon and Nikon. It's MTF is lower than Zeis, Nikon and Canon. Sigma offer an lens thread adapter to Nikon AF and Canon EF, but I don't know this issue and your colaterals.

My tought about cameras are that you have two points to capture well an image:
1) The lenses. How best the lenses, better the image. It's why the large format lenses are all primes (no zoom, only one focal length). Very simple, in construction, very powerfull in performance.
2) The "film". A great film, is the one that can capture all detais the the lens provide. In this case, the Foveon X3 sensor is the best "Film" available to Digital camera at now.

Conclusion: You can have a great body and perfect lens, but your camera needs to capture it as well as you get.

If I had the money... it will be a certainly shoot.

scottwilson

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 28mm f/2.8

08/15/2004 12:26:07 PM · #6

I would spend some time looking at photo from the S9 and S10, you
can see a lot of them here.
//www.pbase.com/cameras/sigma
The images are very sharp but there tends to be a bit more noise in the skys then most other cameras. Most sigma owns seem to be very happy
with their cameras, many who do not own them hate them for a number of
reason, not all of which a valid.

08/15/2004 05:53:13 PM · #7

Originally posted by GoodEnd:

The lenses it uses are my only negative point. Sigma is not the gratest lens manufacturer at now. It produces second line lenses to Canon and Nikon. It's MTF is lower than Zeis, Nikon and Canon. Sigma offer an lens thread adapter to Nikon AF and Canon EF, but I don't know this issue and your colaterals.

Lens thread adapter? Could you give me a link? Would this adapter allow me to use F-mount lenses on a Sigma Camera??

Long story short. I am firmly entreanched Nikon man at work because we have about $10,000 in F-mount Nikkor lenses most of which are macro lense. I have a huge budget for lenses and cameras where I work (explains the D1x).... so, NIkkor F-mount adapter could come in handy.

I have little to no budget for a personal camera since it comes out of my wallet. I realize I will never be able to afford "Designer Lenses" I'll always be buying Sigma lenses anyway so why not get the Sigma SLR.

Anyway, Lens Thread Adapter?

Azrifel

Nikon Coolpix P340

08/15/2004 06:39:34 PM · #8

How about the dust, the three main problems I have with the SD cameras are:

1) High iso performance is poor
2) Dust, dust, dust*
3) Sigma lenses don't cover what I want

*I have yet to see reviewer's samples that are dustfree. Because of that I got the feeling that the sensor is a dust magnet.

Message edited by author 2004-08-15 18:40:50.