Sigma DP2

The latest compact to feature a DSLR-sized sensor. Can the DP2 deliver comparable results?

Over two years after the announcement of the DP1, Sigma has developed its long-awaited successor: the DP2. Having marvelled at the image quality produced by one of the first compacts to shoehorn an APS-C sized sensor into its small body, we were keen to road-test its latest incarnation.

An initial glance at the specifications reveals relatively few differences between the DP2 and its predecessor. It retains the same 14.06 megapixel FOVEON X3 direct image sensor (which incorporates three 2,652 x 1,768 layers) as the DP1 and Sigma’s current DSLR, the SD14. It also incorporates a very similar user interface, the same build design and 2.5” 230,000 pixel LCD.

What has changed however is the DP2’s updated TRUE II image processing engine, which - Sigma states - promises improved AF performance and better image quality at high ISOs. Another big change is the lens: the manufacturer was questioned regarding its decision to equip the DP1 with a fixed 28mm (equivalent) wide angle lens, and as a result, the DP2 boasts a faster 24.2mm F2.8 optic instead.

Adopting the same boxy design as the DP1, the DP2 couldn’t be much simpler to navigate. The top of the camera houses the no-nonsense mode dial, where you won’t find a single scene mode or gimmicky setting, just the straightforward P, S, A, M exposure modes, along with Movie and Voice recording functions, as well as the Setup menu. A dinky power button and the shutter release complete the top panel’s controls, with just the accessory hotshoe – which accepts an optional external flashgun or optical viewfinder – and the built-in pop-up flash populating the centre and left-hand side of the top panel respectively.

Around the back, there’s a textured area that’s mirrored on the front of the camera, helping you to keep a firmer purchase on it, although a rubberised area would improve comfort in our opinion. At the top right of the back panel, there’s a pair of buttons labelled with up and down arrow keys, which let you zoom in on images displayed on the LCD and alter your settings while shooting. To the left, an AEL button sits above a new QS button, which calls up a graphical display on the LCD and lets you make use of the D-pad to gain softkey access to important functions like ISO, WB, Metering, Flash mode and – if you press the QS button again – further options are revealed to include Image Size and Quality, Drive and Color modes.

Without the QS menu activated, the Up arrow key on the four-way D-pad offers access to the camera’s Manual focus feature, while the Down key calls up the DP2’s AF point selection facility. There’s no dedicated exposure compensation button – instead, you simply press the left or right arrow keys to apply your desired adjustment. In addition to the usual Menu and Playback buttons, the only additional control lets you select the amount of information that’s displayed on the LCD, as well as letting you opt to have a live histogram or to turn off the LCD completely when shooting with the optional optical viewfinder.

The DP1 – hailed as the perfect companion for methodical landscape photographers – received some criticism regarding its somewhat sluggish AF performance. Sigma hasn’t turned to a blind eye to this, and the updated processor does mean the DP2 puts in a quicker – if still not particularly ‘quick’ – performance, locking onto its target with greater ease in good light. In poor light however, things go downhill, and you’re likely to be switching to the camera’s manual focus mode pretty sharpish once the sun goes down: there’s no AF-assist lamp to help out either.

With good light however, the DP2’s AF system is fairly accurate on the whole, taking an average of around a half to one second to hunt and then lock on to your subject (more in low light). Obviously this isn’t going to compete with the latest quick-firing compacts, so action enthusiasts should look elsewhere, but for photographers who prefer a more sedate pace of shooting, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. On the positive side, the DP2’s manual focusing facility is very easy to use and makes shooting a bit more predictable. You use the top arrow key on the four-way D-pad while shooting to switch to MF, then rotate the MF dial on the back of the camera to adjust the focus. An on-screen scale also appears to guide you, and you can zoom in to check for accuracy too.

The LCD is a bit of a letdown. It’s the same 2.5” 230,000-dot screen that appeared on the DP1, and it pales into insignificance when compared to the bright, bold, high-resolution 3” equivalents we’ve become so accustomed to seeing – not just on DSLRs – but on the latest high-end compacts too. Considering its price, we’d hoped that Sigma might have made some improvements in this area when developing the DP2. The quality of the image displayed on the LCD can be quite off-putting when trying to check for accurate focus and colours in particular, and we noticed a fair degree of flickering going on when scrolling through the setup menu, which is set against a black background. While the screen does boast a pretty wide viewing angle, it doesn’t have an effective anti-reflective coating, which makes it difficult to shoot in bright sunlight to say the least. We were very thankful that Sigma sent us an optical viewfinder to try with the camera, and we’d advise DP2 purchasers to invest in one too.

Another point of note is the menu system. Unlike most other cameras, there’s no tabbed system in evidence, (ordinarily making it easier to access the settings you want quickly). Instead, all of the camera’s options are crammed into one long list - comprising 21 options – that you have to scroll through to find what you want. The small white text is set against a low-opacity image of whatever’s in front of your lens at the time too, which won’t be ideal for visually impaired photographers.

What the DP2 lacks in performance however, it makes up for in image quality. Having a sensor that’s – as Sigma states – seven to twelve times larger than the 1/1.8” - 1/2.5” sensors usually found in contemporary compacts does make a measurable difference, resulting in richly detailed and coloured photographs that are remarkably noise-free. Anyone who may have been put off by the description of how the triple-layered Foveon sensor works (technically producing a 4.7mp image) should take a look at the test shots on the CD. You’ll be amazed at the level of detail and clarity this diminutive camera produces: it beats just about any similarly sized camera on the market, and takes on its fair share of entry-level DSLRs too.

White balance accuracy can be a bit hit-and-miss, with some very odd colour casts appearing under tungsten and mixed lighting in particular, in addition to some vignetting on occasion, although the appearance of both is somewhat unpredictable. Shooting in RAW mode and using the bundled Photo Pro software however, makes it easy to correct to colour casts, if not the vignettes. Otherwise, chromatic aberration is well controlled, although still in evidence on occasion in high contrast areas, while edge-to-edge sharpness is very good, thanks that fixed focal length lens.

Below ISO 200 images are very crisp and clean. At ISO 400, noise is evident but well controlled, and at ISO 800 – while more pronounced – noise is still fairly unobtrusive and reminiscent of film grain. The top two ISO sensitivities – 1600 and 3200 – admittedly aren’t brilliant, and you have to switch to shooting RAW in order to make use of them, (you need to use the bundled Sigma Pro Photo software to process them and tone down the noise afterwards) so it’s really a case of reserving those as a last resort.

Aside from the outstanding image quality, the attribute we like best about this camera is that it’s so simple to operate. There are no gimmicky features: the DP2 is just a straightforward, down-to-earth camera that’s designed for taking high quality images, and nothing else. Yes, it is equipped with a Movie mode, but the fact that it records at QVGA (320x240) size makes it seem like more of a concession on Sigma’s part, a token gesture rather than an attempt to keep up with the latest HD-movie recording compacts and DSLRs. Unlike a lot of its competitors, the DP2 doesn’t concern itself with elaborate in-camera editing options either – the most ‘creative’ you can get is by employing the camera’s seven different Color Modes, comprising Portrait, Landscape, Vivid, Standard, Neutral, B&W and Sepia. This keeps the camera aimed squarely at its intended audience: advanced photographers with a no-nonsense approach to their photography, who have a firm grasp of the technical side of the art.

The DP2 is certainly not a camera for beginners, nor will it satisfy the needs of the sharp-shooting social butterfly or action photographer. This is the kind of camera you want in your hand when sitting in a Parisian café, or admiring a breathtaking piece of scenery. It has its foibles, but if your ultimate concern is getting top-quality images from a pocket-sized camera, the DP2 is currently without rival.

Final Verdict Not the fastest dog on the track, but ahead of the pack when it comes to image quality OVERALL

Josie developed a taste for photography while travelling around Ecuador, returning home to specialize in the medium as part of her BA (Hons) degree at university. Now the Reviews Editor for Digital Photographer, Josie handles all of the latest camera launches and boasts an in-depth knowledge of all things camera-related.