Implementing a sizable sensor presented all sorts of problems: the expense of the sensor, the difficulty of designing the lens, the high processing capacity required for the image processing engine, enlarging the circuit board, increasing the memory capacity, etc. Until these complaints may be overcome, it's generally accepted that DSLRs used large sensors, and compacts used small ones. Eventually, these problems were effectively solved, allowing sensors to be made smaller. However, this involved a trade off: reduced image quality.

From then on, amateur photographers wanted a compact camcorder by SLR sized image sensor. A camera small , and light enough to place around everywhere, yet offering the technology for serious photography. Those dreams came true with Sigma’s DP series.

The DP Series: A brand new Lineage
The DP2's integral standard lens is brand new and purpose designed, along with a focal length such as 41mm during a 35mm camera. We would definitely allow photographic effects beyond the scope of your focal length of the wide angle lens belonging to the DP1, that may be equivalent to 28mm within a 35mm camera. So we gave the DP2 a standard range focal length considerably better for snapshots and portraits.

The Camera That Turns Ordinary into Awesome
The DP1's wide angle lens is robust with perspective, designed for dynamic shots of scenery, buildings, celebrations. Standard lens included in the DP2, then again, boasts a narrower field angle, giving a stronger effect, making the niche jump out. Basically, we've trained with the capability to create the photo which you, in support of you, are able to see in your own mind's eye. Naturally, that is beneficial to portraits. Along with capturing the elusive fantastic thing about ordinary, everyday subjects, this standard lens is ideal.

Its focal length is longer rrn comparison to the DP1's lens. So, at low F numbers (larger apertures), you are able to create amazing pictures by deliberately blurring the backdrop. This will make the niche stand out sharply, in the compelling, almost mystical way. Within this sense, you can actually say the DP2 turns ordinary into awesome.

Sigma DP2 Highlights & Features

Full Scale Sensor

Startlingly evocative image quality
At 20.7 x 13.8mm, the DP2's 14 megapixel image sensor is SLR sized. This is certainly about 12 times bigger than the 1 to 2.5 inch sensor, and 7 times larger than a 1 to a single.8 inch sensor utilized in the normal digital compact. This generous size takes the DP2's image quality completely to another dimension.

Picture this. Light traveling via the small lens is captured by the small sensor and turned into a perception. Light travelling via the large lens is captured with a large sensor and converted into a perception. What’s the actual between these images? Essentially, this is a difference in quality. If you are the little image sensor, the is magnified by way of a high ratio over the following few printed or displayed even on a screen. This makes it tricky to reproduce the dynamism and 3 D feel of the subject. The DP2 does just that using a large integral image sensor.

The natural background blur you will get using an SLR
The small size of the style sensor made use of in a conventional compact dslr camera explains why it captures rather flat, unmodulated images. If for example the image sensor is small, the focal entire lens is short. The shorter the focal length of the lens, slightly more the depth of field for instance, the higher the number of distances over which the lens can focus.

The prosaic excellence of the images captured by a run of the mill compact photographic camera is attributable to the depth of field characteristic to a small image sensor: the lens focuses evenly on everything between subject along with background, eliminating any cadence throughout the image. The DP2, however, comes with SLR sized image sensor, so its standard lens is the same as 41mm at a 35mm camera, obese an F number of two.8, that large aperture in addition. This suggests you might use the amount of cool natural background blur effects you will normally expect on the SLR.

Direct Image Sensor

The DP2's Foveon X3 direct image sensor utilizes the special properties of silicon, that is certainly penetrated in order to depths by different wavelengths of light, to successfully achieve full color capture the first time ever in the single pixel site configuration. No color filter is necessary. Like modern color film cameras, it the actual method that captures many of the colors vertically.

Because very easy need color interpolation or a low pass filter, the Foveon X3 produces images that happen to be sharp straight away. Therefore, sharpness processing in the latter stages in the image processing creating edges and emphasizing contours could be reduced towards minimum. Which is why reviewers have evaluated the photographs captured because of the Foveon X3 as getting a truly nuanced, sharp feel and praised them as very natural and demonstrating superior image quality.

Integral Lens

The DP2 Carries a Standard Integral Lens
A lens by having a focal amount of 40mm to 60mm using a 35mm film camera is known as a "standard lens" because doing so delivers natural perspective, nearly what are the human eye perceives. The standard meaning of a regular lens is certainly one that features a focal length at the diagonal entire image format. The focal length of the DP2's lens is 24.2mm, and also the diagonal length of the image sensor is 24.86mm. So, the lens utilised in the DP2 really does should be known as the standard lens.

In previous times, standard lenses have traditionally been of either the Tessar and the Gauss type. The Gauss type is basically put to use in larger apertures with high performance. Its disadvantages include inclination towards saggital coma flare when used in combination with some extent light source, and a tendency for ones light volume to lower at the periphery. The Tessar type, then again, has a simple structure, rendering it uncomplicated to miniaturize. However, its drawback is it tends this is not to deliver high performance at larger apertures.

Adapting SLR Lens Technology for the Own Purposes
Sigma believes that her photo is as good as the lens it's taken with. So we decided the fact that style of quality we wanted for those DP2 wouldn't be attainable utilizing the traditional techniques used to design standard lenses. We rethought the structure from development stage, and set in pursuit of the highest possible lens performance. We took the bold step relying on a retrofocus lens belonging to the type mainly used as wide angle lenses for SLRs.

Besides capturing the excellent telecentricity vital in lenses for camcorders, this retrofocus lens has various advantages: for instance, this format makes it easy to suppress field curvature and astigmatism, as well as to always make sure that the light volume stays the identical to certainly the periphery. Risk lens does need to be longer. Therefore, to be able to minimize the sum of the length of the lens while still attaining ideal image quality, we used two sets of lens elements: the group in the front have a high refractive index, along with group inside the rear are aspherical glass mold lenses. In such a manner, we successfully developed a standard lens by having a relatively modest overall length, but very high optical performance.

Creating sharp, clear images
As well as making use of a rear focus system, we used aspherical glass mold lenses, enabling aberration variation to be minimized. Plus the elements that comprise the DP2 lens are helped by a super multilayer coating that succeeds in keeping ghosting and flare to some minimum.

That's not all. Most of the DP2 lens elements are hyperchromatic, which enables chromatic aberrations turn out to be corrected into a large extent, without impacting other aberrations. Therefore keep in mind a wide open aperture, the images produced have minimal color flare, and therefore are nice sharp and crisp, to the advantage. The Foveon X3, which delivers amazing color resolution, also an amazing big contribution to high degree "emotional image quality" delivered.

A super high performance lens that's flat as the pancake directly to the edge
In order to help maintain hd and contrast of your center from the screen to certainly the side, so to allow scope for cool background blur effects, we aimed with the sorts of MTF and all round lens performance only accessible with single index lenses. I am confident the DP2's lens, improved over and again inside interests of delivering the absolute best finished image, encapsulates Sigma's expertise being leading manufacturer of lenses. The impact on the eye popping image quality delivered by way of the DP2's lens is one challenge you need to envision for yourself.

Imaging Capability

Proprietary X3F format for outstanding texture and color
In fact, shooting in X3F format has some advantages. Inside a digital camera, the signal captured in RGB is recorded when it is changed into exactly what is identified as YCbCr color space. The Y means brightness, plus the CbCr means color difference. With an ordinary camcorder, folders format known as YCbCr 4:2:2 can be used, where the color signal is set to half the brightness signal. This format was made so as to send color information efficiently within the limited bandwidth available back when color television was first developed. Designed relating to the principle that eye is less understanding of color data rather than brightness data, this historical format has survived intact even today, and it is still used given that the mainstream format in old digital cameras.

However, considering that dslr camera performance has improved so dramatically, are featured their photos within ways, displaying enlargements on their own computer screens, and large photo prints are mainstream. Today's output conditions are improving. This YCbCr 4:2:2 format was designed for efficient signal transmission, rather than for high quality output. To our way of thinking, this format not anymore adequate in order to meet the needs of all photographers.

X3F images preserving the total amount of this natural data
The JPEG files out of your DP2 are output in YCbCr 4:2:2 in compliance while using Exchangeable image extendable (Exif) specification, that's the regular specification for file formats. Exploiting the direct image sensor, each pixel location captures the full complement of RGB color data, so in X3F files, that is the RAW data format, brightness data and color data can be kept in a single:1 ratio without influenced by interpolation. If this image is processed in Sigma Photo Pro, even if it will be saved being JPEG, if for example JPEG quality setting selected is 7 to 12, it'll be saved as YCbCr 4:4:4. The DP2's image quality, utilizing its amazing vividness and texture, is basically due to X3F image data, which preserves into your market of the natural data. For top photos while using the best image quality, we definitely recommend shooting in X3F mode.

JPEG mode: photos finished the Sigma way
JPEG images captured with the DP2 are photos finished in what Sigma considers the most likely way. Should the photos you're in JPEG mode look how you intended, then go for it like the ease and simplicity of the JPEG setting. Your JPEG images will be ready to print just plug your camera into your printer plus the image data are prompted to share with your friends and family. In order email friendly image files which is transferred straight from the camera, JPEG mode wins hands down on convenience.

However, as soon as you complete a JPEG file, the data is put through irreversible compression, which leaves hardly any scope for image correction afterwards. And here's the rub: if you ever only shoot JPEG mode, you may find it not at all easy to reproduce the photo you saw inside your mind's eye, and that is your special sensory experience. Remedies ever used a conventional compact camera that merely has JPEG mode, you'll know how unsatisfying the final results is. Unfortunately, it may be extremely difficult to totally express your artistic vision only using JPEG images, which are made out of the camera’s automatic settings.

TRUE II

True II image processing engine
The DP1 creates a specially designed image processing engine the "TRUE". To the DP2, we developed this key technology further, creating the "TRUEII". Applying our exhaustive expertise in the image creation mechanism of your direct image sensor, we used a proprietary algorithm to complete full justice to its uniquely sophisticated 3 D rendering power, successfully optimizing the image processing a moment the in camera image processing itself.

Having focused our efforts on optimizing and recording the pure, rich signal captured by way of the sensor, we had been determined the DP2 could be the only camera fully capable to deliver the optimal image quality there was pursued throughout our developing on SLRs. The rich optical signal captured via the groundbreaking direct image sensor must be translated into an information rich image. We entrusted that crucial task to the new, improved "TRUE II".

Enhanced image processing quality and speed
Leveraging the strengths in the direct image sensor, TRUE II does full justice to its uniquely sophisticated 3D rendering power, optimizing both in camera image processing quality and speed. Also enhancing color reproduction and dynamic range, TRUE II, significantly resulting in the products the pictures produced inside the camera. Further, noise which can are likely to occur at higher sensitivities is suppressed utilizing a new proprietary algorithm, with resolution maintained on the maximum level.

And automatic exposure, focus and white balance functionality are strengthened, enhancing the camera's performance.

Sigma Photo Pro

Photo finishing software meant to force you to including your works shine (Not included)
The DP2 possesses an X3F mode (RAW file format) whereby every one of the image data captured through sensor could be recorded which have no significant deterioration in camera performance. To do your hands on photo finishing, then for perfect results, we recommend Sigma Photo Pro, the image processing software designed exclusively for these X3F files.You may realise that "RAW data processing" sounds like something intimidatingly technical, requiring high numbers of knowledge and skill.

If so, just try Sigma Photo Pro for your own benefit, and you should soon find out how easy annoyed when someone are usually. Sigma Photo Pro targets on solely those functions an individual requirement artistic photo finishing. Its interface is among the most user friendly and intuitive of those unfortunate RAW data processing software packages available to buy, so even if you're a newcomer, you'll find it easy to turn your images into finished photos. Images could be customized using just seven parameters exposure, contrast, shadows, highlights, color saturation, sharpness and X3 Fill Light all provided within the Adjustment Controls Palette, in addition to the Color Wheel for adjusting the colors. Simply adjust these parameters watching the particular alteration of real time. That's it just takes to recreate the optimal photo you needed in your own mind's eye since you pressed the shutter.

Design Policy

A truly intuitive user interface
The business of taking photos comes from ale the photographer. The photograph may be the canvas for that photographer's individual self expression. Sigma creates equipment for delving inside the essence of photography. Sigma's design policy could be to empower the photographer to focus on the core task: taking photos. Our goal is always deliver the functionality and reliability this involves. That's way in adding extra features, we've been generous with a fault.

The rather simple user interface we gave the DP1 has been refined for any DP2, rendering it even easier to shoot pictures a perfect way you wish. Because this can be a lightweight compact, we've focused on which makes it a much more complete photographic tool that anyone can take with them for you every day.

A stylish new outlet to your inner artist
With its intuitive controls, and it is increased portability and toughness, the DP2 is built to be studied on you anytime, wherever you go. Simple yet distinctive, its compact body will draw admiring glances. Packed suitable neatly pocket sized package, it possesses a great capacity to make uncannily high image quality that may be guaranteed to amaze. Doing away with that old DSLR versus compact distinction that cramped photographers' style even more than they ever knew, the DP2 offers more artistic freedom, and new horizons in photographic expression, making the optimum in photography considerably more accessible than ever before.