Sigma DP1S Review (Watch Before Buying!)

Cheap alternative to this camera (great CCD colors): ebay.us/WK42Sh
I wanted to see what the hype was about and spent some money on an older Sigma Foveon compact camera (DP1S). If you're curious about the pros/cons and image output of this camera, this video is for you!
DISCLAIMER:
Some of these links have an affiliate code. If you purchase gear with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

[@lensvana]

Cheap alternative to this camera (great CCD colors): ebay.us/WK42Sh (AFFILIATE LINK)

[@AndreyShredder]

I love CCD colors (and I have a lot of cameras w ccd) but it is not the alternative to Foveon at all

[@RoyFJ65]

Thanks for the tips, I added a mint condition DP2s to my DP3M and the manual focus ring looks very handy.

[@markoostrianko1317]

I'm from Ukraine. I bought a Sigma DP1 in November 2020 for $190. Cleaned the sensor at a handyman in December ($10 USD). Took about a thousand photos and the camera broke in March - the lens stopped coming out. Had it repaired by a handyman. The repair cost $35 USD. Took many hundreds of pictures. In July, the camera broke for the second time - the lens stopped moving out. The handyman fixed it a second time. The repair cost $35. The pictures come out amazing. Incredible sensor. Picture is clear and sharp. Shoot only in Raw. A camera for pleasure.

[@lensvana]

Thanks for sharing, Marko. Certainly a camera for pleasure. It's good to have such a skilled handyman near you! I will attempt to disassemble it myself and see if it's something obvious (I have read on online forums about some kind of "flex cable" that tends to get loose on the DP1 models)

[@markoostrianko1317]

@@lensvana Absolutely right, a broken flex cable is a common problem with the Sigma DP1. I asked the handyman in November how the repair was going. The handyman replied that the flex cable had to be replaced, and the flex cable had already been ordered and the flex cable had arrived. Soon I received my camera in working order. Good luck with fixing your camera!

[@lensvana]

@@markoostrianko1317 Cheers, thanks!

[@mibnsharpals]

What is unique to all Sigma camras is that they have very high microcontrasts that almost approach the theoretical resolution. That's why sigma specifies 3 times the resolution for the sensors, even though they are "only" 13 megapixels (on the H) and 3 or 4 on the older models. But just real RGB. With the Quadro only the blue channel has the promised 44mpx. Overall, the quadro has more than 24Mpx, but it's mercilessly sharp. But one thing applies to all Sigma sensors: stay away from the ISO controller. Only the basic setting brings this sharpness.

[@History_Clicks]

I have the DP2 and I love it. It's the most difficult camera I ever used and the slowest, but if you nail the shot you are rewarded with a lot of sharpness and beautiful colors. I always shoot in raw though. I've used lightroom until now but I have also downloaded sigma photo pro to better recover the burnt out highlights. But I can't comment on that yet. Thanks for the video!

[@lensvana]

Thanks for watching! I tried Sigma Photo Pro but I found the interface a bit clunky and just went back to Lightroom for these files. Perhaps SPP is really the way to go for Foveon files... I know there's some debate on various forums about this. Happy shooting :)

[@stevieb7121]

Great review covering the pros (there are a few) and the cons (there are many!). I had two DP1s before moving onto the Merrill series and both broke in the same way as the camera in your video. I believe the ribbon cable connecting the lens to the main board can fracture. I really loved the DP1 but could not bring myself to buy a third! I was surprised you were interested in higher ISO. I tried to stay with 200 max as I didn't like the results at 400 and beyond. I also made a vide about my love for these cameras (and the Merrills).

[@lensvana]

Thanks, Stevie! Yeah, things definitely got "interesting" above ISO 200, I can see why you set that as the max. After this experience I'm going to hold off on more Foveon cameras unless some crazy deal presents itself. Hopefully people check out your videos, there's only so much info I was able to provide in this one.

[@Riccardo_Mori]

Thank you for this review. It confirms many things (both good and bad) I had heard and read about this series of cameras. The one thing I didn't know is their tendency to just die on you. That's quite the letdown, frankly. I had been saving to buy one, but at the time of writing I can't find one on eBay for less than 180 euros, and 99% of sellers are from Japan, which means I have to factor shipping costs AND import charges. And that makes me think it's ultimately not worth it unless one has money to burn. And I also think that the oldest models (DP1, DP2) should cost less for what they do, but this is what happens when camera geeks hype a product and it gets to cult status. Another infamous case is the original Fujifilm X100, which still commands ludicrous prices on the used market considering it's a 12-year-old camera. I just discovered your channel, and I like what I see. Keep up the good work! Cheers! -Rick

[@lensvana]

Thanks, Rick! For what it's worth, I recently fully disassembled my broken DP1S and I suspect it has been opened and repaired before. So we may be seeing a bunch of previously repaired models sold on eBay. I think 180 eur is too steep given this risk... these models should cost closer to 40-50 euros (and I believe they did drop to that price until everything got turned on its head)

[@leojonkers3181]

Suprise me, I began with this camera and it still works. Then I went on to the Merills, own all 3. The results are crazy, they have a lot off things I no like. Everybody knows that when you going to look in them. But I never had any regret, they give you crazy beatiful photo's (100 iso). And they are strong, like bricks. Do not sell them, thes are classic camera's and in a few years the price will go up and up. I am sure of that.

[@jd5787]

Hi. Is it really that different from say a Canon/nikon... dslr shooting at 100 Iso? Isn't I really restrictive to onl be able o shoot at 100?

[@neotsy]

Great review! Will you also review/buy the Nikon z50/zfc?

[@lensvana]

Thanks! I was close to buying the Z50, but ended up going with Z5 for the IBIS. Both seem like amazing cameras (Z50 with the 2 lens kit is great value). PhotographyLife (no affiliation) has a very detailed written review of the Z50.

[@n30x3l]

Common problem for my dp1 is the battery, but i clean the contact points on the battery and it is good to use

[@Ectica]

So sorry for your lost 😕 I was considering getting one Dp1, i found one kind of cheap but seeing your vídeo i think it is best not to gamble. Its a shame because im very interested in the foveon sensor

[@lensvana]

It's OK, I knew the risks buying a 12 year old camera :) I think it would be worth it around $50, but not at these prices... I know it was much cheaper a few years ago. Have you tried getting an older camera with a CCD sensor? Plenty of models to choose from and you still get a unique look, not like Foveon but at least something different. e.g. Nikon D40

[@Ectica]

@@lensvana that is true, always a gamble. Im into CCDs, have the Pentax k110d, Nikon p995, Olympus mju700, and waiting for a Nikon 4500 🙂 One time i bought the Fujifilm finepix S2 pro, but it was deffective so i had to return it

[@justwhenithought]

There seems to be a yellow cast in your photos from this camera. Thanks for the review.

[@lensvana]

I didn't notice any in the RAW files, so this must be my habit of warming up the photos a bit too much again! Thanks for watching.

[@himeccms893]

I did a double take on your focal length chart for the foveon cameras. DP1m has a 35mm equivalent focal length of 28mm but 19mm native focal length. DP0q is 19mm not 14mm.

[@lensvana]

Thanks, was an error on my part

[@himeccms893]

@@lensvana it's a very useful chart though

[@AndreyShredder]

Sigma DP2 Merrill is 30mm (45mm Equivalent ) NOT 50mm, dpreview has the error in specs

[@Socrates...]

Is it true that the Merrill is better than the Quatro because they basically dumbed down the sensor?

[@lensvana]

Good question, no idea. Hopefully a real Sigma sensor expert will weigh in here

[@naratipmath]

I own Merrill and Quattro. Finally, I kept Merrill. I don't want to see about "better". But Merrill is unique (kind of like medium format), it is pure Foveon and not trying to be anything else. When you try both, you might be able to tell apart pictures taken by Merrill and Quattro.

[@mibnsharpals]

@@lensvana The Merrill still has the 1:1:1 pattern in the planes. The quadro has 4 times the number of blue sensors, which are accordingly smaller. It's just a mystery to me why it's not green, since that's where the eye has the greatest sharpness resolution. It probably has something to do with the production process. The tests showed that both sensors have their strengths and you have to test it yourself to see what you like. The problem with the new sensor is of course that the noise in the blue channel increases because the pixels are smaller than the red and green ones.

[@stighenningjohansen]

This camera has its problems, I have a NEX7 and RX100 as my reference, but if you shoot in RAW, the pics from a DP1 in some ways wipes the floor with them. The day it dies, I will be a unhappy camper :(

[@lensvana]

I agree, for those who are willing to post-process there's something magical about those files. Hope your camera keeps on going!

[@bardofhighrenown]

It likely died due to bad/leaky capacitors, which explains why it died after using the flash.

[@unbroken1010]

You have a affiliate link after you 💩 on it having a common problem of failed electronics? Kind of weird

[@lensvana]

Yea that's not right, links have been removed. No one should be buying this camera unless they understand the potential risks. Maybe I just got unlucky.

[@marcuslow3290]

its basically junk. banding, delusional quality, maybe it was something back in the mid 2000s.