Product ReviewsSigma SD SD1 Merrill 46.0MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)

A professional tool with superb colour rendition at a basement price

The colour gamut of the Foveon sensor on the Sigma SD1 Merrill is simply superb.

The well known weaknesses of slow write speeds and noise at ISO 400 and above remain. However this is a serious camera and those weaknesses make the photograpjher slow a down and think and in many cases use a tripod. This makes for betterand more thoughtful photogtaphy. The detail from the SD1 encroaches but cannot eclipse medium format and certainly matches full frame Bayer sensors. The camera is simple and easy to use avoiding much of the confusion of menus and external controls that plague many other digital cameras. Infrared use is a HUGE bonus for IR photographers like myself - essentially doubling up as two systems in one. BRILLIANT.

The camera came bundled with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 lens. I was expecting a kit lens. This is no kit lens but a professional quality wide to standard zoom and is superb in every way. I suspect Sigma took quality control here seriously, matching their flagship SD1 with the very best samples of bundled lenses. That would make sense for marketing their flagship DSLR.

Given the launch price was 10,000 USD, and I bought this NEW for just over 1000 USD I woul ddescribe this asthe photographic steal of my life.Read full review...

Best image quality and truest color for your buck

There is probably not enough said about this product. The highest ever color image quality you would find in any DSLR on the market. This is the FIRST camera that would truly show the quality of your lenses. Thus, I would not go for acrylic lenses on SD1. Their counterparts on all other brand's DSLRs would be able to hide the shortcomings behind the (IMHO) below-moderate camera image quality, especially where high detail is involved. Not so on Sigma SD1 and SD1Merill - they will test your optics to the limit.

Every camera has its drawbacks and its strong sides. Sigma SD1 would give you the ability to take the perfect shot every time there is enough light entering the lens. Also, in my experience, even in adverse lighting conditions, it would perform up to par with its counterparts, especially if you consider the pricing range (SD1 is outperforming cameras almost twice the price when resolution, color quality and truthfulness is concerned),

It lacks compared to other cameras in speed of shooting (i.e. sport mode/multi-shot mode) as its images are much heavier, especially in RAW (which is always preferable shooting mode for SD1 models). However, when with "widely accepted" brands you would take 5 shots in order to get one that is good enough, on SD1 and SD1Merill you TAKE ONE and it is enough. Obviously, that would require you as a photographer to use your most important tool - your head - but, arguably so would the other cameras... Also, when taking "too much" images very quickly it could freeze up for a bit while writing the RAW images to the CF card, but even after one is written it would allow shooting again. Another setback is that it has lower light sensitivity than its counterparts, as in, it requires more light for the shots than the other cameras I have seen (even other Sigma cameras), but it more than compensates for the cons with its pros.

What I would NOT do with Sigma SD1 is the following -
1. BW photos - for BW photos you could use any camera with comparable resolution and it would give nice enough images
2. Night photography - while being true to the colors, SD1 can sometimes (RARELY but still) surprise you in low light with long exposures in somewhat unpleasant way
3. Photography with adjustable polarizer-based ND filters - does not appear to work on SD1, screws up the metering / focusing for the shot
4. Female portrait work (unless you really like sitting and editing out the skin details - because it WILL capture everything , even unevenly placed makeup)

IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF IMAGERY SD1 EXCELS much more than any other DSLR of other brands and more than its own predecessors. Try to imagine getting macro-level detail on your regular images.

As one picture is worth a thousand words, I suggest looking for photos taken with SD1 and SD1Merill on Flickr.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: japan-select-shop

Great image quality.

Great image quality. Just wish it had live view.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: moritayouji

nice camera

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: raisinpan