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Sigma SD14

First Impressions Review

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Design / Layout

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Control Options
September 28, 2006 By Patrick Singleton
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Auto Mode
The Sigma SD14 offers program, aperture priority, and shutter priority automation. It doesn't have a full-auto mode in the style of entry-level DSLRs or compact cameras. It also lacks scene modes, another option for casual shooters. White balance can be automated, but not ISO.
 
Movie Mode
The SD14 does not have a movie mode. The Foveon X3 imaging chip is hidden behind the reflex mirror and the shutter except during exposure, and therefore cannot pick up data for movies.
 
Drive / Burst Mode
Sigma reports a burst rate of 3 frames per second for the SD14. Our rough test at the Photokina booth bore that out approximately. Shooting RAW, we got off a 5-frame burst. Sigma reports that the camera will be capable of longer bursts when shooting low-resolution, compressed JPEGs. Again, we did not test in a controlled setting, but the write time after shooting a full burst was long – on the order of 20 to 30 seconds, we estimate.
 
Playback Mode
We noticed some glitches in playback on the SD14, driving home the point that the camera is still in prototype. When we reviewed an image shot at ISO 1600, the color shifted as we enlarged it in playback.
 
The SD14 offers a thumbnail mode showing 9 frames at a time – not many, but then, the 150,000-pixel screen isn't all that sharp. A jump feature works in thumbnail mode, jumping a screenful of images at a time. It balked a couple of times as we played with it, suggesting another software glitch. Playback also magnifies images significantly, though we couldn't tell the precise magnification. We didn't feel the magnification and screen quality combined to give a solid measure of image sharpness.
 
Individual images can be displayed with extensive shooting data and a small but detailed RGB histogram. The histogram isn't easy to look at, but it does have plenty of information in it.
 
The SD14 also offers a slide show feature, which allows the user to show sequences of images at intervals from 2 to 10 seconds, plus a manual advance. It can show selected images or all images.
 
The SD14 can rotate images, protect them, delete single images, delete a marked set or delete all images from a card.
 
Custom Image Presets
The SD14 does not offer custom image presets, perhaps because it is being marketed to manual shooters who are primarily concerned with image quality.
 

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Sigma SD14
First Impressions Review
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Previous: Page 3

Design / Layout

Previous: Page 5

Control Options