Sigma SD9

Opinion: I saw some photos taken by this camera on Pbase way back when they were launched, and I immediately noticed the difference in the rendering which reminded me of "film-like" results. There was just something special to the images which is hard to put into words.

Being a bit unconventional, I also liked the Foveon sensor concept and bought myself a body. I did not have money for any Sigma lenses and started off with two M42 lenses - a Pentacon Electric 50mm F1.8 and a Pentax Takumar 55mm F1.8. I used a Pentax K to M42 adapter and although this was not a perfect fit, I clearly remember my first photos of some flower arrangements. I immediately fell absolutely in love with this camera.

Unfortunately this camera dropped from my house's roof, attached to a tripod when I tested a 300mm Meyer lens and it came crashing down on a cement slab. The bayonet assembly was skew and the shutter mechanism probably got damaged. Surprisingly, it still switched on, but no photos could be taken.

The insurance settled this and I replaced it with a SD10. There was just NO way I could live with a Bayer camera after using the Foveon.

I picked up a mint SD9 again afterwards and although I seldom use it, it is good to know that I have a very capable camera in my bag, should the SD10 fails me.

I know that it has it's shortcomings - it is not good in low light and it is not a sportsman's camera. But in good light it is superb. I do not do sports photography and I sleep at night, so for my type of shooting it is just superb.

Opinion: I saw some photos taken by this camera on Pbase way back when they were launched, and I immediately noticed the difference in the rendering which reminded me of "film-like" results. There was just something special to the images which is hard to put into words.

Being a bit unconventional, I also liked the Foveon sensor concept and bought myself a body. I did not have money for any Sigma lenses and started off with two M42 lenses - a Pentacon Electric 50mm F1.8 and a Pentax Takumar 55mm F1.8. I used a Pentax K to M42 adapter and although this was not a perfect fit, I clearly remember my first photos of some flower arrangements. I immediately fell absolutely in love with this camera.

Unfortunately this camera dropped from my house's roof, attached to a tripod when I tested a 300mm Meyer lens and it came crashing down on a cement slab. The bayonet assembly was skew and the shutter mechanism probably got damaged. Surprisingly, it still switched on, but no photos could be taken.

The insurance settled this and I replaced it with a SD10. There was just NO way I could live with a Bayer camera after using the Foveon.

I picked up a mint SD9 again afterwards and although I seldom use it, it is good to know that I have a very capable camera in my bag, should the SD10 fails me.

I know that it has it's shortcomings - it is not good in low light and it is not a sportsman's camera. But in good light it is superb. I do not do sports photography and I sleep at night, so for my type of shooting it is just superb.

Opinion: The SD9 was my first encounter with Foveon-based cameras, and it got me hooked!

Even today, the image quality of the SD9 is stunningly good íf you use the camera in apropriate conditions, with good light and without the need for using high ISO values.

As for the body itself: well built, very easy to use and without useless functions that detract from the real art of photography.

Opinion: 60% of the images that come from this camera are unnatural and unusable. If you pay over $200 for this camera, consider yourself an amateur, who's getting ripped off.
On the flip side, I hear the sd14 is quite acceptable.

Opinion: I purchased this camera from Willoughby's Camera on Ebay for $800 in 12/2003 and I have shot about 5500+ shots. This was my first camera of any type so I was and still am a real beginner even after 5500+ with my SD9. It's not the camera fault that I'm still a beginner cause I seldom use it except for family photo. If I don't have my SD9 or a 35mm film camera, I won't even bother shooting even if it was a moment of lifetime because all other bayer cameras are just interpolated trash no matter great they might be and even if they were cheaper I wouldn't even bother. Although I did not know much about IQ, WB, DR, ISO, F-stop, aperature, and all the other terminology prior to SD9, I do know what a real image is when I happened to stumble on dpreview's SD9 ads by accidental while looking for P&S for my wife since she had wanted a camera to shoot photo for our daughter born in 2000 and although I would search them, I would never buy them even if it was only $99 due to the bayers garbage. I love this camera IQ for making enlargement so much that I just bought the SD14 body at Cameta Camera on Ebay for a just $699. It is such an incredible deal for such unbelievable IQ plus all the other enhancement over my SD9. Although I could get a demo Canon XTi 10M pixel w/ 18-55mm len for $495, I choose the Sigma SD14 with 4.7M pixel Foveon sensor because I don't want any bayers camera period. It's either film or Foveon and prior to purchasing SD14, I have been looking at the Mamiya 645E medium format for the next large family group shot of 32. I made a dozen 8x10 and 4 12x18 group shot of 30 family members with my SD9 and Sigma 50mm f2.8 EX len and it turned out very well. My brother had his Canon 30D 8M pixel and 17-85 OS len at the gathering, but I only used my SD9 and nothing else. Because I have no tie or preference to any camera system except for having used my dad's Canon AE-1 once or twice in the late 80's, I have no difficulties choosing Sigma SD9 and SD14, but I have to say that it's extremely difficult to persuade other who is more familiar with Canon/Nikon/Olympus like my brother.

Opinion: Even as late as 2006 this camera's images amaze and illustrate the ludicrousness of using pixel counts as a measure of a cameras ability to produce good film like images. One of these can be found used on eBay for less than more limiting digicams. It's a shame that the X3 sensor hasn't found it's way into more mainstream manufacturers gear as Sigma just doesn't seem to be able to make an impression of the mainstream photo press reviewers who understandably don't bite the hands that feed them ie. Canon, Nikon, Pentax et al

Opinion: Have been using for over 3 years with 24-70EX and 15-30EX Sigma zooms plus M42 screw lenses, with M42 adapter. Includes Lydith preset 30mm f3.5 (excellent) and old Tamron 85-210 zoom with Adaptall mount for bayonet Pentax - fits perfectl;y and gives high quality too. The more I use this camera, the more knocked-out I am at its film-like high quality definition and tonal gradation. I use for my B+W prints, to average 13"x19", which I happily display alongside my 5x4 film camera B+W prints. I use in manual mode and cannot praise the Sigma/Foveon combination enough. To date (April 2006) some 17 people, who have seen my prints, have changed and got either the SD9 or later SD10, so results speak for themselves.

Opinion: The Foveon sensor takes in a staggering amount of detail, and everything about this camera feels substantial. After 2+ years of using it, I have the same lament about the auto-focus that it seems many have expressed, but find that it is generally on par with the few other DSLRs I've used. That it set me back less than $1200 with a good 30-70 f2.8 lens is, I think, unbeatable. When the time comes, I would happily opt for an SD10

Opinion: I have used Canons for the last few years and have never been 100% satisfied with the output. Cameras used include the 10, d60 and 1D. So far I have to say the sigma's sharp pics are really to my likiing, more so than he Canon's I used (1D owners would probably flame me if they could on that one). I really like the camera so far. Coming from Canon the sigma's non-metal body may throw you at first but it is solid. Minor nits so far include: eyepiece comes off too easily, the included hard plastic LCD screen prevents you from using all the menu controls and when you remove it you ususally knock off the eyepiece. The paint on the hot shoe started to come off after just one use of the flash. Small things but just had to mention them.