Sigma DP2 Merrill

The DP2 Merrill ($999 direct) is one of a trio of fixed-lens cameras?offered by Sigma. They all share the same image sensor, but the focal length of their f/2.8 lenses varies. The DP2 features a lens that produces a standard-angle field of view, perfect for shooters who eschew wide angles. The APS-C Foveon image sensor is a unique design that captures an incredible amount of detail, but requires special software for Raw processing. We liked it a bit better than the DP1 Merrill and DP3 Merrill. Its JPG engine outclasses the DP1 and it's speedier to focus than the DP3, which is slowed by its macro lens. The DP2 will reward you if you work within its limits, and it's the only camera of its type with a standard-angle lens. It doesn't oust the Ricoh GR as our Editors' Choice for prime lens compact cameras. Photos taken with the pocketable GR don't require any special processing, but the lens captures a very different wide-angle field of view that isn't for everyone.

Foveon Image Sensor, Design, and Features
Much like the Sigma DP1 Merrill, the DP2 uses a Foveon X3 image sensor. This design uses three layers to record information,?each one sensitive to a different color channel. Traditional digital cameras use a single-layer sensor with a Bayer overlay, which has grids of red, blue, and green pixels to create a color image. Each layer of the DP2's sensor boasts a 15.4-megapixel resolution?because of this, Sigma advertises it as a 46-megapixel camera, even though the resulting, printable images are limited to 15.4 megapixels in size.

The sensor design omits the low-pass filter, which is a trend on higher-end cameras. But because of its design, which by its nature omits the Bayer color-array filter, there's no danger of moir? entering into your shots. The downside to the unique design is that there's no support for the DP2's Raw format in Lightroom or similar software programs?you'll have to use Sigma's Raw software to process photos. The software leaves a lot to be desired, but you can use it as a basic converter to convert the Raw images into TIFF format, which can then be imported into Lightroom or the workflow application of your choice.

In terms of design, the DP2 is essentially a brick with a lens, measuring 2.6 by 4.8 by 2.3 inches, and weighing in at 11.6 ounces. It's not that far off in size and weight from the 2.7-by-4.9-by-2 inch, 11.2-ounce Leica X2, which has a wider 36mm-equivalent lens. The X2 supports an add-on EVF, which is an option that is not available on the DP2. There is a hot shoe directly above the lens, so using a fixed optical finder that matches its field of view and trusting its autofocus system is an option.

The lens is a 30mm focal length, which translates into 45mm in terms of full-frame photography. It has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which is a little slow for a standard-angle design. The full-frame Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 has a faster, wider 35mm f/2 lens, but costs nearly three times as much as the Sigma. If you're looking for zoom, look elsewhere, but for those of us who see the world in that focal length, the DP2 is a welcoming camera.

Pleasingly minimal, the camera's color scheme is flat black, with a metal chassis that is cool to the touch. Buttons are labeled in white for shooting functions, and red for playback functions. On top you'll find the Power button, Mode button, a control wheel, and the shutter. The rear houses the Auto Exposure lock, a four-way controller with a center select button (the up direction lets you select the focus mode, the bottom the focus point), an image playback button, a button to control the amount of information shown on the rear display, the menu button, and the QS button.

The QS (Quick Set) button grants access to seven quick shooting controls. Press it once and you can adjust the ISO, exposure compensation, drive mode, and image format settings. Press it a second time and the menu switches to white balance, image compression, color balance, and image format (in the same place as the first menu) settings. It's a well-designed interface, and lets you adjust settings without diving into the menu system.

The 3-inch rear display packs a 920k-dot resolution. It's sharp and gives you a good idea about the quality of the images you are capturing. The display is just as sharp as the 1.2-million-dot display on the Ricoh GR, but it's not as bright; that camera has an extra layer of white pixels that make it possible to view on even the brightest days.

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