It may seem still too high, but it is in direct relation with the reality of the market for a rather exceptional digital sensor.

The only difference is that Sigma re-brands the camera as SD1 Merrill (adding the name of the inventor of the Foveon sensor included in the camera).

When your product does not meet its market, if you are marketing manager, you need ideas. That is the reason why, at Sigma, people are looking for original ideas. And the marketing department just thought about marquetry. Or about wood to elegantly (?) wrap the most expensive photo camera of the Sigma range.

If we look at the photos illustrating this post, you’ll notice two things:

1. This is not really a light and discreet upgrade; Some will deny it the adjective of elegant…
2. This is not perfectly done: You can see quite well that it was only an after-thought.

Good luck to Sigma for the SD1, but this version including only 10 samples, they can count on some collection maniacs to buy them, can’t they?

• Its availability date: early June
• Its MSRP price: $9,700 or 7,000€ or £6,199.99 (inc VAT)

Even thinking that the SD1 is competing with medium format photo cameras, the 46 MP DSLR will be out of reach for nearly everybody. This is about the same price as for the Pentax 645D, but without the aura of the Pentax, without the extremely comfortable feel of a real medium format photo camera like the 645D.

And remember that the 46 Mega-pixels are actually 3 layers of color 15 MP Foveon-stacked, which still have to demonstrate that they are perfectly on par with a more usual Bayer sensor organization. Not that one is inherently better than the other, but when you are the challenger, you’d better bring some more arguments to the benchmark to topple the already existing top competitor.

Some differences that may make the difference:

Once I exploded on this announcement, I must admit that there is a good better explanation than a death wish. Sigma is facing a very difficult battle. Probably, they know that they can no longer compete with Nikon, Canon, Pentax or Sony on the usual DSLR market as they tried before. So, the only way to sell the Sigma SD1 is to push for higher prices (and higher margins) trying to make the best of their existing technology. But the Foveon technology did not prove that it was so advanced it could justify most of what Sigma is trying to sell it for. We’ll see…

It is unclear what the precise impacts are going to be. According to very short comments from the Sigma France team, it seems that the logistics and supply issues are going to be the most significant to handle.

No comment at all about the Sigma SD1 but the camera does not seem to be more in trouble than since its official launch.

Sigma surprised nearly everybody when they announced the Sigma SD1 camera, a few hours in the Photokina show. This is a high-end DSLR photo camera for the enthusiast or the (nearly) pro photog. One of the most prominent features of the Sigma cameras is the famous Foveon X3 digital sensor where the color pixels are stacked one on top of the other rather than being aligned side-by-side in the traditional Bayer matrix design.

The Sigma SD1 will have a sensor with 15.4 million locations representing 46 million color pixels (3 stacks of 15 million pixels).

DPreview has a good presentation of this technology written in cooperation with Sigma: Sigma and Foveon discuss the forthcoming SD1.

By WhatDigitalCamera.com

Important features:

• The Sigma SD1 will use the new (future?) 48 MP Foveon sensor
• It will include an anti-dust filter closing completely the mirror cage
• 3″ LCD screen with 420.000 pixels
• 11-point AF system
• Optical viewfinder with 98% coverage
• Most of the body structure comes from a large magnesium allow skeleton with a lens plate in steel

Important missing feature: No video on the list!

It comes with some lenses and a flash:

• Sigma 150mm F2.8 Macro lens
• Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 lens
• Sigma EF-610 DG flash

Press Release

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new SIGMA SD1 Digital SLR Camera, incorporating a 46 megapixel (4,800×3,200×3 layers) 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor.

The SIGMA SD1 is Sigma’s flagship digital SLR model, adopting a lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy for its body and O-ring sealing connections to make a weather-resistant design throughout for use in harsh conditions.

The SIGMA SD1 incorporates a 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor and dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II ”image processing engines. The combination of the 46 megapixel (4,800×3,200×3 layers) sensor and dual TRUE II processing engines ensure the high resolution images are processed quickly with high definition and a smooth and subtle graduation of color.

The SD1 is SIGMA’s latest digital SLR camera which meets high requirements of professional and enthusiast photographers for all types of photography.

This product is showcased at Photokina 2010 in Koln, Germany.

SIGMA SD1 Product Summary

46 megapixel 24×16mm APS-C X3 Full-color image sensor
The 46 megapixel (4,800×3,200×3 layers) 24×16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor featured in the Sigma SD1 captures all primary RGB colors at each and every pixel location, ensuring the capture of full and complete color. Using three silicon-embedded layers of photo detectors, stacked vertically to take advantage of silicon’s ability to absorb red, green and blue light at different respective depths, it efficiently reproduces color more accurately, and offers sharper resolution, pixel for pixel, than any conventional image sensor. Since color moire is not generated, the use of a low-pass filter is not required, meaning light and color, generated by the 46 megapixel APS-C X3 direct image sensor is captured with a three-dimensional feel.

Dual TRUE II image processing engine
The SD1 incorporates a dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II” image processing engine which improves the processing speed and overall quality of the final image. The unique image-processing algorithm provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images with richly graduated tones.

CF card
The SD1 adopts the TYPE I CF Card. This camera is compatible with the UDMA enabling fast processing of large amounts of data.
* It is not possible to use Microdrives and TYPE II CF cards.

11 point twin cross sensor
The autofocus system features an 11 point twin cross sensor. The shifted twin cross type sensor improves AF accuracy.

Magnesium body
The Sigma SD1 adopts a lightweight yet solid magnesium alloy body designed to withstand rough use and shocks in harsh conditions.

Weather-resistant design
Buttons and connections benefit from O-ring sealing connections to prevent dust and water getting inside the camera body.

Large, highly visible 3.0” TFT color LCD Monitor
The SD1 camera features a 3.0 inch TFT color monitor. This 460,000 pixel resolution LCD monitor benefits from a wide viewing angle, making it easy to check focusing and composition.

Optional lenses
The SD1 can be used with over 40 Sigma lenses such as ultra-wide, ultra-telephoto, macro and fisheyes which adopt the latest technology such as the FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have the performance equal to fluorite glass, SLD glass, Aspherical lenses, Sigma’s own unique Optical Stabilizer function, Hyper Sonic Motor and Sigma’s Super Multi Layer Coating. They meet the various and demanding requirements of all types of photographers.

• Canon EOS 60Dli>
• Nikon D3100
• Nikon D7000
• Olympus E-5
• Pentax K-5
• Pentax K-r
• Sony SLT-A33
• Sony SLT-A55
• Sony Alpha 560
• Sony Alpha 580

But, let’s also see what the camera and accessories manufacturers did not announce or launched too discreetly.

• Panasonic launches a new Lumix: The GH2 sports an 18MP CMOS sensor in a body very similar to the Lumix GH1. 1080p video capture, autofocus is 2x faster.
• Panasonic: New “G” lenses (14 mm f/2.5, Vario 100-300 mm f/4-5.6 Mega O.I.S., 3D 12.5 mm f/12)
• Sigma is ready to push forward after the SD15 (very late in the market) with a new Foveon sensor at 48 MP (15.3 x 3) which will arrive in a future camera to be named Sigma SD1. Notice that Sigma announced that the SD1 sensor will be protected against dust by a glass filter which will hermetically close the mirror chamber (this should be very efficient).
• Pentax : SMC DA 18-135 mm f/3,5-5,6ED AL [IF] DC WR zoom lens for the Pentax K range of SLR photo cameras.
• Leica M9: A special edition built out of titanium (for rich art collectors).
• Große Überraschung (Big surprise): Fuji presents a very cool new APS-C compact camera, the FinePix X100 which looks a lot like a smaller Leica M9 (very good looking) and which nobody heard about before (did you hear about any kind of link for it?). Price: About US$ 1000 or 1000€
• Adobe announces a new Elements version: Adobe Photoshop Elements 9
• Sigma 150 mm Macro and 120-300 mm f/2.8 stabilized
• Leaf Aptus-II 12 medium format photo camera with 80 MP resolution and €23,995 / $31,995 price tag
• Samyang présented two new lenses: V-DSLR 8 mm F3.5 Aspherical IF MC Fish-eye CS et AE 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UM
• Metz comes with 3 flashes: 44 AF-1 (99.90€), 36 AF-5 (69.90€), 24 AF-1 (179.90€).