Sigma fp L First Impressions Review

The 60 Megapixel Sigma fp L is a weird camera. In this episode, we do our best to make sense of it. Find out what makes the fp L unique – and where Sigma may have missed some useful features.

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[bananabear]

Sigma is really admirable for their persistence in trying to enter the camera market. They have been making their efforts for so long that even some of the prominent brand names, Minolta, Yashica, Contax, Rollei, Ricoh have all gone into history. I‘ve never seen one of their cameras being successful in the market. Yet they keep trying for decades. I really want to buy one for that reason. Unfortunately I am not rich enough.

[CaptainFuzzzy]

In case anyone hasn’t figured it out. This is simply a technical concept for what the SL3 will have on a much better foundation. The L Alliance helps sigma sell products and allows Leica to have a high volume test bed.

[rmcauley]

Jordan you have honestly outdone yourself on a lot of these shots this time. So much of the footage here is so marvelously shot. Well done!

[thegeneral]

Well, I commend Sigma for again releasing something that bucks the trend. Is quirky and different.

Sadly it will be another camera hardly anyone buys.

Faced with this or the A7RIV, why would anyone pick the Sigma? If it were half the price, then Sigma would really be onto something. Shame. I'll keep waiting for Sigma to release a modern Foveon stills camera. Love Sigma lenses and the Foveon stuff.

[blueridge]

Whew, Jordan knocked this one out of the park! Amazing review man, you really outdid yourself.

[andreasgiobel]

Hey Dp, I see the FpL as naked photo camera that you build up as Box&Cube video camera.
A Camera-Brain that well priced at only $2500 USD, the Sony A7IV are priced at $3800.

Buy a ”Custom” cage, grip, ergo-booster for $100-200 and make it the camera for your need’s. “To build your own” is a unique photo camera feature.
If you are spending the days in mud laying down, the tilt-able viewfinder option is a feature as well.

[shlawchablaas]

I can’t believe all the Sigma hate in these comments, it’s ridiculous. Nobody’s forcing you to buy it, chill out.

Also, it looks like Chris and Jordan took it out in what I would consider averse conditions, and with respect I don’t think they fully factored them into their review. I have a hard time believing “it’s really not that cold” when there’s still clearly huge amounts of ice and snow, naturally that is going to affect the battery life even if it IS low capacity to begin with, which I don’t doubt. Also, on a bright sunny day with harsh light reflected off white snow, of course you’re going to want an EVF! I know Chris prefers using a viewfinder anyway, and while I understand, I’m sure in a lot of other situations, the camera would be very usable without.

At the end of the day, it’s still the cheapest high-resolution full-frame body in a fun, lightweight package. It’s much cheaper than the comparable bodies from Panasonic, Leica, Nikon, and Canon, for significantly more resolution.

I think Sigma is to be commended for the release. I love how they as a company just do things differently, there’s too many people in the photography community who get caught up in specs races and popularity contests.

[PixelPeepShow]

CineD mentioned that this camera has hybrid autofocus, meaning it has both contrast detect and phase detect, but never at the same time. It depends on the crop factor (!) you choose. Phase detect will only work in x1.0 and x1.53. But the best dynamic range you get at x1.24, according to Sigma. And the best resolution between x1.3 and x2.48. This camera has a lot of great features, just not simultaneously it seems.

Strange camera indeed. I would love to take it for a spin!

[greenidgelewis]

The RAW Cinema DNG footage on the Original Sigma FP is insanely good, the 24MP sensor offers much better value than this 60MP sensor for serious videographers, I only hope Sigma adds true 24p to the original Sigma FP and it'll be a true compact full frame RAW Cinema Camera. I absolutely love my Sigma FP.

[cyrfung]

I really like seeing Sigma’s weird products and wish them success, but kudos to DPReview for reviewing honestly.

[thecommenter]

12:49 that's the last thing you see when you owe money to Jordan

[JamesMatthewGallagher]

You guys were far gentler in your review than Gerald Undone.

[brivnii]

The impression video I was waiting for!

[vidthreenorth]

Sigma could turn this into a seriously interesting body by introducing a couple of lenses with leaf shutters. Take a look at the old Pentax Q system. I think a 28mm F2.0 and an 85mm F2.0 with flash synch at 1/500th sec. (or better), along with the hybrid phase detect auto-focus could be worth considering. At that point, they think about upgrading the original fp with faster processing and hybrid phase detect auto-focus, and maybe a 26MP size sensor (for DCI-ish 6k video). That would add a significant option to the L-mount system.

[argwohn]

Nevertheless I was blessed by the K-01 Cameo.

[capturelightmedia]

Being relatively new to the camera world, just a couple of years, I find all of the compromises confounding. Coming from the Audio world where there are specifically tailored devices for each task at all price points, with the point of diminishing returns beginning at a pretty low price point. But with cameras, its odd. Video body cameras for photography. Photography bodies for video. What's more, people are okay with photo bodies for video but not video bodies for photo. And if you don't spend a grand, at least, most basic quality necessities aren't there. It would be like a microphone preamp that can't record all instruments at all.

[patrickchase]

The only way I can make sense of Sigma's product strategy is by assuming that they expect global shutters to become widespread, and that they're working towards having a thoroughly thought-through shutterless platform ready when that happens. That would actually make sense for Sigma, as it's really hard to take on an incumbent like Sony by doing the same things as they are, but perhaps more manageable if you can get out ahead of industry trends in a way that they can't (if Sony or Canon started evolving their cameras in this sort of direction now it would irretrievably taint their brand, whereas nobody has high expectations of Sigma in this space).

On a related note, this camera reminds me of a comment Barney Britton made in Roger Cicala's Lensrentals podcast: Paraphrasing, he observed that global shutters were a "next big thing", and that they would enable new and modular form factors.

[thebitterfig]

The aspect ratio shenanigans look like worlds of fun. That's one gripe I have with, well, every digital camera I've used. Sure, I can crop in post, but having frame lines or black bars to go to some non-standard aspect ratios would be an amazing tool for composition, and it'd almost surely be trivial to have most cameras allow for, say, 3:1 aspect ratio on the display.

[bburchellphotos]

Nice to see the return of the Pentax K-01, albeit as a prop! haha

[chunthat]

Nice location, great review as always