BetteR PHOtOGRAPHY APRIL 201532Sigma dp1 Quattro
With the redesigned Sigma dp1 Quattro, Aditya Nair fi nds signifi cant
improvements to technlogy, but a lack of joy that its predecessor brought.Improved, Not Better
T
he dp1 comes as the next
installment in Sigma’s Quattro
series. As with the previous
generation (called Merrill), the
Quattros are fi xed focal length
advanced compact cameras that use the
new APS-C Foveon sensors from Sigma.
Within the series the only difference
between the cameras is the lens.
The dp1 is the wide angle variant with
a 19mm f/2.8 (28.5mm equivalent) lens.
As all other aspects of the dpX cameras
remains the same, this review focuses on
the lens of the dp1. If you want to know
more about the other features of the
Quattro cameras you can read our review
of the Sigma dp2 Quattro here,
http://www.betterphotography.in/?p=features
Besides the redesigned body, the fi rst thing
you notice with the dp1 is the signifi cantlyimproved AF speed. Compared to the dp
Merrill, the AF speed has gone from being
utterly deplorable to just bad, especially
in low light. During the day the AF speed
is quite good. Of course, by this I mean
that it is slow but not the drive-you-insane
Merrill kind of slow.
The high ISO performance has also
improved by one stop, which is a huge deal
considering that high ISO with the Merrills
began at ISO 400. With the Quattros, ISO
800 is now usable. On a serious note, it is
also quite a technological advancement.
Sigma sensors are designed to give fantastic
image quality by stacking the photodiodes
on the sensor. This in turn produces a
tremendous amount of noise. As a result,
any improvement on the noise front is to
be welcome.
It may still be a while before the Quattros
can compete with regular cameras. But the
dramatic improvements to focusing andWeiGHtaGe of
paRaMeteRSFeatures
Performance
Build Quality
ergonomics
Warranty &
Support20%15% 40%20%5%RECOMMENDEDRECOMMENDED
teStHOW WE TEST
product categorisation
We fi rst segregate products
into categories for the purpose
of equitability in testing.
The DSLR is divided into
entry-level, semi-professional
and professional categories.
For compacts, we distinguish
between advanced and basic
compact cameras. Similarly, we
also test consumer and pro
lenses, fl ashguns, printers, and
other photographic accessories
and gear.
the process
We primarily test for features,
performance, build, ergonomics,
warranty and support. While this
remains constant, the weightage
we give to these parameter
differs from category to
category, because different
types of consumers have diverse
expectations from products.
final Ratings
Under each main parameter,
we list out hundreds of individual
variables (for eg. colour accuracy
for individual colours in different
lighting, individual features,
dynamic range, center-to-edge
defi nition, light falloff, etc) against
which we either give points
or simply mark ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Thus, we arrive at a score for
that parameter, and then, the fi nal
score, denoted as a percentage.
Additionally, based on the current
pricing of a product, a star
rating for ‘Value for Money’ is
considered. Value for Money does
not affect the fi nal percentage,
because prices for products
change constantly.
our Seals of approval
Any product that scores 80%
or higher in individual tests gets
‘BP Recommended’—a seal
of approval from our team.
In comparison tests, we also tag
products as ‘BP Best Performer’
and ‘BP Best Value for Money’.
Bp excellence awards
At the end of the calendar year,
the highest rated products in
each category automatically
win the Better Photography
Excellence Award. This is
Better Photography’s recognition
of the very best products
launched in the course of the
year, and the companies that
made them.
BetteR PHOtOGRAPHYteStteStteStteStteStGearGuide