Sigma DP Quattro

Conversations at the Old School – Sigma Foveon Cameras

Published on August 22, 2017November 5, 2017 by RichardLeave a comment

A wonderful thing about working in the Old School Gallery is the many conversations we have with the folks who visit; whether it’s the American lady who suddenly recited three Robert Frost poems, or the ex RAF Nimrod pilot who told me tales of flying over the North Atlantic, or the Chinese film maker recently returned from Tibet. We learn so much in these conversations and hopefully give a little back on the subject of art, crafts and photography.

DP0Q1239-Pano — Ivelet Bridge, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

A recurring conversation concerns Sigma’s “secret” cameras with their magic Foveon sensors. The trigger is the overheard debate between customers, discussing whether an image is a photograph or painting. It quickly moves on to the vibrant colours and immense detail, even in the far distance … and that brings us to the technical bit about Bayer sensors and Foveon sensors, micro-contrast, photons and wavelengths.

DP0Q1552-Edit-4 — Muker Meadows Sea | Sigma DP0 Quattro

If the technical bit doesn’t kill the customer off they invariably buy the print! … And one camera club member liked the print so much he returned to say he’d bought the camera!

DP0Q1328-Edit — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the top selling photographs in the gallery are taken by the Sigma DP0 Quattro. It offers something different from Bayer sensored cameras that the buying public seem to be instinctively drawn to, unbiased and unburdened by any technical knowledge or heavyweight marketing budgets. And as a photographer it provides me with a distinctive, unique, tool with which to capture the stunning scenery that surrounds our tiny village in upper Swaledale.

Richard

Discovering History At Muker – Wain Wath Force

Published on July 1, 2017July 1, 2017 by RichardLeave a comment

My short journey to reach the Cart Ford above the Foss, where you cross the Rushing River, began by The Small Cultivated Field. I passed through The Clearing, then on up the Dale, gaining height as I climbed through Grazing Land. If I’d been visiting my friend Waendel at his Woodland Clearing I’d have taken the pass before The Clearing, careful not to stumble and fall into the potholes full of cooling butter, and down past Sigemund’s Rock, or perhaps climbed up the hill to see if Sjon was at his Look Out Hill, then down past the Row of Shepherds Cottages. But today it was to the Cart Ford I was headed, to take photographs of the Foss and just beyond The Spring I found the very spot.

Richard

(Translations below 🙂 )

DP0Q1579-Edit — Below Wain Wath Force | Sigma DP0 Quattro

DP3M1522 — Below Wain Wath Force |Sigma DP3 Merrill

DP3M1525 — Below Wain Wath Force | Sigma DP3 Merrill

DP3M1519 — Below Wain Wath Force | Sigma DP3 Merrill

Old Norse & Old English Translations, with thanks to http://www.daelnet.co.uk/placenames/index.cfm

Cart Ford (Wain Wath)

Foss (Waterfall)

Rushing River (Swale)

The Small Cultivated Field (Muker)

The Clearing (Thwaite)

The Grazing Land (Angram)

The Spring (Keld)

Sigemund’s Rock (Simonstone)

Sjon’s look out hill (Shunner Fell)

Shepherds Row of Cottages (Hardraw).

Waendel at his Woodland Clearing (Wensleydale)

The High Seas of Muker, with the Sigma DP0 Quattro

Published on June 23, 2017June 24, 2017 by Richard1 Comment

Landlocked though we are, when the wind blows, the wild flower meadows become our sea.

DP0Q1543 — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

DP0Q1552 — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

DP0Q1482 — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

DP0Q1563 — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

DP0Q1544 — Muker Meadows, Swaledale | Sigma DP0 Quattro

Discovering Muker – Wild Flower Meadows

Published on June 2, 2017October 19, 2017 by Richard1 Comment

The Muker wild flower meadows are beginning to come into their own in early June, which for me means a desperate search for interesting angles and compositions. The image below is my favourite hand held “sketch” so far and I’ll head out early tomorrow with a tripod and (hopefully) interesting light.

The meadows are an inspiration for artists and photographers alike, with the vibrant colours of Buttercups, Clover and Crane’s-bill, scattered all around, broken by the staight lines of dry stone walls and field barns.

The Sigma DP0 Quattro is fast becoming my camera of choice for the meadows; its wide lens capturing immense foreground and its colour rendition and tonal rage showing the wild flows at their best, whether in colour or monochrome.

Richard

12 Images of 2016

Published on December 27, 2016December 29, 2016 by Richard3 Comments

Twelve favourite images from 2016; an unforgettable year of travel that took us to Norway’s Lofoten Islands, the Isle of Harris in Scotland, and the Himalaya of Nepal, but begins with two shots of my home county of Yorkshire, England.

In order taken … click on a the image to see the bigger picture …

1. Hole of Horcum, North York Moors, England. Shot in the winter on the drive home from Whitby, East to West across the North York Moors, and perhaps the only photo of the Hole of Horcum that doesn’t feature the Hole.

ebcnov2016rw-3-of-12 — Hole of Horcum, North York Moors | Sigma DP3 Merrill

2. Saltburn Pier, North Yorkshire, England A flip of a coin decision somewhere in the Winter desolation of the North York Moors took us to Saltburn, and a perfect sunset as the tide receded. When your lucks in …

ebcnov2016rw-1-of-12 — Saltburn Pier, North Yorkshire | Sony RX1rII

3. Utakleiv Beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway. A million photographers on the beach sent me stomping up the sand in search of solitude and a clear shot. All I found was a pile of lumpy old rocks!

ebcnov2016rw-10-of-12 — Utakleiv Beach, Lofoten, Norway | Sigma DP0 Quattro

4. Olstind, Lofoten, Norway. Leaving it as late as ever it became a race against the storm, wading through two foot deep snow to find a spot that pointed up the valley. We won by five minutes!

ebcnov2016rw-1-of-1 — Olstind, Lofoten, Norway | Sigma DP0 Quattro

5. Pipework, The RERF, Leeds. An odd shot to throw in, but an image that perhaps only the Merrill with its extraordinary tonal range could take, and the culmination of a year long project to photograph the build.

ebcnov2016rw-9-of-12 — Pipework, The RERF, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Merrill

6. Boat & House, Isle of Harris, Scotland. A mouldy old boat, a broken down croft and a dull, wet, miserable day; anywhere else awful, on the isle of Harris, wonderful.

ebcnov2016rw-2-of-12 — Boat & House, Isle of Harris | Sony RX1rII

7. The Gloaming, Isle of Harris, Scotland. The rooftops of Northton silhouetted against the bay, then out over the sea to the mountains of Harris. Not such a bad midnight view.

ebcnov2016rw-12-of-12 — The Gloaming, Isle of Harris | Sigma DP3 Merrill

8. Soul Machine, Wakefield, England. Discovered in the middle of a farmyard machinery graveyard on a local walk, the truck has seen better days, but wears it’s scars with dignity and soul.

ebcnov2016rw-11-of-12 — Soul Machine, Wakefield | Sony Rx1rII

9. Himalayan Mountain Stream, Nepal. A rock, water and time, combine to create an example of nature’s perfection.

ebcnov2016rw-5-of-12 — Himalayan Mountain Stream | Sony RX1rII

10. Himalaya Trail, Nepal. A line of Mani stones stretches along a tree-lined, sandy trail, overlooked by the sacred mountain of Kumbila shrouded by cloud ; a microcosm of everything I loved about Nepal.

ebcnov2016rw-6-of-12 — Himalaya Trail, Nepal | Sony RXrII

11. Suspension Bridge, Nepal: A texture and detail of Nepal; the polished slats of a metal footbridge suspended 30 meters above the turbulent, mountain river, captured in Foveon detail by the Sigma DP3 Merrill.

ebcnov2016rw-8-of-12 — Suspension Bridge, Nepal | Sigma Dp3 Merrill

12. Mountain Sunrise, Nepal. Not many things are worth climbing out of a nice, warm bed for, but this was one; truly a jewel on a crown.

ebcnov2016rw-4-of-12 — Mountain Sunrise, Nepal | Sigma DP3 Merrill

Have a happy 2017.

Richard

Lofoten – Post 1, 4 Days & Counting

Published on February 15, 2016August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

After six months of anticipation it’s now just four days and counting before we begin our journey to the Lofoten Islands; bags are packed, final purchases made, last minute preparations underway.

Our journey takes us by air from Manchester to Bergen, where we catch the MS Lofoten to head North, hugging the Norwegian coastline for three days and nights until we reach Bodo. There we say goodbye to the boat and make the short hop by air to Leknes, an hour’s drive from our base at Reine.

Though Lofoten is North of the 66^th Parallel the warming effect of the Gulf Stream keeps the deep freeze of the Arctic at bay. Even so our preparation has been pre-occupied by the question of warmth if temperatures plummet, and how to keep upright on the ice and snow; winter boots, smocks, crampons, thermals, fleeces, hats, gloves, fill our Rolling Thunder holdalls.

Photography wise the trip is pure Foveon with one notable exception. In the bag is a Sigma DP1 & DP3 Merrill, a DP0 Quattro, an SD1 paired with an 18-300mm lens (both kindly loaned by Sigma for the trip) and a shiny new Sony RX1rII. When the sun’s above the horizon I plan point the Merrill’s and Quattro’s at the mountains, lakes and coastline. If we spot a whale offshore I’ll reach for the SD1. The Sony I plan to use as a general purpose travel camera, and, when the sun goes down, to take star trails and the Northern lights (if we’re lucky enough to see them).

If you want to be inspired by Lofoten the very best place to start is Cody Duncan’s website http://www.68north.com, a veritable mine of information alongside a set of beautiful inspiring images.

Now on with the packing!

What’s in The Bag

Sigma SD1
Sigma DP1 Merrill
Sigma DP3 Merrill
Sigma DP0 Quattro
Sigma 18-300mm
Sigma Close Up Lens
Sony RX1rII
B&W & Hayes ND filters
Induro CLT103 Tripod
Many spare batteries & memory cards
Red torch for night-time use
Silcon gel bags for removing moisture
Freezer bags for bringing cameras from cold to warm temperatures

Sigma DP0 Quattro Comparison – Leeds

Published on December 28, 2015August 12, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

The comparisons of the Sigma Merrill and Quattro have remained by far the most popular posts on this website throughout 2014 and 2015, with the test shot of Leeds (below) the most clicked upon.

The two shots below, taken a few days ago, complete the set with a comparison of the Sigma DP1 Merrill and Sigma DP0 Quattro. Both shots were hand held. Both have been post processed in SPP and Lightroom, using the same settings. Both shots were taken at ISO100 at f5.6. On both the colours come straight from the camera. The Quattro shot has been cropped to aid the comparison.

SDIM0700 — Leeds | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

DP0Q0825 — Leeds | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

With the Quattro I’ve struggled to control highlights, but a B&W graduated ND filter, soldered onto the camera, seems to have sorted the problem.

On previous comparisons the Merrill has always come up trumps on resolution and micro contrast, but taking into account the different focal lengths between the DP0 and DP1 to my eyes it’s too close to call. Both are fantastic image producing machines and both deserve a place in my camera bag.

Please note the above is an unapologetic, unscientific comparison.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Spurn Point 2015

Published on December 22, 2015August 15, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

Inspired by finding the 2011 shot of Spurn Point (the subject of the last post), and realising it had been nearly five (eventful) years since I last visited, on Sunday I plugged the Point’s co-ordinates into the Sat Nav, turned on the engine, and headed due East.

Spurn Point | Sigma Quattro DP0 | www.richardjwalls.com — Spurn Point 2015 | Sigma Quattro DP0 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Two hours in, and five minutes before it was deemed too dangerous to cross, I was stumbling across the sand, silt and mud of the breach that at high tide turns the Point into Yorkshire’s only island. I was now trapped! … at least for the next hour and a half.

Heading down the three miles to the end of the Point my motivation and inspiration were low, the tide too high, the wind too strong, my patience non-existent; I wished I’d headed up the coast, to Scarborough, or to Robin Hood’s bay, but I was stuck!

Rounding the tip of the Point I watched the boats go past, taking their cargo up the Humber, and then began the slow slog back to the car.

Spurn Point | Sigma Merrill DP3 | www.richardjwalls.com — Water Tower, Spurn Point | Sigma Merrill DP3 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Stopping to take some shots of the old water tower, I noticed the sky taking on a pink tinge, but it did nothing to lift the mood.

But as I marched up the sands, the tide was literally turning, the spit widening, the sky becoming more interesting …

… and the last 30 minutes I found myself, as I often do, lost in the moment.

All good things come to those that wait!

Shooting Notes

Sigma Quattro DP0 & Sigma Merrill DP3, ISO 100, all using the obligatory tripod, all post processed using SPP and Lightroom.

Light was slowed down using B&W ND filters.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Sigma DP0 Quattro – First Shots

Published on November 7, 2015August 12, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

I’ve finally put my money where my mouth is and bought the Sigma DP0 Quattro. Unfortunately, since it arrived, the North of England has been shrouded in mist, fog and rain, perhaps not the Quattro’s natural element. But I couldn’t resist taking the camera out just after dawn around Sheriff Hutton, near York, when we stayed at Polly’s cottage (www.ascotcottage.co.uk) last weekend.

Sheriff Hutton | Sigma DP0 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Sheriff Hutton | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Sigma DP0 Quattro & the Sigma DP1 Merrill

Published on October 15, 2015August 12, 2016 by Richard4 Comments

In the last of series of 3 posts on Sigma’s DP0 Quattro I couldn’t resist a cheeky comparison against the Sigma DP1 Merrill.

… But first let’s get the disclaimer out of the way!

Anyone looking for a technical, scientifically rigorous, thorough, review should look away now!

Ok, so now we’re rid of those pesky pixel peaking folks, for those still curious let’s press on with the comparison.

Now we’re told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and for that I’m personally thankful … but not holding an opinion, where’s the fun it that!

To my worn eyeballs the Merrill has the edge on resolution, but when I say edge I mean a razor sharp knife-edge of an edge, a micron of an edge, an edge just one atom thick. More importantly I seem to be able to pull more from the highlights and the shadows, an issue amplified when I don my Dracula cape and go out shooting at night (but to put this in perspective, neither camera is a Sony A7s). Finally, if I’m going through a moody, arty, monochrome phase, the Merrill has a touch more tone.

In the Quattro’s favour I love the colour rendition that comes out of the camera, the images seem warmer, richer, less harsh and more forgiving than the Merrill, especially with people and skin tones, and there’s something about the look of the landscapes, a dreaminess, a timelessness, that I can’t quite put my finger on (Lee, if you ever read this please publish your balloons picture so I can link to it and people can see for themselves).

But with the margins so thin a little post processing either way allows you to match one with the other as near as makes no difference, except for the night-time shots, and if you’re serious about this genre of photography you’re salivating over the Sony A7SII rather than reading this.

So I was pushed into a corner; had a camera bag just for one; had gun held to my head; what would I choose? Well if I find myself running to the door to catch that magic moment, I think … I might … just find myself … unconsciously … reaching for the DP0Q … I just love the look of the landscapes.

River Tees | Sigma DP0 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — River Tees | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

All things considered

A whole set of factors combine to make this comparison not worth the (virtual) paper it’s written on, including but not limited to:

the different length of the lenses
the wholly unscientific (for many reasons) nature of the comparison*
the lack of time I had to get to know the Quattro
an extremely subjective take on what good looks like
the price difference of the cameras
the relative sizes of the cameras (the Merrill is tiny in comparison)
the superiority of the Quattro as a camera
the relative size of the RAW files and consequent time to process in SPP
the limited subject matter
the dreariness of the weather during the time I had the Quattro.

I make no apologies, the aim of the comparison is to look at the camera against my set of needs, not yours! That said I’m sharing it because people seem to be interested in this sort of thing, and hopefully it contributes to the discussion. IMHO both cameras are immense considering the IQ, the price point and the unique look they produce. I don’t care which you’d choose, just spare a moment to look beyond the pile of bayer sensors and give them a go.

*Despite the unscientific nature I’ve tried to make the comparisons as fair as possible. Unless otherwise stated comparison shots are: the same ISO, same aperture, exposure matched by varying shutter speed, shots taken seconds apart, same processing SPP (noise reduction at zero everything else neutral), same post processing in Lightroom, and cropped to make the comparison easier.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

North by North East with Sigma’s DP0 Quattro

Published on October 13, 2015August 15, 2016 by Richard2 Comments

DP0Q0313 — River Tees Sunset | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I’ve been lucky enough to have the loan of a Sigma DP0 Quattro over the last couple of weeks. Sadly a combination of work and poor weather limited the time I was able to dedicate to the camera, and to understanding how to make the most of it’s capabilities.

DP0Q0290 — High Force, River Tees | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Nevertheless Staithes, high up on Yorkshire’s East Coast, and Teasdale, just across the border in County Durham, aren’t bad places to try out the camera, even on dull, flat, days!

DP0Q0091-Pano — Staithes, North Yorkshire, Stitched | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

The above image is stitched from three shots. Even the DP0’s wide lens isn’t wide enough for Staithes!

Staithes, North Yorkshire | Sigma DP0 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Staithes, North Yorkshire | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

DP0Q0307 — River Tees Sunset | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

DP0Q0115 — Yorkshire Coast | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Staithes| Sigma DP0 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Staithes Harbour | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

DP0Q0298 — Low Force, River Tees | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

East Coast Sculpting | Sigma DP0 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — East Coast Sculpting | Sigma DP0 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Shooting Notes

The images are a combination of hand held and tripod steadied shots, at a variety of aperture’s and shutter speeds, all at ISO100, post processed in SPP and Lightroom.

Sigma Quattro V Merrill Comparison – Conclusion

Published on December 10, 2014August 19, 2016 by Richard5 Comments

I know from the heat of the debate when the DP2 Quattro was released how opinion quickly divided between those favouring the Quattro and those favouring the Merrill.

Blackburn Mercury Monoplane | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Blackburn Mercury Monoplane | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I know that the Quattro is a huge step forward as a camera, though the funky look is not to everyone’s taste.

Concrete Works, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Concrete Works, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

I know I looked forward to the Quattro’s release as much as anyone, but just like many worried that the new sensor design would compromise image quality and the foveon look I’d fallen in love with.

And having just packed up the DP1 Quattro to return it to Sigma, and finally replaced my (stolen) DP1 Merrill, I know what my conclusion is having compared the images the two cameras produced.

Yorkshire Dales | Quattro - Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Yorkshire Dales | Quattro – Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

It goes without saying that the Merrill is a bloody awful camera. Slow, clunky, battery hungry, no ISO range to speak of, poor LCD, no EVF, poor in anything but bright light, useless unless paired to a tripod, I could go on …

ME109| Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — ME109| Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

… BUT …

The Merrill has one redeeming feature, the images it produces!

Field Barn, Langdale Valley | www.richardjwalls.com | Sigma Merrill DP3 — Field Barn, Langdale Valley | http://www.richardjwalls.com | Sigma Merrill DP3

The IQ is simply superb in the detail; the look is unique; and the range of tones for monochrome just blows me away.

Ossett War Memorial | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Ossett War Memorial | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

As a camera the Merrill may be the runt of the litter but as an image-capturing machine its lens and foveon sensor combine to create simply beautiful images.

Ullswater Sunset | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Ullswater Sunset | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Pretending for one minute that I didn’t own a Merrill I’m hugely impressed with the images produced by the Quattro.

Tryfan | Sigma Quattro DP2 | www.richardjwalls.com — View from Tryfan | Sigma DP2 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

It’s IQ stood up well to the Sony RX1, a camera that costs 3 times as much; as a camera it’s a step-change improvement on the Merrill; and as a combination it’s most definitely (accept perhaps the ISO range) a strong contender for those seriously interested in photography.

Victoria & Hunslet Mills Detail | Sigma - Sony | www/richardjwalls.com — Victoria & Hunslet Mills Detail | Sigma – Sony | www/richardjwalls.com

But I do own a Merrill and so for me it was an easy choice … and if I’m not the Quattro’s target audience I not sure who is. In a world of niches the Quattro doesn’t easily fall into any. It’s not the camera for the casual shooter, nor the street photographer, nor the travel photographer, nor will it replace full frame DSLRs or mirrorless systems or Sony’s ever increasing range of interesting specialist devices, or medium format.

Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

My suspicion is that that Sigma set out with the best intensions of developing a camera that was superior in every way to the Merrill, improving IQ whilst addressing the Merrill’s obvious short-comings and I applaud their attempt …

Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

… But that the reality is that the Quattro sensor has fallen short of its theoretical promise … and that its physical constraints will limit any real improvement going forward.

Quattro - Merrill Detail | www.richardjwalls.com — Quattro – Merrill Detail | http://www.richardjwalls.com

If you’re working on the bleeding edge of technology occasional failures and blind alleys are just part and parcel of life; you have to learn from them and move on; and sometimes that means a step backwards before you can move forward …

Clocks & Green Detail | Quattro - Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Clocks & Green Detail | Quattro – Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

… But all that is of course is pure speculation on my part …

Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

If I’ve a Christmas wish I hope that somewhere in Sigma’s research department, someone is right now gluing a Merrill sensor to the inside of a Quattro body. What a camera that would be!

SDIM0428 — Sigma DP3 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

In the meantime if your primary interest is image quality, and you’re thinking of buying a Sigma camera my advice is don’t hesitate!

Temple of the Winds | Sigma Merrill DP3 | www.richardjwalls.com — Temple of the Winds | Sigma Merrill DP3 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

If you can put up with the clunky old Merrill, and carting around pocketful of batteries and a tripod, then for £300 you’ll have a camera that will simply amaze you with the results it produces.

Cathedral Cavern, Little Langdale| Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Cathedral Cavern, Little Langdale| Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

If you’re not so patient, and who would blame you, the Quattro, at ~ £700, is still a steal, and will produce images on a par with cameras three times or more the price.

Whatever you decide I doubt you’ll be disappointed …

www.richardjwalls.com

Sigma Quattro DP1 Comparison – Part 9 – Yorkshire Dales

Published on December 5, 2014August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

In this final comparison I took the DP1 Quattro and DP1 Merrill to the Yorkshire Dales. Along with the DP3 Merrill.

Again the Quattro proved to be by far the better camera … but this comparison is purely about image quality … and as beauty is in the eye of the beholder I’ll let you make your own minds up.

This first view was from our bedroom window at Simonstone Hall. Not a bad scene to wake up to!

Yorkshire Dales | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Yorkshire Dales | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Yorkshire Dales | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Yorkshire Dales | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Yorkshire Dales | Merrill - Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Yorkshire Dales | Merrill – Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Just for fun, an image from the DP3 below

Yorkshire Dales | Sigma D3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls — Yorkshire Dales | Sigma D3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls

Shooting Notes

Both shots are taken at ISO100 and on a tripod with a 2 second delay. The shots were taken within the time it takes to take one camera off the tripod and stick the other on. All shots have been processed in SPP with no noise reduction and a little sharpening, and finished in Lightroom with the same settings.

Sigma Quattro DP1 Comparison – Part 8 – Yorkshire Air Museum

Published on November 28, 2014August 19, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

The Yorkshire Air Museum (http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.org) is a great place to go, and a great place to try out cameras.

The aircraft below, the Blackburn Mercury Monoplane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Mercury) built in Leeds, my home town, is perhaps my favourite, and the light is wonderfully captured by the Merrill DP1.

In the comparisons below as ever the Quattro proved to be the far better camera. The comparison is however purely about image quality … and as beauty is in the eye of the beholder I’ll let you make your own minds up.

Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Tornado Fuselage Detail | DP1 Merrill - DP1 Quattro| www.richardjwalls.com — Tornado Fuselage Detail | DP1 Merrill – DP1 Quattro| http://www.richardjwalls.com

And a chance to compare the Merrill DP1 and Merrill DP3 below

Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Tornado Fuselage | Sigma DP3 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Tornado Fuselage Detail | Sigma DP1 - Sigma DP3| www.richardjwalls.com — Tornado Fuselage Detail | Sigma DP1 – Sigma DP3| http://www.richardjwalls.com

I’m amazed that the DP1 Merrill is the equal of the DP3 Merrill!

Some more shots below for fun.

Handley Page Victor | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Handley Page Victor | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Shooting Notes

All shots are taken at ISO100 & F9, on a tripod, with a 2 second delay. The comparison shots were taken within the time it takes to take one camera off the tripod and stick the other on. All shots have been processed in SPP with no noise reduction and a little sharpening, and for comparisons, finished in Lightroom with the same settings.

Sigma Quattro DP1 Comparison – Part 7 – Ossett War Memorial

Published on November 28, 2014August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

A repeat of the comparison between the DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill but this time with the DP1 Quattro and DP1 Merrill.

As ever the Quattro is by far the better camera. This comparison is purely about image quality … and as beauty is in the eye of the beholder I’ll let you make your own minds up.

Ossett War Memorial | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Ossett War Memorial | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Ossett War Memorial | Merrill - Quattro Detail | www.richardjwalls.com — Ossett War Memorial | Merrill – Quattro Detail | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Ossett War Memorial | - Quattro - Merrill Detail | www.richardjwalls.com — Ossett War Memorial | – Quattro – Merrill Detail | http://www.richardjwalls.com

In this series of shots, to my eye, the Merrill clearly produces better – sharpness, contrast, detail – images of the statue, to the point that I re-checked all the post processing and looked for signs of camera shake, etc..

As I originally bought the Sigma for monochrome this comparison is key for me. It was the original monochrome shot of the same subject 12 months ago with the DP1 Merrill (https://richardjwallsblog.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/sony-rx1-sigma-dp1-merrill/) that absolutely amazed me.

Shooting Notes

Both shots are taken at ISO100 & F11, on a tripod, with a 2 second delay. The shots were taken within the time it takes to take one camera off the tripod and stick the other on. Both shots have been processed in SPP with no noise reduction and a little sharpening, and finished in Lightroom with the same settings.

Sigma Quattro DP1 Comparison – Part 6 – Pay & Display

Published on November 27, 2014August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

A repeat of the comparison between the DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill but this time it’s the DP1 Merrill V DP1 Quattro.

As ever the Quattro is by far the better camera. This comparison is purely about image quality and as beauty is in the eye of the beholder I’ll let you make your own minds up.

Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Again, as with Clocks & Green, IMHO the Merrill has less noise and brings out more detail … but if you step back from a 100% view, this becomes less important and the advantages of the camera come back into play.

Shooting Notes

Sigma DP1 Quattro Comparison – 5 – Clocks & Greens

Published on November 24, 2014August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

A repeat of the comparison between the DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill but this time it’s the DP1 Merrill V DP1 Quattro.

As ever the Quattro is by far the better camera. This comparison is purely about image quality and as beauty is in the eye of the beholder I’ll let you make your own minds up.

Clocks & Green | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Clocks & Green | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Clocks & Green | Sigma DP1 Merrill | www.richardjwalls.com — Clocks & Green | Sigma DP1 Merrill | http://www.richardjwalls.com

To my eye my preference – purely on my view of IQ – is the Merrill. It shades it in bringing out the detail / sharpness. I could have sharpened up both images more, but the Merrill seems to handle noise better which is a bit of surprise and one to get an opinion from Sigma on.

Shooting notes

Sigma DP1 Quattro Comparison – 4 – Victoria & Hunslet Mills

Published on November 18, 2014August 19, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

Victoria & Hunslet Mills have laid unused since the late sixties / early seventies, a poignant reminder of the inevitability of the 2nd law of thermodynamics, but luckily an interesting subject at which to point the Sigma DP1 Quattro

Victoria & Hunslet Mills | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www/richardjwalls.com

This shot was taken by pushing the lens through the metal fence that surrounds the site. Very little chance for good composition! Aperture is F8 as opposed to the Sony’s F16 below; the Sigma F16 shot had to be binned. Compared to the Sony the detail captured in the shot is pretty amazing.

Victoria & Hunslet Mills | Sony RX1 | www/richardjwalls.com

Sony shot at F16

The Sigma shot is a perfectly formed miniature version of the Sony

I had to play around with noise reduction and sharpening with the Sigma in an attempt to match the Sony on the black sheets covering the windows.

… And just for fun some a couple of shots with the Sigma DP3 Merrill

Hunslet Mill | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www/richardjwalls.com

Victoria & Hunslet Mills Detail | Sigma DP3 Merrill| www/richardjwalls.com — Hunslet Mill Detail | Sigma DP3 Merrill| www/richardjwalls.com

Hunslet Mills Detail | Sigma DP3 Merrill| www/richardjwalls.com

The IQ of the DP3 Merrill is as always superb. It’s unfair to compare the DP1 Quattro with the DP3 Merrill, the focal length is so different, but I can’t wait to find out if the DP3 Quattro can match it!

It was a grey day in Leeds on Sunday and so no judging the Quattro DP1 until the shooting conditions are better, and remember the benchmark here is the Sony RX1, a camera retailing on Amazon UK for almost 3 times the price of the Sigma.

Shooting & Post Processing Notes

All shots taken at ISO100 with a tripod and post processed using SPP 6.1 and Lightroom. Due to past experience of over aggressive noise reduction luminance noise reduction was knocked down to the minimum in SPP (however this seems to make the Quattro DP1 images more noisy when viewed at 100% as compared to the Merrill DP3 (or Sony) and I’ll check this out in another post).

http://www.richardjwalls.com

It’s Grim Up North – Exhibit D

Published on November 17, 2014August 19, 2016 by Richard2 Comments

It’s Grim Up North … the politicians and papers say … all urban degeneration … t’place is falling into decay

SDIM0017 — Clarence Dock, Leeds, 2014 | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Don’t tell them there’s urban re-generation up North, they’ll all want to come!

… mind you there’s still some work to be done!

Recreation Avenue, Holbeck, Leeds | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www/richardjwalls.com — Recreation Avenue, Holbeck, Leeds, 2014 | Sigma DP3 Merrill | www/richardjwalls.com

Does just a 30 minute walk of 1.5 miles really seperate Recreation Avenue from Clarence Dock? They seem a world apart! I drive past Recreation Avenue every time I go climbing. The lines of red brick terraces seem to belong to an old Leeds, a Leeds of 50 years ago that still lingers on in pockets of the city. Re-development has now started. Street by street the terraces are being demolished and replaced with modern housing stock. It’s not before time … but when they’re gone the wealth of the city may be richer, but the soul of the old city will be a little poorer.

http://www.richardjwalls.com

Sigma DP1 Quattro – Comparison 3 – Leeds Panoramic

Published on November 17, 2014August 8, 2016 by RichardLeave a comment

Back to the bridge to take the same old test shot as previous comparisons. The day was dull and coming to an end but with a tripod there was just enough light.

Leeds Panoramic | Sigma DP1 Quattro | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds Panoramic | Sigma DP1 Quattro | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Leeds Panoramic | Sony RX1 | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds Panoramic | Sony RX1 | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Leeds Panoramic Clock Detail| Sony - Sigma | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds Panoramic Clock Detail| Sony – Sigma | http://www.richardjwalls.com

The first thing I look for is the detail on the clock face. Given the range it’s a remarkable effort from both cameras and the Sigma in particular.

Leeds Panoramic Greens Detail| Sigma - Sony | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds Panoramic Greens Detail| Sigma – Sony | http://www.richardjwalls.com

When originally looking at the DP2 Quattro I found the colour rendition of greens and reds to be dull compared to the DP3 Merrill and the Sony. Unfortunately I see a similar story with the Quattro DP1, the foliage and the backdrop all look too green compared to the Sony. I re-looked in SPP but found no way of adjusting this. I also checked the settings in the camera. Nothing was set that would influence either way.

Leeds Panoramic Bridgewater Place Detail| Sigma - Sony | www.richardjwalls.com — Leeds Panoramic Bridgewater Place Detail| Sigma – Sony | http://www.richardjwalls.com

Back to the positives, the detail on Bridgewater Place is remarkable!

Shooting & Post Processing Notes

http://www.richardjwalls.com