test shots from my window
This is good stuff. BTW, sunset today was stunning eh?
SD14 users?
- Thread starter wind30
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This is good stuff. BTW, sunset today was stunning eh?
tomcat
Senior Member
The latest firmware update Ver. 1.07 for SD-14 is now available for downloading...
http://www.sigma-sd14.com/software/firmware/
For those who already have Ver. 1.06, the improvements are:
http://www.sigma-sd14.com/software/firmware/
For those who already have Ver. 1.06, the improvements are:
- Exposure time of Bulb Mode is increased from 30 seconds to 2 minutes (It is only available when the camera is set to Extended Mode).
- Accuracy of the Evaluative Metering has been improved.
- Accuracy of the custom white balance has been improved.
- One-day advance date counter that occurs with X3F images during an intercalary year was corrected.
- Review image quality on the camera's LCD is improved.
- Users now have the option to disable the shutter release if there is no CF card in the camera. This option is found in the 'Preview Style' menu.
thinkvision
Senior Member
USD579 now 
tomcat
Senior Member
A couple of low or difficult lighting shots by the SD-14... with the 105mm EX Macro at very slow shutter speeds at ISO 400.
#1 Indoor
#2 Back-lit
I really miss body-based IS. It is much harder to use the 105mm on the SD-14 than on the Olympus E-510 and E-3. Probably this is where the 70mm EX Macro would have an advantage... less handshake because of the shorter focal length.
#1 Indoor
#2 Back-lit
I really miss body-based IS. It is much harder to use the 105mm on the SD-14 than on the Olympus E-510 and E-3. Probably this is where the 70mm EX Macro would have an advantage... less handshake because of the shorter focal length.
Tomcat, the price of the SD14 is really looking very attractive especially when one buys it from the US, so wondering if I should take the plunge and use the SD14 as a landscape/architecture system.
Read a lot about RAW processing and colour shifts issues with the SD14, in which the correct colour and metering is difficult to achieve? These issues do not appear in the shots you posted here, your shots look great.
Any advice?
Read a lot about RAW processing and colour shifts issues with the SD14, in which the correct colour and metering is difficult to achieve? These issues do not appear in the shots you posted here, your shots look great.
Any advice?
tomcat
Senior Member
I don't know why some people were experiencing RAW processing and colour shift problems with the SD14. I find RAW processing very simple (too simple in fact as there are few advance features in the Sigma Photo Pro software) and the colours from the Foveon sensor are really very attractive, especially when coupled with the smoothness of the images which is very obvious when you pixel-peep and compare with those taken with other Bayer sensor DSLRs at 100% size. Colour shift problems only come in at high ISOs and this is a weakness with the Foveon sensor. If shot at low ISOs like ISO 100, the images are smooth and noise-free even in low light and long exposures unlike those of other Bayer sensor DSLRs, like in my 2 cat pics posted earlier.
tomcat
Senior Member
Shooting IR with the SD14 is easy. Like the other Sigma DSLRs with the Foveon sensors, it could be user-modded to make it sensitive to IR by just popping out the IR blocking filter from the camera body.
Example:
More examples and detail in this post:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3978239#post3978239
Example:
More examples and detail in this post:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3978239#post3978239
? which raw processor are you using?
I have green shifts on like 80% of my outdoor photos when developed using SPP3.2 and 1.07 firmware with auto WB.
There are a lot of reports on this in dpreview and I think it is a real issue. I mean outdoor auto WB is supposed to work pretty consistently but with the SD14, the auto is consistently too green...
tomcat
Senior Member
I have been using Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 (Win) and now Sigma Photo Pro 2.5 (Win) for RAW processing and have always set the SD14 to AWB for all my shots both indoors and outdoors.
Perhaps the reason why some people have problems is due to user expectations and workflow. It could be that some people expect that the RAW processor will automatically give the perfect colours in the Auto or default setting without them having to make any further adjustments to the other parameters during the RAW conversion process. I have shot with many brands of DSLRs and digicams and used many RAW processing software and there is not one brand of camera and/or software that will output the best colours at default or Auto settings ie without further intervention by the user in finetuning or tweaking the other parameters before conversion. So in my workflow, I always tweak all the parameters again even after selecting the 'Auto' mode if I still don't like the colours, white balance, exposure or contrast etc before I carry out the final conversion for each individual RAW image.
That depends on what you are using the camera for. My wife typically will select 100 shots for her own scrapebook. With my previous cameras, I just batch process everything under auto setting and usually I get acceptable results for her. Seriously, outdoor WB is usually very accurate for my previous cameras, olympus and fujifilm. But with the SD14, the auto settings are way too green so I have to individually color correct all the photos my wife selected.
all these niggles aside, I am quite pleased by the image quality once proper post processing is done. The dynamic range is quite ok, the details are very good and the files sharpen very beautifully.
I just did some A3 size prints from my old photos and I am quite amazed how well the SD14 is. I did prints from s3pro, E330 and SD14. I think the SD14 is the most detailed of the lot followed by s3pro and E330 last. And the difference is quite significant and even my wife can tell the difference.
Fishmaster
New Member
Cameta doesn't ship to Singapore unfortunately. I recently bought a Sigma SD-14 body off the internet with a blank warranty card and Sigma Singapore does not honour the warranty without the local authorised dealer's stamp. Though they told me that they will replace the parts, if any is found faulty, for free and I will have to pay only for the servicing fee.
I suggest that you get the body from overseas and the lenses locally since a Sigma SD-14 kit in Singapore can cost you above 2k. Just so you know, I got a Sigma 70-210 f4-5.6 UC-II lens at SLS for $180. The guy threw in a filter and lens pouch for free too. It's a good bargain imo, given the 1+1 years warranty and the lens is amazingly sharp for something that price. If you do not care for the noisy AF or the lack of macro focus that is.
Mmm.. Does any of the SD-14 veterans have ideas on how to get cheap (second-hand?) Sigma lenses locally.. with warranty? I do not have like $600-700 to burn on ordering some EX lenses. :sticktong
guys,
I managed to get the green cast issue fixed I think.
Local service center sent it to sigma japan and it came back much better. See the thread below for before and after shots. Took more than 1 month so if u don't need your SD14 for a while, just sent it in and get it fixed.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1027&thread=29958213&page=1
I managed to get the green cast issue fixed I think.
Local service center sent it to sigma japan and it came back much better. See the thread below for before and after shots. Took more than 1 month so if u don't need your SD14 for a while, just sent it in and get it fixed.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1027&thread=29958213&page=1
Fishmaster
New Member
Unfortunately Cameta doesn't ship to Singapore and so however cheap their cameras may go, it is still not for us. Besides, I read on dpreviews that some Scandinavian site is selling the SD14 + 17-70 DC for about SGD700.
spheredome
New Member
Yes, you can buy from amazon and ship via vpost. GST will be paid thru vpost. 17-70mm is a good choice as it is sharp as compare to 18-200mm which is rather soft.
- Avoid buying sigma macro flash from oversea as the flash firmware may not work for SD14, so it worth to order locally as you try.
- If you order extra battery from amazon, make sure you write to vpost that is it in original amazon package as US custom restrict shipping loose lithum battery. Else vpost will not ship for you.
Just an advise, don't remove the IR filter if you have impatient hands. It is very fragile and if broken, you have a hard time replacing.
Anyway SD15 and DP2 will be out in a few months. Hopefully.
- Avoid buying sigma macro flash from oversea as the flash firmware may not work for SD14, so it worth to order locally as you try.
- If you order extra battery from amazon, make sure you write to vpost that is it in original amazon package as US custom restrict shipping loose lithum battery. Else vpost will not ship for you.
Just an advise, don't remove the IR filter if you have impatient hands. It is very fragile and if broken, you have a hard time replacing.
Anyway SD15 and DP2 will be out in a few months. Hopefully.
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