Reader Comment After Renting the Sigma DP2 Merrill
Related: digital sensor, reader comment, Sigma, Sigma APS_C, Sigma DP2 Merrill, Sigma mirrorless, Sigma true-color, true-color sensor or image
See the in-depth review of the Sigma DP1/DP2/DP3 Merrill camera.
Philip M writes:
I just finished renting a DP2 Merrill. It is the first rental that I wished I could have kept. Image sharpness is absolutely phenomenal.
Somewhat surprisingly, I found that I liked the fixed focal length, fixed lens. It does mean that certain images can't be made. But it also encourages a little more thought and creativity, and it is strangely liberating not to carry several lenses, and to never seem to have the "correct" lens on the camera at the correct time. That said, I do like the idea of a lens with 2 or 3 focal lengths, if image quality is up to prime level.
I hope Sigma addresses some of the shortcomings of the DP Merrill line. In particular, three things would make these absolutely killer cameras: (1) an EVF; (2) a right-hand grip (like Sony NEX) that would have room for a decent size battery; (3) much, much, much faster writing of raw files to card.
DIGLLOYD: Yes, image sharpness is terrific.
the Carrying two DP Merrills sidessteps the single-lens issue rather nicely, as well as being a lot faster to shoot than swapping lenses and gaining dust on the sensor. Still, a bi-focal version would be slick.
As far as the shortcomings, these are all true. The battery thing can be dealt with easily enough by carrying more of the rather small batteries, but the lack of an EVF is to me the major issue with the DP Merrill design; even the speed is acceptable for many types of shooting, though it too is a frustrating factor.
The cost of the Sigma DP Merrill cameras is quite low in the context of other cameras offering similar quality, and the built-in f/2.8 lenses are not bettered by the alternatives (except in lens speed).
