Sigma Photo Pro Software for Sigma DP Merrill Cameras: Caution before Considering DP Merrill
Related: Apple, Apple macOS, digital sensor, field of view, Iridient Developer, raw file processing, Sigma, Sigma Photo Pro, Sigma true-color, true-color sensor or image
I am writing this piece about Sigma Photo Pro software (SPP) for Apple OS X*, because as part of my work today, I ran into the same difficulties I have before: repeated crashes, extremely slow operation, severe usability problems that make seconds-long tasks take minutes.
I want my readers to have their eyes wide open before considering any Sigma DP Merrill camera.
Sigma Photo Pro Software: July 2013 State of Affairs
Also worth noting is that there are alternative raw converters that support Sigma DP Merrill X3F files such as Iridient Developer (OS X only). But at this time, Photoshop and Lightroom (ACR) do not.
I have a new comparison coming which does a great job of showing off what the sensor in the DP Merrill can do relative to a conventional Bayer matrix sensor. But a sensor has to be built into a camera, and a camera’s raw files require raw conversion—all those things come together in a that has to work for the user.
* The Mac version appears to be a kludge port of the PC version. It would not surprise me that the PC version would be more reliable, as even the software description on the web site makes errors that show a fundamental ignorance of OS X.
