The new Sigma SD14 with Foveon X3

Sigma have been a player in the photography market for a long time, supplying lenses and flashes for a lot of the big brands out there - but they’ve never really been lumped in with the big digital SLR manufacturers when it comes to actual camera design. When you think digital SLR bodies you think Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Minolta, etc. Sigma have had some decent SLR’s in the past though - but most, like their SD10, have been less than spectacular. That may soon change, with the Sigma SD14.

Sigma continues to develop cameras using the Foveon type sensor. The SD14 uses the Foveon X3 chip, which records reds, greens, and blues on three separate layers of a stacked sensor. The result is what Sigma calls more accurate color representation, and a handle on noise.

This 3 sensor design has existed in consumer camcorders for a long time, so this idea is not new and the Foveon promise has had a lot of photographers excited. The 9 megapixel SD14 may be the breakthrough camera for the X3 chip, however, and if the rest of the camera can enthuse the brand loyal photo community, it may get some notice.

Some other neat tricks - the three-color histogram plays back with all three colors graphed simultaneously on the display. Furthermore, the IR-cutoff filter over the sensor which typically blocks out pesky IR light can easily be popped out, which will allow for infrared photography on the fly.