The Soul of an SLR, in the Body of a Compact.
Image-quality and compactness:
can you have both?
The DP1 is a completely new type
of camera, packing the full spec of
a DSLR into the body of a compact.
DSLRs deliver great image quality,
but being so big and heavy —
especially when you include the lens
— they're not the sort of camera
you can take everywhere. In fact,
they're so cumbersome you would
never want to have one around,
apart from the moment you decide
you want to go on a shoot. On the
other hand, compact digital cameras
are now small enough to slip into
your shirt pocket. Of course, their
compactness comes at a price: some
essential photographic functionality
is lost. For portability and handy
"snappability", they're unbeatable.
But for serious photography, they're
nowhere. So, are there only two
kinds of digital cameras: the SLR for
serious photography, and the handy
portable compact?
Exactly like an SLR.
Just in a smaller body.
For Sigma, photography is all about
capturing the truth. That's our
philosophy, and it stays the same
whatever the camera format or the
photographic mission. We make no
exceptions for a compact camera
with outstanding portability. The DP1
is the world's first and only camera
with the full descriptive power and
functionality of an SLR, plus the same
adaptability in terms of accessories,
all built into a small body. So, how
does it differ from the average DSLR?
Well, it doesn't have a TTL optical
viewfinder, or an interchangeable
lens. Nor does it have the advanced
continuous-shooting function
you find in some high-end DSLRs.
But that's all. In terms of serious
photography, it's exactly like an SLR
in all other respects.
Just in a smaller body.
Setting you free to shoot it your way
The DP1's image-sensor – the
element that captures the image –
is SLR-sized. An image sensor with
14 megapixels, which is 7 to 12 times
bigger than the image sensors used
in ordinary compact digital cameras,
guarantees abundant descriptive
power. In fact, the DP1 uses exactly
the same image sensor as the SD14,
which has won plaudits for its top-
of-the-range image quality. Then
there's the lens – the element most
crucial to photographic expression.
Benefiting from all the optical
design technology smarts Sigma
has acquired over the years, the
DP1's lens was developed to the
same design spec as high-function
interchangeable lenses for SLRs.
And that's not all. When it comes
to file formats, the DP1 supports
not only JPEG but also RAW (X3F)
mode. What's more, it offers five
Exposure mode – Auto mode,
[P] Programmed, [A] Aperture
Priority, [S] Shutter Priority and
[M] Manual plus exposure
compensation, manual focus, auto-
bracketing, three Metering modes,
AF/AE locking and other features.
Equipped with what we'd call
standard SLR functions, the DP1 sets
you free to shoot it your way.
A standard DSLR spec in a compact
body. The world's first and only truly
high-performance compact digital
camera. That would be the DP1.
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