I have followed the Foveon chips since its first release... I WANT a Foveon X3 chip in my dSLR. But, release delayed from Nov 2006 to Dec 2006 to March 2007?

14MP, 4.6MP, 2.1MP, or 1Mp images are the shooting options? Where's a solid 6-10MP choice?

Where's the slow-sync option for flash? How about rubber-sealed body to help keep dust and water out (like D80)? What about usable shooting "modes" (landscape, night, face-recognition/portrait)? Or specialty "modes" like Vivid Green or Color Accent on the Canon or Time Lapse on the Nikon? I haven't even read anything that says it shoots b&w or sepia.

Shutter and shutter mechanism have a "durable life-cycle" of 100,000 exposures. C'mon, with digital I can easily shoot 750 pics a day (I delete many). That would be 133 days before its lifecycle "ends." Okay, I don't shoot EVERY day, so let's call it a year and a half to two. YUCK.

3 fps at 4.64MP (for 7 frame MAX), 12 frame MAX at 2.1MP... YUCK.

Okay, a 2.5" LCD with 150,000 resolution. That's BARELY better than my Canon S3IS at 2" LCD with 115,000 pixels (EOS 30D and Nikon D80 are 2.5" at 230,000). YUCK... But actually I can handle that, because the SD14 DOES have a 98% coverage pentaprism optical viewfinder with .9x magnification. Okay.

Five -point AF... Hey! This is supposed to be a supreme DSLR, try getting closer to 9-point (EOS 30D) or better (Nikon D80 is 11-point).

Li-Ion battery life is approx 500 shots! EOS 30D claims up to 1,100; Nikon D80 claims up to 2,700 shots.

ISO1600 in (extended mode). Ugggh.

So, why would I want to be relegated to buying ALL Sigma lenses for the Sigma Lens mount? For a Foveon X3 chip? Please improve the camera and feature set, and you'd GLADLY have my money. Uhhh, actually, I'll prolly buy a Nikon D80 soon, so I guess you WON'T have my money (I wouldn't want to switch from all Nikon lenses to Sigma lenses).

I WANT to love this camera, I just need REASONS. please.

I own a Sigma SD9 their first entry into the digital slr arena, and switched from film to digital from there on.
The biggest advantages of Sigma are their lower competitive prices and the Foveon processing, capturing the 3 basic colors, which appear more dimensional than any photography I have seen.

I look forward to purchasing the Sigma SD14.

Habe die Kamera gestern erhalten, bin begeistert. Die Qualität der Photos ist tatsächlich meilenweit von den Kameras entfernt, die ich schon besitze (u.a. SONY, OLYMPUS und LUMIX). Mir schien ursprünglich der "nahezu" 3-D-Effekt ein Verkaufstrick zu sein, aber es stimmt, nicht nur subjektiv bei mir, sondern auch bei kritischeren Betrachtern.
Aber ... es gibt auch Mängel: 1. Die Software lässt sich weder auf dem Power-Mac noch auf dem Intel-Mac installieren; 2. Die Kapazität der Speicherkarte scheint bei 2 GB aufzuhören, 4 GB werden durch die Kamera nicht erkannt und akzeptiert. 3. Der Akku ist wohl als Scherz zu verstehen, nach 12 Bildern (bei einer Kapazität von 145 RAW) ist der Akku nur noch "geringfügig geladen" und muss bereits wieder ans Netz.
Ich lasse mich jedoch nicht verdrießen, denn bei dieser Qualität - auch bei der Verarbeitung von Body und Objektiven - werden wir diese vergleichsweise geringfügigen Probleme auch noch in den Griff bekommen.

I will start the review with a disclaimer that I had the chance to beta-test this camera before release; That also means I have had a few months experience in shooting with the camera.

I will start out with a little history. A few years ago, Sigma released the SD-9 and SD-10 digital cameras. They were widely hailed to have excellent image quality, but the trouble for some buyers was that the cameras did not have some convinced features that other cameras offered, like in-camera JPEG or on-camera flash, and so they went on to other systems.

Fast forward to today and the SD-14. Sigma has addressed all the little aspects of usability and features that people have asked for, like in-camera JPEG, on camera flash, PC-Sync socket, and many other little features. But best of all, in addition to adding more resolution, they also improved the image quality from the sensor even further - the camera has even more dynamic range, and much better high ISO support than before with everything up to 800 working really well and even 1600 being usable. This is a camera with a feature set that just about anyone can make use of, and leave the choice of the body to image quality rather than body features.

When considering a camera like the SD-14, it really is important to understand the difference the Foveon sensor makes as this camera really is different than any other camera on the market today. Look at sample images (look at full-size sample images, not shrunken down web versions!). Read about the Foveon sensor. The use that information to make up your mind if this is the right camera for you. For fine art work or landscapes, I'm really not sure there is anything better.

Sigma deserves a lot of credit for daring to continue updating the camera line with this unique sensor in a market full of otherwise very similar choices (except for Fuji, props there).

You can read more here about the Foveon and Bayer sensors compared in terms of detail captured and the information about resolution charts you should know:

[...]

And you can find full-size sample images either on the Sigma-sd14.com web site or here in the user galleries:

[...]

Ich besitze die SD14 nun schon einige Zeit und kann nur sagen das einiges war hier geschrieben wurde einfach nicht der Wahrheit entspricht. Als erstes sind mit dem Accu gut 100 Bilder und mehr zu machen. Wichtig erst mal laden vor dem ersten Gebrauch. Und nach 5 weiteren Ladungen läuft der Accu noch besser, sprich mehr Bilder. Ich verwende selbst eine Sandisk Extreme III 4GB CF-Karte, diese funktioniert einwandfrei. Warum auch nicht, es handelt sich um Fat32, da geht auch mehr, 16 GB z.B.! Nun zum wichtigsten zu den Bildern, im Vergleich zur SD9 + SD10 (hatte ich vorher) ein gewaltiger Sprung nach vorne. Besonders das Dunkelrauschen ist wesentlich besser und insgesamt total ausgewogene Farben. Man könnte hier nun weiter alle Vorzüge der SD14 nennen, das führt viel zu weit. Fazit: Dreidimensionale Bilder, die ihresgleichen suchen. Bilder in allerhöchster Qualität.

The SD10 had problems. The battery charge system was just weird. The camera was not up to the hype when light was poor. But the images with good light were stunning. So it was with some angst, sustained by a delayed product release, that I opened my camera SD14. Very early on I knew I had a problem in that the camera hung... motion? But I got off some really spectacular images before sending it to NY repairs. They got it back quickly. I suspect something loose.

Well the images are simply wonderful. Just so you know, I have cameras at 5 & 6 times the price considered high end professional. I can get lots more pixels, but the color quality is not better.

The real test was low light. All the digital cameras fail in low light. So just a matter of how bad. OK, something is new here. This camera is far better in dim light than the SD10. When it starts to fail to low light the images become blotchy - like camoflage - rather than sandy as the GRGB cameras tend.

The SD14 X3F RAW images do well in Adobe's new Lightroom, and interestingly with the many controls for image modification in that program, there are none that set this camera aside (for punishment for being different).

The SD10 used a 1 GByte card but did not take larger. I tested the SD14 on 1 Gig (mechanical IBM type) and on 2 Gig, and 4 Gig, and 8 Gig CFII cards. Though, beware, some cards do badly with certain cameras across the board. So, I cannot say that ALL CFII's are OK. But I was able to find cards that worked a large range of memory capacity.

The camera saves images as RAW or JPEG. You can select two "color spaces", sRGB or AdobeRGB. I found that odd. Why not a 16 bit option? I suspect that is simply understood for RAW.

The booklet that comes with the camera may be the clearest such booklet of any camera. There were a few minor areas where referring the user to other sources seemed lazy(C1----v C2----v C3----v for camera strobes might be obvious to those who have these but ought to be explained to those who don't and maybe might want to).

Also the SD14 can shoot "tethered" - a huge fact that gets barely any mention other than an arrow pointing at the port. Those who do that, know, but maybe some need to learn how?

The camera body is nicely shaped, the controls are very logical, and shooting is easy.

There is something about the color. The SD10 drove me nuts because I had to charge batteries in shifts (they didn't all fit in the charger at once... grrrr). I almost dismissed this camera from that experience alone. The low light limits of the SD10 were also hard to take. But, that color. Seems even better in the SD14. It is not like other cameras. Just isn't. Very pleasing rich deep textural color.

So, down side? Well Sigma is not a magnet for lenses made by other manufacturers. So you will probably be a Sigma all the way person. But the Sigma lenses I used were quite good and cost way way less than other brands. There is a specific flash kind for the flash shoe. So, maybe your current flash might not work? The built-in flash, does what built in flashes do.

The SD14 battery system is quite nice. There is a built-in dust protector to assist lens swaps - very nice.

Want to do very high end photography with a wide array of lenses without going broke? Look at this model.

I'm very happy with this camera and with the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 lens. It makes beautiful detailed images. Shooting with the on-camera flash is a little tricky, and that flash is not powerful. But this is a serious camera and addition of serious flash equipment makes for some stunning images, as well at stunning ones with natural light. Check out some images at:
[...]

The Foveon sensor makes beautiful images.

If image quality is your number one requirement, you will be happy with this camera. The user interface is well designed.

My only complains would be around the battery life and slow preview.

I would also like to see more Sigma lens with image stabilization.

I was one of the earliest users of sd9 as it first hit the market and used it for many years. I had my hands on sd14 and here's my impression.



Fist of all not much has changed. SD9 and SD10 and SD14 suffer terribly from pixelar irregularity. Yes it is capable of producing great images in general, but in particular you will find some blemishes in blue sky that weren't there and dark areas noise is WAY above average. The flash operations always were faulty with old camera and still in new as well as automatic exposure is far from be on par with Sony or Canon or Nikon or Pentax. There's no distinguished "profile" for this body: sometimes it overexposes sometimes underexposes, you never sure. The color fidelity never was good. It always was poster like overemphasizing blue and green and dull in reds and this new camera while tries to diminish the effect still suffers from the issue.

This camera supposed to address some peculiar sort of purists who care of capturing "all the light" but ignores other prominent aspects of photography. In three years while SD14 was under development much has changed. Many DSLR are available for relatively little money and most of them offer image quality FAR superior to what Sigma has to offer. The cameras from Cannon, Sony and Nikon with good lens produce images of superb tonality variations, superb color accuracy and offer many very smart shooting modes.

I think about PHOTOGRAPHY. After all I am talking to those who think about the final image not about masturbation of "who has more mega pixel". I saw many people who buy camera after camera but never produced anything noteworthy. Most of great art was done by technology so inferior to today's P&S standards but still is the art.

To this commentator who offered suggestion to the author of the negative review to stick to his "point and shoot" camera... you know I happened to see outstanding, interesting, intriguing, art worthy images come from P&S cameras. Photography is about what you can do with your camera; how you project your vision into final image it is not about how much you spent. So speaking in these terms I can't justify price of this camera for what is has to offer. It would be decent $500-600 body but in $1600 category it is bankrupt. For the money you can get great camera with superb quality lens (which is the real source of image quality) and probably the extra flash (and superb processing technology)

I do photography (professionally) for some 30 years and I was working in lab since I was 12 years old. I worked with almost every camera system and firmly believe that photography is about balance. It is art of exclusive composition where you pick the right tool to have your idea protruded from general concept to final result. I have loyalty to this, not to particular sensor technology or brand. Concluding aforesaid, I can't see why I would spend this kind of money on this kind of body.

I buy SLR for two reasons: speed and speed again, because from compositional point of view SLR ergonomics tend to produce boring eye level photography. So if you do let say sport, you will need speedy focus (which is not what the camera offers), fast shooting modes (which is not what the camera offers), great hi ISO performance (which is not what the camera offers). So please reevaluate your preferences. What is your goal by the end of the day? Is it the final image of banner "SD14 is coolest camera in the world?"

Speaking about RAW imaging, RAW from Sigma always was awkward, poorly integrated into Photoshop. I always had to convert in Sigma's software because the same RAW in Photoshop was completely different image. So thinking about this kind of RAW that takes me off road and implies VERY time consuming, space consuming and nerve consuming workflow, it takes away this creative moment, because it imposed another requirement.

It is good camera for average needs, for slow workflow and it should be priced accordingly. And if you expect some glorious result, take my advice; buy a good glass for commonly used system: Canon, Sony, Nikon and it will serve you for decades. You will learn to "see" trough this lens, it will become your second nature, and it is what makes you photographer not the race for mega pixels or sensor technology. Technology is secondary it is subservient to your ideas. Or in a case if you do not have any ideas you can develop loyalty to some overpriced brand and it will become part of your identity, it will define your sense of what is "cool". If you buy this camera for the price ($1600), do not forget to buy some Bose speakers and fake Rolex watches to complete the image, not the photographic one tough.

Sigma dslrs enjoy a cult following, and rave reviews from Sigma zealots should be taken with a grain of salt. This is a niche product, quite different in important ways from more mainstream cameras. It is comparatively difficult and inconvenient to use, and the colors it produces are unusual. Those who take the time to cope with the camera's quirks love it. However, if you're new to digital photography or dslrs cameras, I would steer clear.

the thing sigma isn't telling you is that the touted 14 mp resolution is only interpolated. pop photography tested the lens and found the actual resolution to be closer to 8 mp, not the 14 as claimed. thus a cheaper d80 or rebel xti has more resolution than the sd14. besides the slow fps rate, the camera also suffers in high-ISO performance -- a d40 would do better in this department -- and is spotty with jpegs, although it's clearly meant for shooters who shoot 100% RAW images. there are other quirks which seem to make this more of a cult/niche camera than an out-the-park home run that will compel nikon and canon users to sell their gear and convert. hopefully these flaws will be addressed in the next model. it's probably no mistake that the price has dropped precipitously since introduction; it's currently about $450 under MSRP, under $1200, which is about right, since it is clearly not as full-featured or intuitive as a d200 (or even a d80 for that matter). the one good thing is that sigma does make some good glass (like the 105 macro, the 30/1.4, and the 50-150/2.8), although you really have to be a true believer in the foveon chip to only want to use sigma lenses. while i own the sigma 15mm fisheye and 50-150 (and am eyeing the 30), i like being able to use other offerings from tamron, tokina, and of course, nikon, on my dslr. nikon users may want to look at the fuji s5 pro instead for its expanded dynamic range and nikon f-mount. that one is also slow, but built on a d200 body, so you get the weather-sealing and other features for your $$.

. . .After writing a 6 line email to SIGMA about a problem I was having, A Rory tech wrote back asking many ?'s
I had forgot to include the ERROR code (d7 1E). In my Second Email I only wrote, "ALSO, THE ERROR : d7 1E, is a reacquiring error.
The next day I received "Marcus please send your camera to our service department for further review."
Now waiting to hear from O'donoghue . . .08.17.07,10:29AM/per UPS they received on 08.08.07.

I own this camera and it is true that it isn't the most elegant body on the planet, nor is it feature rich. It struggles at high ISO settings and its LCD display is sub-par. The fps speed is slow and it takes a long time to write to the CF card from the buffer. You are stuck with Sigma lenses and I cant say that the 14.1 MP rating is s true 14.1 MP. But at the end of the day, when used for what it is intended - to take pictures - it produces the most beautiful and stunningly real, film like, dynamic, true color results. If you want features and functionality but lower quality pictures, go ahead and buy a CCD or CMOS sensor driven camera. If your after the best digital pictures available, shoot with the different cameras and review the results in a blind test. Chances are you will be a Sigma owner like me. That is what I did and I chose the Sigma.

Sigma präsentiert mit der SD14 nun bereits die dritte digitale Spiegelreflex-Kamera. Mit diesem Modell erhofft man sich, endlich aus dem Schatten eines Nischenproduktes herauszutreten.
Und so hat man gegenüber den Vorgängern auch einige Verbesserungen vorgenommen. Die SD14 hat einen eingebauten Blitz, kann JPEGs schießen, das Rauschverhalten wurde verbessert und die Auflösung etwas erhöht. Nach wie vor verwendet man den X3F-Sensor von Foveon mit einem Crop-Faktor von 1,7 - nun in einer neuen Version.

Die Sigma SD14 ist in der Lage, Bilder zu machen, von denen Canon, Nikon und co. nur träumen können. Was die Farbtreue anbelangt, so ist die SD14 einsame Spitze. Auch die Pixelschärfe ist hervorragend - selbst "Pixel-Peeper" dürften in der 100 % Ansicht nichts zu kritisieren haben.
Gleichwertige oder bessere Ergebnisse mag man nur mit einer Canon EOS 5D, anderen einstelligen Canon-Kameras oder Mittelformat-Geräten erzielen. Natürlich kosten diese auch mehr.

Natürlich benötigt die SD14 gutes Glas. Mit dem 17-35mm DG und dem 10-20mm EX DC lassen sich hervorragende Ergebnisse erzielen.
Doch dafür sollte man Kenntnisse über Blende und Verschlußzeit verfügen. Auch die Arten der Belichtungsmessung und andere Begriffe der Fotografie sollten einem nicht fremd sein. Denn die Sigma ist eine anspruchsvolle Kamera. Sie hat keine Motivprogramme, lediglich der Modus "P" (Programmautomatik) nimmt einem die Einstellungen ab. Allerdings bin ich der Meinung, wer solch eine Kamera im P-Modus nutzt, sollte sich besser eine andere kaufen. Die SD14 will bedient werden.

Die beigelegte Software SPP 3.0 läuft bei mir problemlos. Damit lassen sich die RAW-Dateien schnell und effektiv entwickeln. Die Qualität überzeugt.

Natürlich sollte einem klar sein, daß die SD14 nicht über 14 Millionen Pixel verfügt. Sie hat nur 4,6 - klingt wenig, aber dafür sind es echte Pixel, da jeder Pixel die Grundfarben Rot-Grün-Blau wirklich aufzeichnet - und diese nicht interpoliert werden.
Für Ausdrucke bietet Sigma an, die Bilder auf 14 Pixel hochzurechnen - ich habe dies noch nicht ausprobiert.

Jedenfalls sind die Bilder aus dieser Kamera sehr überzeugend.

Doch kommen wir nun auch zu Kritik. Und diese ist absolut angebracht.
Mag die Sigma SD14 zwar tolle Bilder erzeugen, so muß man doch einige Abstriche am Gehäuse machen. Warum auch immer, aber professionelle Ansprüche sollte man anders erfüllen. Positiv zu erwähnen ist die halbwegs solide Qualität und das leise Auslösegeräusch, allerdings fühlen sich einige Elemente zu "plastik-mäßig" an.

Zuerst vermißt man zwei Einstellräder für Blende und Belichtungszeit - ungünstig für den voll manuellen Modus.

Weiterhin hat man auf dem FUNC-Button gleich 8 Funktionen untergebracht - darunter welche wie z.B. Fernbedienung, die man eher selten benötigt.
Wichtige Einstellungen wie Fokus-Modus und Belichtungsmessung hätten meines Erachtens nach einen eigenen Knopf erhalten sollen. Weiterhin muß man diese dann umständlich einstellen, in dem man den Knopf gedrückt hält und am Rändelrad dreht - dies kann auf Dauer nerven.

ISO, Weißabgleich, Auflösung und Dateiformat stellt man mit einem weiteren Knopf und vier Pfeiltasten ein. Nur dumm, daß man z.B. die ISO-Zahl immer nur nach vorne regeln kann. Also 100-200-400-800-1600 und dann wieder von vorne. Nach unten regulieren geht nicht. Gut, man gewöhnt sich dran. Toll ist es aber dennoch nicht. Wenigstens kann man ISO1600 ausblenden - diese Einstellung würde ich nicht wirklich verwenden wollen. Dazu später mehr.

Die Serienbildfunktion ist leider auch nicht berauschend. Ganze 6 Bilder lassen sich mit 3fps in RAW und höchster Auflösung schießen - ebenso bei JPEG. Will man mehr, muß man auf Auflösung verzichten. Das Abspeichern der Dateien dauert sehr lange. Ca. 9 Sekunden pro Bild bei einer schnellen Karte(wohlgemerkt, Lexar 2 GB 133x) - das ist nicht mehr zeitgemäß.

Dann wäre da noch einer der wenigen Kritikpunkte an der Bildqualität. Das Rauschen - ISO100 ist perfekt, IS0 ist auch gut. ISO400 ist noch verwendbar, zwar nicht mehr supergut, aber immer noch gut brauchbar. ISO800 ist schon merkbar verrauscht - aber dennoch gut. ISO1600 ist zu Recht nur auf Wunsch verfügbar - dann sind die Bilder nämlich absolut gräßlich. Lilane Schleierwolken und alles ist vergrieselt. Nein danke, das brauche ich nicht.

Auch zu kritisieren ist die Stromversorgung. Ca. 200 Bilder hält ein Akku. Nun ein Li-Ion-Akku, bei der SD10 waren es noch Mignon-Zellen, was ich besser gefunden hätte. Aber wenigstens ist der Akku-Typ bekannt (NP400).

Und natürlich ist der Autofokus nicht wirklich schnell - ich empfehle, den Modus C nicht zu verwenden. Die Kamera ist viel zu langsam zur Schärfenachführung und ruckelt auch noch herum, wenn es gar nicht nötig ist, z.B. bei Fokus auf unendlich.

Fazit:

Die SD14 will beherrscht werden. Ohne fotografische Kenntnisse sollte man hier nicht rangehen. Leider ist sie ergonomisch auf dem Niveau einer Canon EOS 300D, teils sogar schlechter. Da hätte Sigma doch mehr draus machen können. JPEG wäre verzichtbar gewesen, denn die maximale Qualität erreicht man sowieso nur mit RAW. Der integrierte Blitz ist zwar nett, wackelt aber etwas. Und wer wirklich gut blitzen möchte, kauft einen externen dazu.

So mag Sigma sich zwar in einigen Punkten verbessert haben, jedoch reicht es nicht, um aus dem Nischenstatus hervorzutreten. So bleibt die SD14 ein exklusives Produkt für den Kenner, der sich mit ihren Macken abfindet. Doch wenn man sich darauf einläßt und gezielt fotografiert, wird man seine Freude an diesem Gerät haben.

After 8 months of SD14 usage, I still consider my earlier review posted on dpreview.com website as accurate. The SD14 has had various firmware updates as well, making it in my opinion an even more versatile camera. For example, you can now shoot ISO50 with extraordinary detail and virtually no noise in shadows, especially an advantage to landscape photographers.

People not truly familiar with the Foveon technology will argue over the megapixel rating, but in actual usage, the SD14 can and does equal image quality coming from much more expensive or 'higher' MP-rated cameras. The Sigma forum at dpreview.com has links to such comparisons.
My earlier review:
The SD14 is smaller in size than previous models SD9 (2002) and SD10 (2003) but still somewhat larger than the 'smallest' other brand DSLRs. The SD14 is solid and well-balanced, thus for me much easier to hold and hand shoot. My favorite new feature: SD14 has a new toggle control on the back to select ISO, shooting mode (RAW or various settings of in-camera JPEG), RAW-JPEG resolutions and white balance. You can see these from the specification sheets, so I won't detail the settings' options. But in use, it is very easy to check, choose, and change your settings without digging into menu trees. The built-in flash is useful (and SD14s also of course support external flash units).

I believe most photographers are drawn to the Sigma SD14 by the high image quality produced by the Foveon sensor; in this, the SD14 is in a class by itself. Fine image quality and details captured are extraordinarily good. While a beginner can put the SD14 on "P" mode (automatic mode) and shoot satisfactorily, this camera allows photographers to grow into its (and their) full capabilities. It doesn't have pre-set 'modes' (sunset, landscape, portrait, sports or 'child' modes as some other DSLRs today), it is more a clean, classic photographers' camera.

In sum, controls and settings are simple to use, and the image quality is extraordinarily good.

I've owned the SD9 and now the SD14. The only two lenses I own for the SD are the Sigma 150/EX Macro and the 10-20/EX zoom. I shoot predominately Canon (1Ds/2, 1D/2, 30D and assorted lenses) but have a soft spot for the Foveon X3 technology, which produces a "look" that is difficult to replicate using a non-X3 "CFA" sensor (the type used in all other dSLRs).

First, don't be caught up in the various hyperbolic statements by Foveon/Sigma marketing and X3 zealots. The SD14 is really a 4.5 (not 14) megapixel camera. Photographs are two-dimensional (flat) representations. An 8x10 photo is still 8x10 even when you stack three red, green, and blues ones on top of each other. The SD14 has "only" 4.5MP in an X/Y space, which is all that matters. It's *how* the SD14 captures each one of those pixels that gives it an advantage over cameras with similar resolution. When it comes to resolving detail, the SD14 is roughly equivalent to the current crop of 8-10MP digital SLRs, and due to the unique nature of how its sensor captures those details gives it an edge to some believers. I like to use the SD for macro and some landscape photography, but since my acquisition of the 16MP Canon 1Ds Mk2 the SD14 has gotten little use. The SD14 easily matches both of my 8MP 1D/2 and 30D for both genres of photography, and in some ways produces images more to my personal tastes, but the 1Ds is clearly superior (as it should be for an $8,000 camera body).

If you like the unique results the SD14 is capable of, and your style of photography does not require advanced features like fast shooting, a high-performance AF system, and some other features found in most competing brands then the SD may be just the thing for you. Since landscapes don't run around and most macro subjects don't either it is perfect for these tasks -- especially at its current low price around $800. However, if your photography style is mixed and you may just as frequently find yourself capturing quick, fleeting subjects, or you need a deep buffer with a fast frame rate (ie: a responsive camera) then the SD14 is definitely NOT the body for you. The autofocus (AF) system is generations behind those in even the low end of modern dSLRs such as the Nikon D80 or Canon 40D, and leagues behind the current crop of high performance offerings like the Canon 1D or Nikon D3 or D300 series.

In short, most 10MP cameras can and do offer more compelling features, etc with likewise similar image quality, but for a narrow set of parameters the Foveon-equipped SD14 brings a "uniqueness" to the image capture that no other camera can offer. If that is your primary criteria then I can recommend the SD14. Unfortunately, much of this advantage evaporates once the image is put to print.

So, thumbs up if you're a landscape or macrophile. Otherwise the average customer would be better served by most of the more capable brands' offerings.

When everything is great, out of doors, lots of light and color, this camera can't be beat. Move to poor lighting or tough conditions and it becomes impossible to manage. Other reviewers have declared it to be a "fine arts" camera and definitely not an "event" camera. They are right. In RAW mode, it takes forever to load. JPEG mode is a disappointment and forget anything over ISO=200. The software that comes with it is buggy. Fortunately Photoshop Elements will do the downloads with no effort. The images I am getting are outstanding, provided I do everything just right. The color is a bit over saturated, but for me that is good. Battery life has been terrible, no more than 50 shots per charge. Still, for me, the outstanding image quality is worth the trouble. I am hanging onto my other camera though.

I've had an SD14 for a little over a month--and it has taken me this long to begin to get the hang of Sigma's RAW file conversion in SPP 2.3 (this is Sigma's updated RAW conversion software for Mac's that must be downloaded, so far--new SPP 3.1 is apparently on the way). Having convinced myself that satisfactory images can be acquired from RAW files, I'm inclined, finally, to give the camera a thumbs up. Further color correction in Phototshop helps, as well.

As for the camera, it is hefty, well built and essential functions are easy to get to. Have to say, I've been thoroughly spoiled by the ease of using several Olympus E-series cameras (which are smaller, lighter and faster to focus and shoot). But if you take your time, the SD14 seems to work well in the field. It does not have an independently operating Exposure Lock (it's coupled awkwardly with holding the shutter button half depressed). And exposure is important with this camera--the sensor is intolerant of underexposure, otherwise, odd colors creap into the darker tones. As a consequence, setting the EV to +.7 (yes, PLUS 2/3's of a stop) is a practical exposure compensation. I would never have found this to be the case by problem-solving on my own--just adopted suggestions from a Sigma online forum. Dynamic range is very good and recovery of highlights in RAW files is remarkable.

The initial RAW converted images that pop up on the monitor look as if from some saturated, other yellow-tinted universe, but careful color temperature correction in the software brings back images to something like reality--and to a very pleasing degree. The tendency for images to show warm colors is also something worth cultivating for iself. And getting most or all of the green out is possible with careful postprocessing. Photoshop, to repeat myself, is also a big help. Other RAW conversion software is available for Sigma cameras as well.

I returned the first SD14 because of some color issues--but this may well have been due to my inexperience. The second camera behaves much like the first. Both cameras exhibited faint dust shadows on the sensors--perhaps dust behind the dust screen from the factory. But apparently, dust on the shield itself can possibly cast a shadow on the sensor. When I carefully clean the dust shield, the pale dust shadows vanish or move around. Not a serious issue--but if dust must be removed from the interior of the camera, I plan to have Sigma do it. A wall power converter is required to clean the interior of the camera and it is an optional $75.00 item not included in the camera assessories.

I'd recommend getting Sigmas' better glass--the EX lenses. The sensor can handle resolution of the best Sigma offers. I've compromised (due to price and hesitancy to leap with both feet with Sigma) and acquired a used 15-30mm EX and a new 28-70mm EX--neither ideal and both lenses requiring (seemingly) being stopped down anywhere from F8 to F16 for best images. Together with the 50 ASA possibilities of the Sd14 (unique for larger DSLR's?), this will likely require resorting to a tripod because of the slow shutter speeds. I've been handholding shots at 100 ASA with good results.

I'm probably writing this review too soon--there is much left to do to see what this camera can and cannot do. But certainly, this camera is for those wanting image quality over consumer convenience--short of turning to large-format photography. Image quality is impressive. Image files are not especially large, but can be sharpen to a remarkable degree. I'm waiting for spring, so I have something more than dry grass, snow and frozen, brown landscapes to photograph.

I have found the sd14 to be a wonderful camera. It is simple to use and offers advanced features. It also allows very simple conversion to infrared. It does things that no general "consumer" dslr can do. If you are looking for a point and shoot dslr I recommend the evolt line from Olympus. If you want to take photographs that take your breath away then this is your camera. This camera gives you the ability to be a photographic artist rather than just a picture taker. If you read the "professional" reviews for the sd14 they will rate the camera according to start speed, ergonomics, etc. They all miss the beauty of the sd14. It's not about the insignificant details, it's about the photographs. Hands down this camera will beat any other camera in the 14mp class. Yes it is 14mp. Study the comparisons between the Foveon chip and the Bayer chip. Bayers use 50% for green, 25% red, and 25% blue. Foveon uses a 4.76 mp for each color. It's all about the pictures!

Simply the best pixel-for-pixel image quality around. I have cropped well-composed and exposed shots, and printed the crops @ 13x19" (the largest my printer will make) with absolutely stunning results. The noise is non-existent @ ISO 50 and 100 with well-exposed shots. There are cameras out that give much faster fps, and more frills, but none that I have tried give the IQ and DR of the SD14. Thanks!

Yes, I own the camera. Tested it extensively in all modes. I am a professional photographer for many years, use all cameras, Hasselblads, 4X5 view, etc. Read many reviews, saw many tests. Interesting camera, for sure. So, I will start with image results, because that is the only thing that is truly important to a real photographer. And the images produced by SD14 are excellent, in RAW at 100 ISO. Results are still good in JPEG at 100 ISO, but tend to deteriorate a bit with 400 and 800 ISO. Please, don't shoot 800 ISO in daylight, very stupid, but some "professional" reviewers did just that. Even 800 film will have too much grain in daylight, don't expect digital to be different. Shoot 800 ISO in low light, what it was intended for, and you will get good usable results. Can blow up to 20X24 with very high quality. Make sure depth of field is sufficient, especially with 30mm/1.4 lens. Now the bad part. The camera is too slow for any fast work. That means forget about action photography and such. I was able to get 6 shots RAW at 100 ISO on HI quality mode, and then had to wait at least 10 seconds for next shot. Another 8 seconds to be able to take another single shot. Therefore, this camera is NOT suitable for any situation that requires continuous shooting in a moments notice. I won't get into technical details, read the specifications. Amazing thing was when I took heavily under/overexposed and otherwise terrible photos on purpose, shot in RAW, I was able to recover data and ended up with very usable photos, because RAW captures so much information, up to 400 ISO. Nothing wrong with a camera, it's just not for beginners. It's not a P&S. And it has one major limitation - low speed of operation, in every way - writing speed to memory, autofocus, etc. More suitable for fine art, landscape, studio, macro, portraits, and travel. Battery life is not bad if you use manual focus. I got almost 500 shots on one battery charge, 8gb card. I suggest a second battery if shooting more than 500 photos. The film-like quality of photographs and relatively low price alone are reasons to buy this camera for low operational speed use. That's unbiased opinion.

I have been using an SD14 for six months. I love it.

Users at dpreview.com are extremely helpful. I have learned a lot from them. I use Zeiss and Olympus Zuiko lenses and Sigma auto-focus lenses. Sports and portraits images have turned out well for me with this camera. I suggest you look at images made with different cameras.

pbase.com/recbo

Sigma SD14 is a fabulous camera, capable of producing exceptional, vivid and professional quality photos that can impress your friends, but it has several shortcomings.

I have used this camera for three months and took over 4000 pictures with these four Sigma lenses: 30mm f1.4, 50mm f2.8, 18-200mm OS and 70-300mm APO. I also have the Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D40 systems.

SD14 works great when there is a lot of light, like shooting pictures during daytime outdoor or inside a well-lit studio. Without sufficient lighting, pictures can be dark and grainy. On the other hand, Nikon D40 produces better indoor pictures.

If you are upgrading from a point and shoot camera and have less than a thousand dollars to spend, I suggest you get the Nikon D40 with its kit lens and the AF-S 55-200mm VR lens. Number of megapixels does not matter, but the sensor size does. D40 has the same sensor size as D300!

If you don't look at price tags when you shop, then the Canon 1Ds is for you. It'll cost you ten grands when you include a couple of L lenses and flash speedlights.

SD14 is not an all purpose camera. It is suitable as a 2nd camera to an entry level or prosumer DSLR cameras. It let you take artistic and lively pictures to wow your friends without breaking the bank.

Pros:
1. Wow quality photos. Picture colors are absolutely amazing.
2. Camera relatively cheap.
3. Sigma professional lenses much cheaper than the Canon and Nikon counterparts.
4. Great for taking still subjects such as portraits, flowers, architectures and landscape.

Cons:
1. Slower auto focus when compared to the Canon and Nikon systems.
2. Metering less accurate when compared to the Canon and Nikon systems.
3. Battery life relatively short (150/250/400 photos for SD14/Rebel XT/D40).
4. Some Sigma lenses haves quality control issues. I had to return the 30mm f1.4 lens because of back-focus problem. It has worked fine after the exchange. Sigma USA customer support is friendly.
5. Camera system crashes a bit too often. Need to restart and waste 2 seconds every time.
6. Slower burst rate. Not suitable for shooting birds or race cars unless you are really good.

I am a long-time Sigma digital camera user. I have used an SD9 in my fine-art photography business for four years. When the SD-14 came out, I was figuring out how to budget for the $1500 purchase price of the new body, when its price started dropping. Imagine my surprise when I found it on AMAZON for a third of its original price!
The camera has had lukewarm to lousy reviews, largely because the reviewers of digital cameras want a camera to shoot at ASA 5000 at 8 frames per second. Of course they never show us any of the fabulous images they've shot under those conditions.
The Sigma is an honest camera, at ASA 100, 200 or 400, it shoots beautiful files with its unique Foveon chip. Printers, who reproduce the images I shoot, love my files because they are so clean and free of digital artifacts.
The increased file size from the SD9 is very welcome and Sigma has always had the best software in the business. Sigma lenses test out as fine as anything made by Canon or Nikon, and are, at times, superior.
My only complaint comes from the fact that an AC converter is not sold with the body. My SD9 came with one. Sigma will gleefully sell me one for $135, an outrageous price for a $35 dollar item.
The new Sigma is faster, has a bigger screen in the back, has a pop-up flash, a PC connection for external flash and is a joy to use.
At this price, and while they last, there is no better deal in photography.

Don't let the price or the soothsayers and complainers even suggest that this isn't a great camera......it is simply different, and different in a better way! I came to this camera from a Nikon D2X primarily due to the high prices of Nikkor Lenses......and trust me, the Sigma SD14 for the price is the best value on the market today. Just don't plan on shooting JPEG's......even the Sigma literature will tell you that this camera and it's processor were designed for shooting in RAW mode. I am totally impressed with the results, the color, the clarity and the low light capabilities. The supplied software easily converts from RAW to JPEG and is easy to use once you get the hang of it......then you can do additional post-processsing with Adobe or other image software, The possibilities seem endless and the more I use it, the more I love it!

I sold my Canon 40D and lenses (Including L glass) to fund my purchase of the Sigma SD14. I miss the low light ability and the all around speed of the 40D. I miss the superior battery life and the ability to shoot full frame (If I bought another camera body) with the same lenses that I invested in for the Canon. I miss the stable operation (No lock-ups) of the 40D. The Canon 40D is an excellent camera, and is hands down a highly recommended option for many people who are into photography, I really do miss it in many ways.

But wait, this isn't a review of the Canon 40D, it is a review of the Sigma SD14. I would not trade back my SD14 with all of it's quirks (You must have read about them all if you got this far, and are interested in buying one) for the 40D. The reason is that when I look at my photos, I realize that nothing in my budget could get me anywhere near the quality of the images that I get from the SD14. I'm not a very good photographer, I'm still learning every day. But the learning experience is full of excitement with what this camera can produce. I don't care about all of what this camera cannot do when I sit down and have a look at what it can do- which is reward the effort of taking pictures with images that invoke everything from thoughts of "wow, did I really take that picture?" to a deep feeling in my gut that I really can one day arrive at my goal of producing images that reflect how I see the world.

For those of you who can afford to add the SD14 to your current system- you are in a fortunate position to explore this little gem without giving up on the stronger points (High ISO, high speed, stability, etc.) of your current camera.

For those of you who are thinking about getting started with digital SLR's, keep reading everything you can on the internet before making your decision, you will be giving up a lot of capabilities of the other camera systems, but if you have the same experience that I have had with the images, you may just find the SD14 to be the camera for you.

For those of you (like me) who would have to sell their current camera and lenses to purchase the SD14, all I can say is- I'm not in a position to tell you if it is the right decision for you, but I don't regret it for a second.