Free review because I wrote it as a free review way before LuLa went gold.
Sigma DP3 Merrill report
AKA DP « free » Merrill
Since August 2012, SIGMA Corporation released a wonderful line of compact cameras, a mix between view cameras, great sensor and great lenses. Now the line is complete with the venue of the atypical SIGMA DP3 Merrill with his 50mm f2.8 MACRO lens. You can find all technical’s information on his mini site. From what we can see, the DP line found great press around the world, especially the DP2 Merrill. So, what bring this new camera?
The SIGMA evolution:
Charles Robert Darwin would have liked SIGMA. There seems to have a natural selection within the same species and this evolution is fast, very fast. Since the DP2 Merrill, the output out of the Merrill sensor have been unleashed, thus the name DP “free” Merrill. The DP3 Merrill colors are more accurate (by far), the color modes do not work like older models leading to even more room to work your raw and that, regardless of the new SIGMA PHOTO PRO capabilities.
The physical changes:
- The ergonomics of the body is the same as the others DP Merrill but it seems that the plastic as changed for the knobs and the wheel. This plastic have more grip than the one I had on my DP2m.
- I’m pretty sure the focus ring and the major part of the lens is in Aluminum (it is as cold as my zeiss lenses). The coupling is good and the camera fits well in the hands.
- The lens cap is thicker (1mm) and better than the DP2 Merrill. This is a very great lens cap and I Think Zeiss should have a look at it (you know what I am saying).
- The lens hood is big BUT he is reversible on the lens !! This is good news and now the lens cap can be anchored on the filter. Less manipulations and space gain in the bag. The Lens hood LH3-01 will be available around the 15 of March in Europe so I guess it will be the same for US users.
The internal changes:
- The menus are the same as the DP2/DP1 Merrill with some new additions such as Macro AF mode and Custom AF mode + a new face recognition system mode.
- I do not think they modified the inside electronic. At least I hope because it can be good news for DP1m and DP2m users to have the same color accuracy on their DP after a firmware update. Wait and See.
The software changes:
- SPP is now downloadable only. Goodbye software CD in the boxes. Some may like, others no. This is life. SPP have now a full Monochrome mode and panel which may be reviewed later.
Let’s shoot now and kill some legends:
My workflow is the following: From SPP I export in Tiff 16 bit ProPhoto RGB and I work under the same color space on Lightroom and CS6. I always did that and it work great; never had bug over years. I wanted to illustrate the new color mode and especially the new neutral, standard and vivid mode. With the SD1m and the DP2m, shooting in neutral mode was kind of mandatory. Using vivid mode was like taking a strong acid and standard was a little bit too saturate to my taste. I never use the other modes.
Now, standard mode is just great, AWB is accurate, AF is as fast as the DP2m and I set my custom AF from 2 meters to infinity for fast action. For landscape, using vivid mode render gorgeous colors especially the greens.
The wall:
I heard somewhere that the DP3m lens is not as good as the DP2m lens: This is wrong. No more words, a picture worth thousands of words (and I will not go into bokeh thing, this is too subjective and personal).
The colors:
I heard somewhere that red was a handicap for foveon imagers. This was true years ago with first generation of DP and the SD line under the SD15. Since the SD15 (if the camera is set correctly) the reds are very good as well as skin tones that do not need adjustment anymore in PP.
In the studio:
If you plan to use it in studio, just buy the SAC-5 adapter because you will have hard time with poor battery life (same as the DP2m). I bought it and it is a well made adapter. I don’t like using remote control for flash so I use cable, triggered by a socket in the hot shoe. This is a tiny camera but she looks good when wired on the tripod. Models aren’t scared by it and are more prone to smile.
Beauty and the Beast:
The 50mm f2.8 Macro is a damn sharp lens equipped with a leaf shutter. This is good for photographers who do pack shoot, food shoot, texture shoot, beauty shoot and … well… a lot of things even speed shoots. Here is some examples to illustrate the possibilities (not artistic at all, this was improvised yesterday PM). All Hail my new young Italian student model: Liz. The MUA was not here, as well as my wife, so we did the makeup and clothes ourselves. Pardon us for the mess.
High speed
In red
Macrobeauty
Conclusion:
There is a lot more to say about this camera but I think you get it. As the DP2 Merrill, the DP3 Merrill is a little gem, with an improved firmware. For some, 75mm equivalent may be a little long to be really steady so I recommend either a very light tripod or a light monopod. I recommend using a filter too; the lens worth it and all the above photos are done with a UV heliopan SH-PMC . For the ones who might use it with a view finder, there is for now only one alternative: The Voigtländer 75mm.
Richard Billings Merrill would have loved this device; this is a true tribute to him and his genius mind. So, Richard, thank you for this technology, and thank you SIGMA to keeping it alive.
Hope you enjoyed the read.