Short history of Sigma cameras

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ArvoJ
Team 682 posts
April 24, 2023, 7:26 p.m. April 24, 2023, 7:26 p.m.
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Everyone here on dprevived knows that Sigma makes lenses. Some people know that Sigma makes cameras too...

Couple of days ago I told to one fellow forum member a bit about Sigma cameras business:

ArvoJ has written:

Once upon a time there were few Sigma film cameras - SA7 and some more. Pretty normal cameras, nothing specific besides Sigma SA mount. Not widespread.

Then Sigma started to make digital cameras (DSLRs) (SD9 and so on), using very unique sensor - maybe you are heard of Foveon X3 three-layer sensor, without colour filter array. Initially this tech seemed promising, but soon 'normal' CMOS sensors went quickly ahead and Foveon sensors were for fanatics :) Including me.

At the same time Sigma started to make APS-C cameras with fixed lens - DP series. Again for fanatics :)
(X3 core problem is low sensitivity - ISO above 800 is practically impossible, colour noise starts kill everything. In ideal conditions Foveon images are stunning however.)

Sometime Sigma bought Foveon out - they had no more customers anyway. When started, Foveon had some other customers - labs and Polaroid - there existed one very bad camera named "Polaroid x530".

Then Sigma released two L-mount Bayer sensor cameras onto market (FP series), they are likely in production so far.

Then for many years Sigma is attempting to develop 'Full Frame Foveon' sensor, no success so far. Maybe in 2024 we see something, maybe not.

It is told that making cameras is just hobby for Sigma owner.

I was asked to post that information on forums - I agreed.
Text above is unfortunately too vague, literary and a bit exaggerated - thereby I built timeline of Sigma cameras (including few other events, mostly Foveon related) and added some random links (some sites display ads, sorry).

1961 SIGMA Research Institute Co., Ltd. established

(film cameras era)
(SLR cameras)
1976 Mark-I (M42 mount SLR, based on Ricoh Singlex TLS)
1983 SA-1 (Pentax K-mount SLR, based on Ricoh XR7)

(compact cameras)
1987 AF35D-TF (36/2.8)
1991 28AF zoom (28-50/4.2-7.0), 35AF zoom (35-70/3.5-6.0), 50AF zoom (50-100/4.3-8.0)
1992 ZOOM SUPER 28 (28-50/4.2-7.0), ZOOM SUPER 70 (35-70/3.5-6.0), ZOOM SUPER 100 (50-100/4.3-8.0)
1994 Mini Zoom 105 Macro (see video) (36-105)

(SA mount cameras)
1992 SA-300
1994 SA-300N
1997 SA-5
1997 Foveon Inc. founded
1999 Foveon presented 3-CMOS camera protype, Dick Lyon slides (PDF)
2001 SA-7, SA-9
2002 SA-7N, SA-9QD

(digital cameras era)
(SA mount cameras, Foveon X3 sensor)
2002 SD9 - start of SD - Sigma DSLR line
2003 SD10
2004 Polaroid announced x530, based on Foveon sensor
2007 SD14
2008 Sigma purchased Foveon Inc.

(links below are mostly to random reviews, including ad-powered ones)
2008 DP1 (28mm eq) - start of DP - Sigma fixed lens APS-C sensor 'compacts' line
2009 DP2 (41mm eq), DP1s
2010 DP2s, DP1x, SD15
2011 DP2x, SD1
2012 SD1 Merrill first impressions video, DP1 Merrill, DP2 Merrill
2013 DP3 Merrill (75mm eq)
2014 DP1 Quattro, DP2 Quattro (45mm eq) video review, DP3 Quattro
2015 DP0 Quattro (21mm eq)
2016 SD Quattro, SD Quattro H
2018 Sigma entered into L-mount alliance

(L-mount cameras, Bayer CFA sensor)
2019 FP
2021 FP-L

Most information above is compiled from following sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigma_SA-mount
camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Sigma
www.sigma-global.com/en/about/history/
camera-wiki.org/wiki/Sigma
www.sigma-romandie.ch/historique-compacts-sigma
olypedia.de/index.php?title=Sigma
www.dpreview.com/products/sigma/cameras?subcategoryId=cameras&page=1
www.dicklyon.com/

As always, comments and corrections are welcome!
dp1_kv2_03-1.png
PNG, 353.1 KB, uploaded by ArvoJ on April 24, 2023.

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Maoby
Members 1570 posts

April 24, 2023, 7:55 p.m. April 24, 2023, 7:55 p.m.
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Thank you very much for the summary 👍🏻
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Deleted Removed user

April 24, 2023, 8:53 p.m. April 24, 2023, 8:53 p.m.
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Thank you, Arvo, very well presented !!
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Dabbler
Members 16 posts

April 24, 2023, 9:50 p.m. April 24, 2023, 9:50 p.m.
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But … how many if you actually owned or used a Sigma camera - especially one with a Foveon sensor.

I bought a DP1 after the review on DPR - and was the start of why I lost a lot of respect for DPR long ago.

Some things should never have made it to production and the DP1 was one.
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SandyF
Members 135 posts

April 24, 2023, 10:03 p.m. April 24, 2023, 10:03 p.m.
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FWIW I've bought or used every Foveon sensor camera (including a still working Polaroid x530) except the DP0,1or2Quattro or a SDQ-H. All in working condition. I have aDP3Q and SDQ. Wonderful imagery is offered by these cameras. I just checked on PBase, people should study some of the early images there. I looked to check the date of my SD14 first images, March 22, 2007.

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Deleted Removed user

April 25, 2023, 12:05 a.m. April 25, 2023, 12:05 a.m.
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@Dabbler has written:

But … how many [of] you actually owned or used a Sigma camera - especially one with a Foveon sensor[?]

*Me:: DP1s, DP1 Merrill, DP2, DP2s, DP2 Merrill, SD9, SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1 Merrill.

What was the intended implication of the rhetorical question? It appears to imply that many people posting in the Sigma Camera Talk have NOT "actually owned or used a Sigma camera - especially one with a Foveon sensor" ... !!!

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sattva
Members 40 posts

April 25, 2023, 6:58 a.m. April 25, 2023, 6:58 a.m.
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ArvoJ,

I believe you maintained an archive of Sigma info. on a website?

Thank you for the informative post...brings back nice memories!

Regards,
Sattva
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DavidMillier
Members 509 posts

April 25, 2023, 11:34 a.m. April 25, 2023, 11:34 a.m.
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@xpatUSA has written:

@Dabbler has written:

But … how many [of] you actually owned or used a Sigma camera - especially one with a Foveon sensor[?]

*Me:: DP1s, DP1 Merrill, DP2, DP2s, DP2 Merrill, SD9, SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1 Merrill.

Me: SD9, SD14, DP1, DP2 Merrill
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DonCox
Members 280 posts

April 25, 2023, 1:13 p.m. April 25, 2023, 1:13 p.m.
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DP3M and sdQH here.
Also an fp (with Bayer sensor but still a good camera).
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StanDisbrow
Members 406 posts

April 25, 2023, 1:56 p.m. April 25, 2023, 1:56 p.m.
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Hi,

The only Sigma body I considered was whichever one it was that Kodak bought to stick their SLR 14 MP digital back on to create a Canon sibling to their SLR/n, called the SLR/c.

I was still into having both Nikon and Canon at the time. I had the Nikon D1H and x and Canon 1D and 1Ds along with Kodak 620 and 660 (Nikon) and 520 and 560 (Canon). So I was considering the SLR/n and SLR/c.

Then I decided I had gone too far already. I sold off everything but the D1H and 520 as they weren't worth selling by then. And I bought the end of the older Kodak Nikon F5 based models, the 760 and 720x. Then I added a Pro Back and Contax 645 body and had 16 MP that way vs the 14 MP the SLR series had.

So I never did get a Sigma body.

Stan
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JohnSheehyRev
Members 542 posts

April 25, 2023, 2:06 p.m. April 25, 2023, 2:06 p.m.
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It's too bad that the SD9's sensor doesn't have pixel shift; the small pixel aperture of the SD9 (due to no microlenses) causes a near-point sampling of a single exposure, but would be perfect for a 9-position, 1/3px shift ~31MP image.

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ArvoJ
Team 682 posts

April 25, 2023, 4:49 p.m. April 25, 2023, 4:49 p.m.
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@sattva has written:

I believe you maintained an archive of Sigma info. on a website?

Yes, but I have not updated it for years, many links have gone stale.
Anyway, as far as we don't have signatures, then here it is :)

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Deleted Removed user

April 25, 2023, 10:29 p.m. April 25, 2023, 10:29 p.m.
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@JohnSheehyRev has written:

It's too bad that the SD9's sensor doesn't have pixel shift; the small pixel aperture of the SD9 (due to no microlenses) causes a near-point sampling of a single exposure, but would be perfect for a 9-position, 1/3px shift ~31MP image.

Good point, John!
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scottelly
Members 9 posts

May 1, 2023, 4:06 p.m. May 1, 2023, 4:06 p.m.
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DP2 Quattro actually has a 30mm lens. You state that the DP0 Quattro has a 14mm lens, which it does, so for consistency the DP2 Quattro should be listed as having a 30mm lens, not 45mm. (Yes, that's 45mm equivalent, but the DP0 Quattro is 21mm equivalent.)

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ArvoJ
Team 682 posts

May 3, 2023, 8:45 p.m. May 3, 2023, 8:45 p.m.
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@scottelly has written:

DP2 Quattro actually has a 30mm lens. You state that the DP0 Quattro has a 14mm lens, which it does, so for consistency the DP2 Quattro should be listed as having a 30mm lens, not 45mm. (Yes, that's 45mm equivalent, but the DP0 Quattro is 21mm equivalent.)

Fixed (source error, didn't check twice), I wrote all equivalent FL there.
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ArvoJ
Team 682 posts

Sept. 8, 2023, 9:19 p.m. Sept. 8, 2023, 9:19 p.m.
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Looks like Sigma made some compact film cameras too - I was not aware of them. I added those cameras to timeline (I hope now it is complete), also added few general links.

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sattva
Members 40 posts

Sept. 9, 2023, 7:49 a.m. Sept. 9, 2023, 7:49 a.m.
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www.jägel.eu/sigma.htm

Thank you for maintaining and updating this wonderful resource on Sigma camera gear!

Regards,
Sattva

P.s: The Foveon link redirects to Sigma Global homepage. Do you have knowledge/research and updated information about Foveon at present?
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ArvoJ
Team 682 posts

Sept. 9, 2023, 1:54 p.m. Sept. 9, 2023, 1:54 p.m.
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@sattva has written:

The Foveon link redirects to Sigma Global homepage. Do you have knowledge/research and updated information about Foveon at present?

Unfortunately not. Quick search did not reveal anything new either - most likely they as part of Sigma do not have any public facing website or other information channel retained.