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Sigma DP2s and DP1x: Sense and sensor ability

The Sigma DP2s and DP1x are new cameras packing enormous sensors into compact frames. Read the story for more information, and some interchangeable-lens news from Sigma

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Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm

Sigma has added to its line-up of supersized-sensor-sporting compact cameras with the DP1x and DP2s.

Both cameras pack a giant 14-megapixel, 20.7 by 13.8mm three-layer Foveon sensor. Individual photodiodes on the surface of the sensor -- the pixels in megapixels -- are 7.8 square micrometres. That's about the same size as a red blood cell, but is actually larger than the pixels on most compact cameras' sensors -- twice the size of the Canon PowerShot G9's pixels, for example.

When the sensor has collected light, the information is processed by the TRUE II chip, complete with ingenious backronym: Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine. Cute. Both shoot raw stills, a 3 frame per second burst mode, and QVGA video. They include a 64mm (2.5-inch) screen and hotshoe.

The two cameras differ in lens spec. The DP1x (pictured above), successor to the DP1, boasts a 16.6mm F4 lens, equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm film camera. The DP2s (pictured below), heir to the DP2, boasts a 24.2mm F2.8 lens.

Sigma DP2s

Sigma also announced a selection of lenses at photography show PMA this week. With an eye on the future, a Sigma grand poobah told Digital Photography Review the company is planning its own mirrorless, interchangeable-lens camera system to compete with Micro Four Thirds, Samsung's NX and Sony's unnamed concept.