The new Sigma fp mirrorless camera measures just 112.6×69.9×45.3mm, weighs a mere 370g, and is based on a 24.6-million-pixel BSI-CMOS Bayer sensor rather than the multi-layer Foveon chip technology which Sigma has been pushing for years. The fp, which stands for fortissimo pianissimo (‘very loud and very soft’), will take L-mount lenses and has a fixed screen but no viewfinder.
It has been designed from the ground up to stand out from its rivals. For example, you can toggle between stills and video mode by moving a slider with one finger. It is also able to record video in 12-bit CinemaDNG format – a cross-platform ‘video raw’ format. On-body Tone Control and Colour buttons, meanwhile, enable you to get to these options quickly, and Fill Light adjustments are available in camera. Furthermore, the camera has an entirely electronic shutter, to help with candid street photography, for example. It is no slouch, either, boasting a frame rate of 18fps.
Also noteworthy is the ability to dial the ISO down as low as 6 – an interesting innovation we can’t wait to try out. At the other end of the scale, the native sensitivity range goes to ISO 25,600, and can be expanded to ISO 102,400. The AF system uses contrast detection only and can focus down to -5EV in low light, Sigma claims. Returning to movies, the fashionable ‘teal and orange’ cinematic look is also achievable on the Sigma fp, via a shooting mode.
The fp should be a particularly good match to Sigma’s new compact 45mm f/2.8 lens and a decent range of accessories has been announced as well, including an LVF-11 viewfinder, flash, hotshoe unit, and more. The exact price and release date of the fp has yet to be confirmed, but Sigma is suggesting it will be on sale in the autumn. For more information, visit the Sigma site.
