[Bruce Clark]

46 Mega pixels in an APS-C Camera. Has to be something special.

SD1 Merrill Digital SLR Camera - Digital Cameras - SigmaPhoto.com

"This truly groundbreaking digital SLR camera incorporates a 46 megapixel (4,800x3,200x3 layers) 24x16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor. The SD1 is Sigma’s flagship digital SLR model housed in a solid magnesium alloy body making it extremely lightweight with an overall nice feel and pleasant handling. The splash proof feature protects the camera from the effects of harsh weather conditions. Incorporating a 24x16mm APS-C X3 direct image sensor, dual “TRUE (Three-layer Responsive Ultimate Engine) II” image processing engines and the 46 megapixel sensor ensures that high resolution images are processed quickly with high definition and a smooth and subtle graduation of color delivering an image size of approximately 35/45 mp in raw/tiff files. This latest technology meets the strictest standards and requirements of professionals and enthusiast photographers for all types of photography."

[Adam]

Please don't post non-news (and non-Pentax news) in this section. Moved to the general photo forum.

This camera has been around for a while, and basically, it's a 15Mp sensor. It is pretty good at low ISO's, though, I've heard.

[Class A]

This camera has been around for a while, and basically, it's a 15Mp sensor.

That's not true as the Sigma has better colour resolution than even a 16MP K-5 IIs. The latter only detects blue and red every second column/row, whereas the Sigma captures all colours at all pixels.

The Sigma furthermore does not have an AA-filter and unlike the K-5 IIs can afford to omit it.

Comparing sensor resolutions between Foveon and Bayer matrix type sensors isn't straightforward but surely you cannot just divide the number of Foveon sensels by three to arrive at the corresponding Bayer matrix sensel count.

One could argue it isn't correct by Sigma to advertise 46MP when the sensor only has 46M sensels, but note that the K-5 (IIs) only has 16M sensels as well. The pixels (full RGB information) are reconstructed through demosaicing from the sensels (R, G, or B information only) using interpolation.

[vonBaloney]

I wish they'd put one of those things in a camera without a stupid Sigma mount...

[Adam]

That's not true as the Sigma has better colour resolution than even a 16MP K-5 IIs. The latter only detects blue and red every second column/row, whereas the Sigma captures all colours at all pixels. The Sigma furthermore does not have an AA-filter and unlike the K-5 IIs can afford to omit it. Comparing sensor resolutions between Foveon and Bayer matrix type sensors isn't straightforward but surely you cannot just divide the number of Foveon sensels by three to arrive at the corresponding Bayer matrix sensel count. One could argue it isn't correct by Sigma to advertise 46MP when the sensor only has 46M sensels, but note that the K-5 (IIs) only has 16M sensels as well. The pixels (full RGB information) are reconstructed through demosaicing from the sensels (R, G, or B information only) using interpolation.

As far as I'm concerned, this gives rise to the same issues that the recent Fuji X10/100 series face, though to a lesser extent. They try fancy stuff with their sensors, and it ends up forcing you to make more compromises than necessary compared to a traditional bayer sensor.

[Class A]

They try fancy stuff with their sensors, and it ends up forcing you to make more compromises than necessary compared to a traditional bayer sensor.

I don't see where a Foveon sensor has to make compromises. The Fuji design is much less exciting, in comparison.

The current Foveon technology still has high ISO issues, but in good light the colour resolution is unsurpassed and they can just omit an AA filter without creating a camera which cannot take certain shots anymore.

[JohnBee]

I find the sensor to be very exciting at low ISO.
Unfortunately... it feels as though development has been rather slow with this particular technology. ie. poor high ISO performance, color blotching in shadow areas, etc etc.

[Adam G]

As far as I'm concerned, this gives rise to the same issues that the recent Fuji X10/100 series face, though to a lesser extent. They try fancy stuff with their sensors, and it ends up forcing you to make more compromises than necessary compared to a traditional bayer sensor.

The X100 & X10 use standard Bayer filters, Each of these cameras did ship with some pretty big issues, I'll grant, but I don't believe the Bayer filter was a factor in either case. (X100: damn quirky interface, wonky autofocus, both largely fixed via firmware updates from what I've read. X10: the infamous white orbs, also since addressed through a sensor replacement programme.)

Did you mean those two, or did you mean the non-traditional filter used in the X-Pro1 and now the X-E1?