Sigma-bits

The high end point and shoot digital camera equipped with 14 megapixel (2652×1768x3 layers) large size direct image sensor. Sigma has revealed more information and the final design of this groundbreaking camera. They also released a special site for it, http://sigma-dp1.com/. The biggest news is probably the inclusion of a hot shoe allowing the attachment of a dedicated external flash and a specially designed high performance external viewfinder. Another optional accessory is a exclusive lens hood for assuring maximum performance from the lens and image sensor. To explain why this camera is so interesting I quote a little from the announcement.

Featuring a large size direct image sensor as used in the digital SLR camera.

Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new, groundbreaking Sigma DP1 compact digital camera using three silicon embedded layers of photo sensors stacked to take advantage of silicon’s ability to absorb red, green and blue light at different respective depths. The size of image sensor used in DP1 camera is approximately 10 times larger than those used in an ordinary point and shoot digital camera.

Large size image sensor takes advantage of larger pixels. So far point and shoot digital cameras incorporated small size image sensors, and researches for increasing the number of pixels by keeping the image sensor small is still continuing. However, there are limitations in these researches, because keeping image sensor size small will result poor capture of the light poorly. In this respect, enlarging the image sensor will result in better capturing color signals.

* The Sigma DP1’s image sensor is approximately 8 times larger than 1/1.8inch image sensor, approximately 12 times larger than 1/2.5 ordinary point and shoot camera

We are very excited about this camera that shows great promise. Hopefully we will be able to get our hands on one soon.