Click on each question to link down to the answers.
1. What is the SD14 DSLR camera?
2. How many pixels does the Sigma SD14 have?
3. How can I see actual SD14 image quality?
4. How big is the image sensor in the SD-14? What is the cropping factor of the SD14 sensor?
5. Does the SD14 feature JPEG capability?
6. How big is the file size of Sigma’s new digital SLR camera?
7. How fast is the continuous shooting? How many images can be captured in continuous shooting mode?
8. Which ISO Sensitivities can I select?
9. Does the Sigma digital SLR camera use USB interface to download images?
10. Is it possible to use IEEE1394 with the SD14?
11. Is the SD-14 compatible with Mac computers?
12. What kinds of Storage Media can I use with the SD14 camera?
13. What lenses are available for the SD-14 digital camera?
14. Does the SD14 have a "dust reduction" function?
15. If dust gets on the dust protector on my SD14, will it appear in the image?
16. What kind of metering system does the SD-14 camera use?
17. How many AF metering points does the auto focus sensor of SD14 camera have?
18. Does the SD14 have a built-in flash unit?
19. Does the SD-14 camera have a depth-of-field preview?
20. Can I pre-lock the mirror on the SD-14 camera to minimize vibration?
21. Which languages are available in SD14 camera menus?
22. Who makes the SD-14 camera?
Answers
1. What is the SD14 DSLR camera?
Sigma Corporation introduced a digital SLR camera called SD-14 at the Photokina 2006 show in Germany. It utilizes a new model Foveon image sensor having 14 million pixels. Like its predecessors this new sensor produces images superior to those of many current digital cameras; having higher resolution and greater freedom from color artifacts, that are common to conventional digital image sensors.
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2. How many pixels does the Sigma SD14 have?
The Foveon X3 image sensor in the SD-14 camera has about 14 million pixels arranged in three layers of 4.67 million pixels each, to measure Red, Green and Blue light. This characteristic sets the SD-14 apart from all other digital cameras, enabling each pixel site to see all three colors, instead of only one color as in conventional image sensors. This eliminates the need for interpolation for the missing colors at each pixel site, which in turn avoids the color artifacts common to other digital image sensors, which in turn eliminates the need for the anti-aliasing (blurring) filter used in most other digital cameras. This results in higher resolution per pixel and more detail in the final print.
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3. How can I see actual SD14 image quality?
Please visit our special SD14 site and click on Sample Galleries.
Please click on 'Experience the SD14'
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4. How big is the image sensor in the SD-14? What is the cropping factor of the SD14 sensor?
The image sensor is 20.7mm x 13.8mm and will have a cropping factor of 1.7X (equivalent to multiplying the focal length of the lens on a 35mm SLR, by 1.7X).
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5. Does the SD14 feature JPEG capability?
Yes, it does. The SIGMA SD14 incorporates both RAW and four kinds of JPEG. For RAW data, its image recording formats enabling photographers to capture the highest possible picture definition and small file sizes. For JPEG, there are four recording modes such as Super High (14.15 million pixels: 4608~3072 pixels), High (4.64 million pixels: 2640~1760 pixels), Medium (2.1 million pixels: 1776~1184 pixels), Low (1.03 million pixels: 1296~864 pixels). There is a choice of three JPEG recording quality: Fine, Normal and Basic.
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6. How big is the file size of Sigma’s new digital SLR camera?
At the highest resolution the SD-14 produces files of about 13 megabytes, in RAW format. Medium resolution produces about 6.6 megabyte files, and the lowest resolution about 3.3 megabyte files. In JPEG mode, the file size range from about 7.5MB to as small as .3 MB
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7. How fast is the continuous shooting? How many images can be captured in continuous shooting mode?
The SD14 features a continuous shooting speed of 3 frames per second. The number of images that can be captured in continuous shooting mode is dependent upon the resolution setting: High - 6 frames, Medium - 12 frames, and Low - 24 frames.
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8. Which ISO Sensitivities can I select?
You can select the sensitivities equivalent to ISO 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600.
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9. Does the Sigma digital SLR camera use USB interface to download images?
The Sigma SD-14 features a USB 2.0 port for downloading images to a computer. Optional separate CF card readers can also be use to download image. Also there is a video output for viewing recorded images on a video monitor (NTSB and PAL capable).
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10. Is it possible to use IEEE1394 with the SD14?
The SD14 is not equipped with the IEEE1394 terminal.
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11. Is the SD-14 compatible with Mac computers?
The SD-14 will operate with Sigma’s Photo Pro v3.1, or later, software for downloading and manipulating the images. This software is PC and Mac compatible.
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12. What kinds of Storage Media can I use with the SD14 camera?
The SD14 camera features a large size LCD monitor of 2.5 inches with a 150,000 pixel resolution.
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13. What lenses are available for the SD-14 digital camera?
The Sigma SD-14 features Sigma’s exclusive SA lens mount, the same as used on Sigma’s 35mm SLR cameras. There is a full array of lenses available, from 8mm Circular Fisheye to 800mm APO telephoto, including five 1:1 macro lenses; and zoom lenses from 10-20mm to 300-800mm. By the way, the SD-14 features a stainless steel camera mount, and all current lenses for it feature metal lens mounts.
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14. Does the SD14 have a "dust reduction" function?
The SD 14 features a dust protector located just behind the lens mount. It effectively seals the camera’s interior against invasion by dust, when changing lenses. This helps prevent external dust and debris from entering the camera, in the first place. The dust protector also acts as the Infrared cut off filter. The dust protector can be easily removed to enable infrared photography, when desired (An appropriate filter should then be attached to the lens, to block visible light).
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15. If dust gets on the dust protector on my SD14, will it appear in the image?
No, the dust protector in the SD-14 camera is located near the camera’s lens mount, at the front of the camera, so it is far away from the image sensor. Any dust or debris on the dust protector will never come into sharp focus at the image plane. The dust protector virtually seals the entire mirror box, protecting not only the image sensor, but also the reflex mirror and the viewing screen as well. It is also more easily cleaned, when necessary, than the sensor itself.
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16. What kind of metering system does the SD-14 camera use?
The SD-14 camera actually has three metering systems, an eight-zone evaluative system, plus center-weighted averaging and center area (about 7.5%). Users can select any metering system while in any exposure mode.
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17. How many AF metering points does the auto focus sensor of SD14 camera have?
There are 5 focusing points (center, left, right, up and down) and the AF metering features a fast and precise cross type sensor in the center of the screen.
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18. Does the SD14 have a built-in flash unit?
The SD14 features a built-in TTL controlled flash unit. It has a Guide Number of about 36/feet for ISO 100. It can be used to fire and control Sigma EF 530 DG Super and EF 500 DG Super flashes, for wireless flash function.
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19. Does the SD-14 camera have a depth-of-field preview?
Yes, like Sigma 35mm SLR cameras, the SD-14 digital SLR features an electronic depth-of-field preview button, which can be used in any exposure mode.
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20. Can I pre-lock the mirror on the SD-14 camera to minimize vibration?
The SD-14 digital SLR camera has mirror lock-up capability. This can be very useful to minimize image-degrading vibration, when using long lenses or longer shutter speeds. Once this function is turned on, the mirror can be locked-up by simply depressing the shutter release button fully once. Pressing the button a second time fires the shutter and returns the mirror to the normal viewing position after the exposure is complete. The mirror also can be locked up, and the shutter fired remotely, if the optional RS-31 wireless remote controller is used. This sequence can be repeated indefinitely, until the function is turned off. The RS-31 is also compatible with all earlier model Sigma digital and AF 35mm SLRs.
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21. Which languages are available in SD14 camera menus?
SD14 camera menus are available in 8 languages from English, Japanese, German, Chinese, French, Spanish, Italian and Korean.
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22. Who makes the SD-14 camera?
Sigma makes all of our own products, lenses, flash units and cameras, in Sigma’s own factory, in Japan. However, the X3 image sensor in the SD-14 is made by Foveon.
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