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Posts Tagged ‘Foveon’

News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera

14 Feb

The post News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Back in 2018, Sigma announced it would be creating a new kind of camera: an L-mount, full-frame mirrorless body with a Foveon sensor.

In 2019, Sigma gave an update, indicating that the Foveon full-frame body would debut in 2020.

And then, just days ago, Sigma announced that the full-frame Foveon wasn’t even close to production-ready:

As a result of careful and rigorous testing based on the latest development information, however, it has become clear that the launch of such a camera would be infeasible within this year. Still at this point, we cannot say for certain when the full-frame Foveon X3 sensor will be put into mass production.

Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t be seeing the Foveon sensor in a full-frame camera for quite a while, though it’s encouraging that Sigma hasn’t scrapped the project entirely. Of course, only time will tell whether the company meets its end goal of a full-frame Foveon option.

Sigma has created a number of cameras with Foveon technology in the past, including two recent mirrorless bodies that separately feature APS-C and APS-H size sensors (note that APS-H sensors sit between the smaller APS-C and the larger full-frame, 35mm sensors). But Sigma’s only current full-frame digital camera, and only current Sigma full-frame camera to use an L-mount, uses a standard imagining sensor, not the Foveon tech that gets consumers excited.

What is it about the Foveon sensor that’s so special?

To understand this you should also be familiar with standard (Bayer) sensors, which dedicate a single RGB color to each pixel/photosite. Light hits the Bayer sensor, and is filtered into the corresponding photosites: red light enters into red photosites, blue light enters into blue photosites, and green light enters into green photosites.

Then, through a process called demosaicing, the full-sized color image is determined based on the already-existing color data.

Foveon sensors, on the other hand, toss this out the window. Instead of dedicating a single photosite to each color, Foveon sensors capture data for three colors per photosite, resulting in more information captured per pixel and better sharpness overall.

Note that the full-frame Foveon is planned to incorporate the L-mount, and will, therefore, handle L-mount lenses that are produced by Panasonic and Leica, in addition to Sigma’s own L-mount glass.

For now, I recommend keeping an eye out for news regarding Sigma’s new camera. And, if we’re lucky, we’ll have some information before the year is out.

Are you excited about this camera technology? Will you be buying this camera when it is finally released? Share with us in the comments section.

The post News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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‘Back to the drawing board’: Sigma says full-frame Foveon camera won’t arrive this year

09 Feb
Sigma CEO Mr. Yamaki, pictured in the company’s factory in Aizu, Japan.

Development of Sigma’s full-frame Foveon camera has met considerable setbacks and the camera is no longer slated to arrive this year. In a letter to customers, CEO Kazuto Yamaki apologizes for the delay and says the decision comes after ‘careful and rigorous testing.’ No new release date is given at this time, and Mr. Yamaki says that the company has decided to start over with a ‘clean slate.’

The full-frame Foveon project was first announced to the public at CP+ in 2018. At the following year’s CP+, Sigma released more details about the camera and said it would reach market in 2020. Mr. Yamaki discussed with us some of the challenges of taking Foveon full-frame, describing the difficulty of improving interconnected aspects of sensor performance like high ISO performance and color gradation.

Press release:

Development status of the full-frame Foveon sensor camera

Dear Customers,

Thank you for being a valued customer.

At Photokina in September 2018, SIGMA announced the development of an L-mount mirrorless camera equipped with a full-frame Foveon sensor. Then, at CP+2019, we shared our plan to release the camera in 2020 and have worked diligently on the development to meet our commitment.

As a result of careful and rigorous testing based on the latest development information, however, it has become clear that the launch of such a camera would be infeasible within this year. Still at this point, we cannot say for certain when the full-frame Foveon X3 sensor will be put into mass production.

In light of current development progress, we are not in a position to offer any specific release plan at present. We have therefore decided that we should start over the project with a clean slate, putting the production plan for this new camera back to the drawing board and going back to the development of sensor technologies.

Since the earlier announcements, your excitement with the launch of a “full-frame Foveon” has been a tremendous source of inspiration and encouragement for us. Everyone involved in the project has pulled out all the stops to make it a reality. I would like to express my deepest apologies for failing to meet your expectations and having to share this disappointing news.

I would like to emphasize that Foveon sensors are in a class of their own and that they are part of the identity of SIGMA cameras that embodies our ideals and philosophies. We are determined to continue dedicating ourselves to technology development to bring better image sensors to life.

I would like to once again express my sincerest gratitude to our valued customers for the strong support you have offered to us. On behalf of all SIGMA employees, I commit myself to you that we continue striving to live up to your expectation and prove that we are worthy of your trust.

I truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Warmest regards,

Kazuto Yamaki
Chief Executive Officer
SIGMA Corporation

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma to take Foveon full frame and adopt L mount

26 Sep

Sigma has said it will create a full-frame Foveon camera and will adopt the Leica L mount for its system. Sigma will allow existing users to adapt or convert SA mount lenses to the L mount.

The full-frame L-mount Foveon will arrive in 2019, according to Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki. The company will produce its first native L-mount lenses in 2019, too.

He also said the company would not create any more cameras using its proprietary SA mount. However, existing SA-mount users will not be left out in the cold: the company will be able to convert some SA mount lenses to L mount. Those who want to retain SA compatibility will alternatively be able to use an SA-L mount adapter.

Sigma will also make a Canon EF to L mount adapter available, which will be interesting to Sigma, Leica and Panasonic users.

Foveon at full frame

The existing Sigma SD Quattro models required buyers to invest in a proprietary lens mount.

The move to full frame should offer further improvements to the image quality of the Foveon design, which interprets color by capturing light at three different depths in the sensor and then mathematically deriving which wavelengths are most likely to have reached each of these depths.

A larger chip won’t in itself reduce read noise or noise that stems from the color convolution: things that have hampered dynamic range and low light capability in previous Foveon chips. However, it should let the camera capture more light, which will reduce the impact of noise from other sources.

We were impressed with the performance in good light of the Sigma SD Quattro H, which used a larger-than-APS-C-sized APS-H sensor but were put off by the need to invest in proprietary lenses. The move to L mount, both as an end in itself and as a mount that allows DSLR lenses to be adapted to it, should ease these concerns.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma announces sd Quattro and sd Quattro H Foveon mirrorless cameras

24 Feb

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Sigma has announced two mirrorless ILCs: the Sigma sd Quattro and the sd Quattro H. Both cameras use the company’s full-depth SA lens mount as used in its SLRs, and are built around APS-C and APS-H sized sensors, respectively. The cameras share a body design with a built-in viewfinder that, while unusual, appears more ergonomically conventional than the recent DP Quattro series of large-sensor compacts.

Both cameras feature on-sensor phase detection as part of a hybrid AF system, which should mean they work effectively with existing SA-mount lenses. The down-side is that it reduces the range of lenses that could be added via adapter.

Both cameras use the latest, ‘Quattro’ version of Sigma’s Foveon technology, which measures different color information based on how deeply into the sensor it is able to penetrate. The Quattro design features full resolution at the top (predominantly blue-sensing) layer but then 1/4 of that resolution for the two deeper layers used to interpret information about red and green color components.

The APS-H sensor features 25.5MP in its top layer, which the company considers equivalent to the capture of a 51 megapixel sensor using the conventional Bayer design. This 26.6 x 17.9mm sensor is around 30% larger than the more common APS-C size, but it’s currently unclear what proportion of Sigma’s ‘DC’ lenses designed for APS-C offer a large enough image circle for use with the camera.

The APS-C version uses a phase-detection capable variant of the sensor used in the existing DP Quattros, offering 19.6MP on its top layer. Sigma says this should offer a level of detail comparable with a 39MP Bayer chip. (Foveon explained the logic of these claims when we spoke to them a few years ago).

The cameras feature two rear screens, one of which displays the camera’s current settings. They also feature USB 3.0 interfaces. A vertical/battery grip will be available.

Press Release:

Sigma Announces Two New Mirrorless Cameras: Sigma sd Quattro and sd Quattro H

Interchangeable lens APS-C and APS-H Foveon Quattro sensors in state-of-the-art camera systems

KANAGAWA, JAPAN — February 23, 2016 — Sigma Corporation of America, a leading camera, DSLR lens, flash and accessories manufacturer, today announced the new high-performance, compact Sigma sd Quattro and Sigma sd Quattro H mirrorless camera systems with Foveon Quattro sensors. The Sigma sd Quattro features an APS-C sized sensor and the Sigma sd Quattro H touting a larger APS-H sized sensor for even greater image quality. Thanks to the mirrorless aspect of the cameras, both the sd Quattro and sd Quattro H are designed to take full advantage of all Sigma Global Vision lenses.

“With the introduction of these two new cameras, Sigma continues its rich history of innovation. The Foveon sensor is renowned for its imaging characteristics, and the mirrorless interchangeable format offers photographers the full line of Sigma Global Vision lenses to help realize their creative visions,” stated Mark Amir-Hamzeh, President of Sigma Corporation of America. “The sharpness of detail and nuanced color tone captured by the Foveon sensors is a key component of Sigma Global Vision. The sd Quattro, and the sd Quattro H, with the newly announced Foveon Quattro APS-H sensor, will be greatly appreciated by photographers who demand the utmost in imaging purity, with the added benefit of portability for both in-studio and on-location photography.”

Both the sd Quattro and sd Quattro H feature similar design aspects with a compact form consistent with the dp Quattro line, making them highly portable and utilizing the Foveon Quattro sensor for exceptional imaging quality and fast processing. A magnesium alloy body makes the sd Quattro and sd Quattro H durable and rugged, while a dust- and splash-proof design makes it ideal for photographers facing harsh conditions. In addition to the new body design, both cameras boast a list of useful advancements. These include a two-mode Autofocus detection that combines Phase Detection for focus speed and Contrast Detection for focus accuracy. The focus settings have also been enhanced with such modes as Movement Prediction, Face Detection, Free Movement, Focus Peaking and a variety of others. The new 2.3 megapixel viewfinder displays close to 100% of the field of view and when placed in “Auto” will toggle between the viewfinder when the user has the camera to their eye and then to the LCD when the user lowers the camera. A new “Super-Fine Detail” mode brings out the full potential of the Quattro sensor by capturing seven different exposures with one shot and merging them for exceptional dynamic range (images can be extracted individually as well). Meanwhile an updated algorithm for the Auto White Balance allows for greater accuracy, even with multiple light sources.

While the sd Quattro and sd Quattro H are similar in physical design details, they stand apart when their Foveon sensors are compared. The sd Quattro utilizes the same sensor found in the dp Quattro line and produces image quality comparable to that of a 39 megapixel Bayer-pattern sensor on resolution testing. The stacked silicon Foveon Direct Imaging sensor captures all detail information on the top 19.6 megapixel layer along with all color information for the Blue channel, while the two five-megapixel layers below capture Red and Green color information, all without the need for a low pass filter. Merged together they create incredible image quality that is comparable to medium format files. The sd Quattro H boasts a larger APS-H sensor (26.6×17.9mm) than the sd Quattro and can produce images equivalent to that of a 51-megapixel Bayer-pattern sensor camera on resolution testing. The sensor structure is similar to that of the sd Quattro but uses a 25.5 megapixels on the top layer of the sensor that captures the detail information. Both cameras use the latest Dual TRUE III image processor and take full advantage of the Art, Contemporary and Sport line Global Vision lenses that are made for high megapixel cameras. Like all Sigma Cameras, RAW (X3F) data can processed via Sigma Photo Pro, which offers editing options, including Monochrome mode to take advantage of the incredible monochrome images the Foveon sensor captures.

Sigma sd Quattro specifications

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma unveils radical DP2 Quattro with re-thought ~19.6MP Foveon sensor

10 Feb

sigma-dp2-quattro.png

Sigma has revealed the next generation of its DP series of APS-C sensor, fixed focal length cameras, with the DP2 Quattro. The latest, 45mm-equivalent, model features dramatic styling and a fundamental re-think of the company’s Foveon multi-layer sensor design. The Quattro sensor still uses three layers to detect color information but now only captures its full, 19.6 million pixel resolution in the top layer, with lower two layers capturing 4.9MP of information each. The sensor will also appear in 28mm and 75mm equivalent DP1 Quattro an DP3 Quattro models.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma launches DP3 Merrill with Foveon sensor and 75mm (equiv.) lens

08 Jan

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Sigma has announced the DP3 Merrill, the latest iteration of the company’s enthusiast large sensor compact camera. Nearly identical to the earlier DP Merrill models, this camera features the familiar 15x3MP APS-C Foveon X3 sensor, but it is now mated with a 50mm (75mm equiv.) F2.8 lens. The lens lends itself to portraiture and, with a minimum focus distance of 22.6cm, offers respectable 1:3 magnification. Video recording is still limited to VGA resolution but the DP3M can shoot at up to 4 frames per second for 7 frames in Raw.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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