SIGMA dp3 Quattro | SHOOTING REPORT [2nd]
dp3 Quattro SHOOTING REPORT 01 | dp3 Quattro SHOOTING REPORT 02
When films dominated photography, photographers changed films according to the subject or the worldview they wished to shoot. And, they enjoyed the significant difference in image quality brought by different films. In the digital age, the sensing material has been replaced with the sensor, but changing sensors is much harder than changing films. In this sense, the sensor is a key property to explain the quality of a digital camera. And, among many digital cameras, the FOVEON sensor of the SIGMA's DP series has its won unique personality and it's unique enough to satisfy the desire of the old film shooters who want to use different types of sensors just like changing films. And, this is the reason why I have been using the series since the first generation.
The dp3 Quattro is equipped with a short telephoto 50mm lens which is equivalent to 75mm in 35mm format. This focal length is rare for a fixed-lens camera and a perfect for someone who wants to shoot photos that make viewers want to touch the subject. For this second report, I could spend a good amount of time with this camera and I realized that it's a great camera for snapshooting.
( Photography / Text : A.Inden )
At first, I was a little puzzled by the body's shape, to be honest. But, as I was using it for about a month, I found it quite easy to hold. And, because of the improved AF and color reproduction, it became easier to handle. So, I can recommend this camera to anyone, unlike older generations. At first, I felt if it had lost the unique personality of the Merrill, but as I spend more time with it, I realized it was a pointless concern.
The image quality of FOVEON is unlike anything else. This refined image quality as well as the built quality of the body represent Japanese craftsmanship.
In this report, each shot is accompanied with the 100% crop so you can feel the image quality.
Despite the flat light, each flower pops out. And, because even the defocused flowers have a 3D quality, I can feel the distance between them and recognize their shape.
Another shot under flat light. Even though the contrast is low, the person in the front looks solid and clear. And, I feel the power of FOVEON when I can see the layers of moist air from the front to the background. For this shot, I cropped the defocused part, so you can feel the layers.
When it comes to water, FOVEON beats all other sensors. The capability to isolate each twinkle of distant wave can't just be explained by the number of pixels. In addition, I think the lens has a lot to do with it and, among the dp series, I feel the dp3 best demonstrates the true capacity of FOVEON Quattro sensor. I may sound contradictory, but I feel the resolution is very high, yet the rendition is soft and natural.
Because of the colorful bottom, I shot even though it was backlit. Thanks to the evening light, it wonderfully captured the trajectory of the water and the splash bouncing from the ground. While conventional digital cameras tend to generate false colors in such a condition, the 3-layer FOVEON never generate them in principle. So, it reproduces the transparent water just as it is. Amazing.
Because of the large number of pixels and the high resolution, I assumed the image quality was hard. However, as I have already mentioned, it's rather so and natural and I think it's primarily because of the lens. I shot this image a bit over using the backlight, and I could get soft light around the white rope of the hammock. If you choose the lighting condition like this, you can take a soft portrait with a gentle mood.
To test the AF, I shot at the moment when the ball came out. After focusing on the person and locking the AF, I moved the camera sideways a bit to compose. Even though I shot wide open, it captured the great detail of the jumping person including the sneakers.
I shot the girls while I was walking. Even though the shutter speed wasn't very fast (1/60), I was able to freeze them (check then sand grains on their clothes) thanks to the improved holding.
The dp3 Quattro is a special camera for everyday snapshooting
Because of the minute depiction, we want to use this camera on a tripod. But, as I have shown here, it demonstrates its potential without it. It's hard to say the Quattro series is compact, because of the better holding and the improved AF, it has become a better snapshooter. The AF did hunt in close distance, but it worked perfectly with normal range. The dp3 Quattro's angle of view covers the filed of view when we gaze at something, and it's convenient to naturally capture whatever attracts you. In this sense, the dp3 Quattro may be the best choice for someone who wants to experience the unique image quality.
( 2015.6.4 )
