Sigma fp Review | 108 Data compared

The Shoot test panel highly values the Sigma fp's exceptional build quality and its highly compact, modular full-frame design. Reviewers Kurt Coppé and Philip Van Daele note that the metal body creates a solid, durable, and premium impression right out of the box, with solid buttons and control rings built to last for years. Users also appreciate the clear, minimalist interface; though it takes some getting used to, the button layout efficiently mapped functions so that settings could be adjusted effortlessly without diving deep into menus. However, the camera's ultra-compact, unconventional shape brings notable ergonomics and feature trade-offs. The panel highlights that the highly minimalist, flat square form factor means you lack standard physical features like a built-in viewfinder, an articulating screen, or a deep handgrip, making optional accessories necessary to handle the camera comfortably or shoot effectively in bright sunlight. Additionally, the lack of a mechanical shutter severely limits the camera's flash sync speed and introduces rolling shutter issues during fast movements. YouTube · I can provide more detailed information on specific accessory options or explain how its video...

The Sigma fp is a highly compact, full-frame camera that stands out by offering high-quality internal RAW video recording in Ultra HD (8-bit) directly to an SD card, as well as 12-bit Full HD. It delivers excellent image quality at lower ISO settings and unmatched post-processing flexibility via Cinema DNG files, which can be modified using standard photography software like Adobe Camera Raw. Key pros include its extremely competitive pricing, uncropped full-frame UHD video, the ability to record 12-bit UHD RAW directly to an external SSD via USB-C, and a highly portable design that serves as an excellent backup or crash-cam for professional setups. However, the camera's heavy reliance on firmware updates indicates it was launched with several unrefined features. Major cons include massive storage consumption—where a 64GB card fills up in just 5 to 13 minutes—and a time-consuming editing workflow due to individual DNG file conversions. Additionally, the camera lacks an internal log-curve profile, has no headphone jack, and relies entirely on software-based image stabilisation that crops the frame and does not work when shooting in Cinema DNG. Early...

This review highlights the Sigma fp as a niche, compact full-frame camera that serves as an excellent digital counterpart for vintage M-mount lenses. The author praises its phenomenal, robust all-metal build quality, simple, old-school layout with minimal buttons, and highly intuitive menu system. A standout feature is the sensor's unique, understated color palette and deep shadow dynamic range, alongside impressive high-ISO performance. Focus peaking and picture-in-picture zoom also make manual focusing on the LCD highly effective, even in bright sunlight. However, the camera comes with notable tradeoffs, such as a complete lack of ergonomics that effectively makes it feel like a "brick". Because it lacks a mechanical shutter, shooters face severe banding and light interference stripes under artificial LED or energy-saving lighting unless the shutter speed is kept below 1/50s. Additionally, it completely lacks a built-in viewfinder, suffers from poorly optimising highlight recovery (requiring intentional underexposure), and produces mediocre straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, forcing the user to shoot in RAW to achieve the best results.