The Resolution of Photos Captured on the Sigma fp L Looks Promising
On March 25, Sigma announced the 61-megapixel fp L camera that features a new autofocus system and much more resolution than the original fp. The company has provided a few images captured on the camera, and the quality looks impressive.
Sigma’s latest takes what made the original fp desirable — its small size — and added features that would make it something more photographers would be interested in. For starters, a true hybrid autofocus system is a boon, making the fp the first camera released in the L-mount alliance to feature phase detection autofocus. You can read more about it here.
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But more than that, Sigma integrated features that take advantage of the resolution, which will be interesting to see for applications such as wildlife photography. While none of the images Sigma shared with PetaPixel use this new crop zoom option, we can get an idea of what to expect by taking a closer look at full resolution images.
The photos below were captured by photographer Aya Iwasaki, and the first one is a macro photo that really shows off the resolving power of the new camera. The original file size is massive: 53.4 MB at a 9520 x 6328 resolution and was captured with the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DDG DN Macro Art lens at f/5.6, 1/640 second, and ISO 400. Here is the full image:
And this is a fully-zoomed crop:
The next image from Iwasaki is a landscape photo and give an indication of the dynamic range of the sensor. This image was captured with the 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary lens at f/4, 1/500 second, and ISO 100:
And this is a fully-zoomed crop:
Two more landscape images were provided by Sigma, these ones captured by photographer Yang Su Tie. The first is a panoramic crop shot with the 65mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary lens at f/4, 1/1600 second, and ISO 100:
And again a crop:
Finally, a photo shot on the 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art at f/16, 1/15 second, and ISO 100:
And again a fully-zoomed crop:
Based on these images, the question isn’t so much if the sensor is good, but more about what lenses can be used to fully take advantage of that resolution. Other questions that still remain center around how good the new autofocus system is and if Sigma addressed issues with the rolling shutter that plagued the original fp, as both cameras feature a fully electronic shutter. These are questions PetaPixel intends to answer in our review of the camera.
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In related news, for those interested in using the camera for filmmaking, SmallRig and Sigma teamed up to create a custom cage solution for both the fp and fp L:
The Sigma fp L is set to become available in mid-April for $2,499.