Operation and Controls
The Sigma SD14 is a medium-sized camera. It is much larger than the tiny Canon XSi/XTi or the Nikon D60/D40. Compared to prosumer modes, it is about the same width as the Nikon D300 or Canon D40 but not quite as tall. Here it is fitted with the non-OS version of the Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3, which is one of the smallest super-zooms we have seen on the market. The SD14 appears well built, and Sigma states it is built around a stainless-steel frame.
The lens release lock is on the left facing the camera, and you can see the depth of field preview button on the right side of the mount in this view. The top button is the flash compensation button, used with the dial around the shutter release to adjust the output of the pop-up flash. In this view the SD14 is mounted with the larger 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 OS lens.
The SD14 features a simple menu and controls. The ISO/WB button just above the arrow pad brings up a screen to adjust ISO, White Balance, Quality (RAW, JPEG), and Resolution (Image Size). The menu itself does not even need sub-categories and all the adjustments fill just three screens of information on a single menu. The only thing that does not fit this simple approach is the strange FUNC button to the left of the viewfinder that brings up eight additional functions (in the latest firmware versions) adjusted by selecting the function, holding in the FUNC button and rotating the front dial.
The top has a dial on each side plus a small LCD screen. The LCD screen reports basic info such as frame and battery status. It is also used with many of the buttons and the dial around the shutter button to adjust less frequently used options.
For example to enable ISO 1600 you hit the function button six times, then push it a seventh time and hold in the FUNC button. You will see def (default) on the top LCD. Turn the front dial one click while holding the FUNC button until you bring up the ETD (Extended) function in the top LCD. You then have the option of ISO 1600 added to the ISO options. It is really easier than it sounds, and with the firmware version 1.05 and later you have an ISO 50 option as well.
The top left dial is called the Drive Dial and it is unusual in that it is also used to turn the SD14 on and off. You can also select drive mode, one of two self-timer modes, mirror lock-up, and auto bracketing.
The top right Mode Dial could not be simpler. You can select Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual. That's it as there are no scene modes. Metering is selectable from a top rear button for spot, center-weighted, or the default 8-segment matrix.
Sigma SD14 marketing materials make a huge deal out of how simple the SD14 is as a camera. In general that is certainly true, but we have to wonder if that is the case because Sigma didn't have the internal resources to build anything more sophisticated. After using the slow SD14 you will understand exactly what is being said here.
You can do almost anything you need to take better photographs with the Sigma, and the options are here that are often missing on competing cameras - like mirror lock-up, 2s self-timer option, illuminated top LCD, and selectable metering. However, you can't do anything fast, since the internal processing and write times are extremely slow. Once we changed to a CF card that was a better match to the SD14 the camera was ready to use about a second after turning it on - that is certainly acceptable.
However, in shooting the RAW images for the noise comparison on the next page it was 2 to 3 seconds of solid red just to do enough to display the image on the rear 2.5" LCD, then about 6 seconds more of blinking to write the 13.3MB RAW file. If you choose JPEG processing it takes even longer than RAW. In fairness it is possible to take another picture while the camera is writing, but the processing speeds are slow and the small buffer can only hold about 6 images before forcing a wait for write. The result is that capturing images with the SD14 is a slower process than with competing cameras.
However, there is more to this than just the slow processing speeds of the SD14. No one but Sigma had the guts to try to build a Foveon-sensor camera. In fact Sigma has just introduced another Foveon-sensor camera - the first DSLR-sensor point-and-shoot - in the Sigma DP1. If you are ready to ask, "why did they bother?", we hope to show you on the next two pages.
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