The Sigma DP3 Quattro is a pocketable camera that features a 39-megapixel Foveon X3 Quattro sensor that is designed to fit APS-C.
The distinctive sensor included in the DP3 Quattro produces raw photos with a resolution of 5424 by 3616 pixels when it is set to its highest possible level. This sensor is made up of four separate layers, three of which are devoted to catching red, green, and blue light.
In addition, the DP3 Quattro has a manual focus ring, an external hot shoe, a Quick Set button, support for the RAW format, and a fixed lens of 50 millimeters with a fast aperture of f/2.8. It also has a TRUE III image processing engine, a 3-inch TFT color monitor with 920,000 dots, a full range of creative shooting modes, and RAW format support. The Sigma DP3 Quattro may be purchased through an authorized retailer for £899 or $999.
Sigma dp3 Quattro Build Quality
The only difference between the Sigma DP3 Quattro and the Sigma DP1 Quattro, and the Sigma DP2 Quattro cameras that we have reviewed in the past is that the Sigma DP3 Quattro comes with a longer and physically bigger 50mm lens.
A completely new APS-C-sized Foveon image sensor serves as the primary imaging component of the Sigma DP3 Quattro. The image sensor of the DP3 Quattro camera has identical dimensions of 23.5 by 15.7 millimeters, making it somewhat more significant than the sensor in the DP3 Merrill camera.
The DP Quattro from Sigma is said to have a resolution of 39 megapixels, and Sigma is the only company that currently uses the Foveon X3 sensor in its products.
The Foveon solution consists of three layers placed atop one another, with each photodiode collecting all of the RGB data.
When compared to the previous generation, the Quattro sensor is distinguished by the fact that it allocates 20 megapixels to the top layer, which records both blue color and luminance information, but only 4.9 megapixels to each of the other two layers, which record green color information first, followed by red color information.
According to Sigma, this significant upgrade provides a higher resolution than the old Foveon sensor, faster processing times, and less noise, at least in the red and green channels.
Sigma dp3 Quattro Image Quality
When shooting in RAW, the image quality of the Sigma DP3 Quattro is exceptional, and it produces excellent results at ISO settings ranging from 100 to 1600.
Because there is a lot of noise and color desaturation at the higher ISOs, our recommendation is always to use the DP3 Quattro’s RAW mode if possible. Curiously, the quality drops off noticeably when shooting JPEGs, with only ISO 100-400 being usable because higher ISOs are worth using (despite the so-so Sigma Photo pro software and the huge file sizes).
Chromatic aberrations were handled so effectively by the Sigma DP3 Quattro that it was difficult to locate even a single instance of the phenomenon in any of the hundreds of frames we captured. When the photographs came out of the camera with the default sharpness setting, they were just a little bit soft. However, you can adjust the amount of sharpening on the camera itself, or you may use Adobe Photoshop later.
The night shot came out well, and the fact that you could use the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds meant that you could catch sufficient light for the vast majority of after-dark scenarios. The 75mm equivalent lens allows you to focus as closely as 22.6 centimeters away from the subject, and it offers a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3, making the macro performance a standout feature of the camera.
Sigma dp3 Quattro Specs
| Body type | Large sensor compact |
|---|---|
| Max resolution | 5424 x 3616 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 20 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 22 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS (Foveon X3) |
| Processor | TRUE III engine |
| ISO | Auto, 100-6400 |
| White balance presets | 6 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Unknown |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Super-high, high, low |
| Focal length (equiv.) | 75 mm |
| Optical zoom | 1× |
| Maximum aperture | F2.8 |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaSelective single-pointSingleFace DetectionLive View |
| Manual focus | Yes (Focus Ring Type) |
| Normal focus range | 23 cm (9.06″) |
| Number of focus points | 9 |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 920,000 |
| Touch screen | No |
| Screen type | TFT color LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | None |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/2000 sec |
| Aperture priority | Yes |
| Shutter priority | Yes |
| Manual exposure mode | Yes |
| Built-in flash | No |
| External flash | Yes (via hot-shoe) |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 secs) |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpot |
| Exposure compensation | ±3 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | No |
| Microphone | None |
| Speaker | None |
| Storage included | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| Microphone port | No |
| Headphone port | No |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | BP-51 lithium-ion battery and charger |
| Dimensions | 161 x 67 x 102 mm (6.34 x 2.64 x 4.02″) |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
Sigma dp3 Quattro Conclusion
The new DP3 Quattro camera is virtually indistinguishable from its predecessors, the DP2 and DP1. Still, it expands the Quattro family by including a short-telephoto lens with an equivalent focal length of 75 millimeters that can also be used for macro photography.
With the release of the new DP3 Quattro, Sigma maintains its position as the lone camera manufacturer to implement Foveon sensor technology. This decision was made to keep the company’s focus on pursuing a particular course.
The Sigma DP3 Quattro is a relatively slow camera only suited to static or slow-moving subjects. Additionally, the relatively radical new design prioritizes image quality over usability (apparently, moving the memory card and battery away from the sensor helps to improve the latter). Suffice it to say that we did not get along with the much larger DP3 Quattro with its awkward grip.