I love this. I also love Sigma's outside the box approach. The FP received a lot of hate, but I liked that camera when I owned it. Ultimately, the deal breaker for me was the lack of a viewfinder. That is just such an integral part of the process for me, even though I shoot from the screen probably more than most. The biggest issue with the FP as a screen-only device was that the screen wasn't nearly bright enough to be usable in daylight. If this camera addresses that it will be a big plus, but I still think that ultimately the lack of viewfinder will be what steers me away. These C-line of primes are also some of the most underrated lenses out there. They are outstanding (with the exception of the 45mm 2.8, which I found to be kind of a dud in the lineup).
mboy wrote:
My hope they'll later provide an evf attachment like the lvf-11, since I'm encouraged by the fact it has USBC video out
I also hope rolling shutter and banding is not too bad
It's exciting development for sigma fans
Also the sensor plane marker (normally located about where the hotshoe would be) is to the side, which may hint at a future side attachment
There’s no possible place for an EVF to attach. It doesn’t have a hotshoe. It doesn’t even have a cold shoe. It’s not a stacked sensor so rolling shutter will be pretty bad. Expect about 60ms readout speeds.
Disclaimer: I own an fpL that I have been waffling on selling for months now. I just don't use it much.
The BF seems like an updated fp/fpL. At least updated in some ways - internal storage, new interface, beautiful design. But in ways that really matter, photographically, it is exactly the same as the fp, minus the fp's best feature - its versatility. I want to like it, but for a photography the fp/fpL makes more sense.
Also, it makes one of my gripes with fpL even more complicated. It doesn't have wifi connectivity and no SD card, so it requires a computer to retrieve any images. Or possibly a phone or tablet can recognize it as a drive with a cable (?). For something that is being marketed as a premium Every Day Carry type of camera, it really needs to be simple to get the images on a mobile device for sharing. This isn't that.
TNCasual wrote:
Disclaimer: I own an fpL that I have been waffling on selling for months now. I just don't use it much.
The BF seems like an updated fp/fpL. At least updated in some ways - internal storage, new interface, beautiful design. But in ways that really matter, photographically, it is exactly the same as the fp, minus the fp's best feature - its versatility. I want to like it, but for a photography the fp/fpL makes more sense.
Also, it makes one of my gripes with fpL even more complicated. It doesn't have wifi connectivity and no SD card, so it requires a computer to retrieve any images. Or possibly a phone or tablet can recognize it as a drive with a cable (?). For something that is being marketed as a premium Every Day Carry type of camera, it really needs to be simple to get the images on a mobile device for sharing. This isn't that. ...Show more →
Thats a great call out- Transferring images to a phone or IPAD is something I do with every camera I own- The lack of that support in 2025 would sting quite a bit IMO- Especially when traveling
RustyRus wrote:
Thats a great call out- Transferring images to a phone or IPAD is something I do with every camera I own- The lack of that support in 2025 would sting quite a bit IMO- Especially when traveling
I bought the fpL specifically for traveling, assuming it had wifi connectivity. I was floored when I realized it didn't. I can use an SD card reader dongle to upload to my phone. Not ideal, but not necessarily difficult, and maybe slightly faster if I know where I stored the dongle.
With the BF it seems a bit more complicated. Will a phone or tablet read the drive over a cable? That is unclear from what I have found. Otherwise, you need a computer and a cable. For being EDC, that is frustrating.
RustyRus wrote:
Thats a great call out- Transferring images to a phone or IPAD is something I do with every camera I own- The lack of that support in 2025 would sting quite a bit IMO- Especially when traveling
Just use an usb cable and files app to transfer to the iPad.
Joking aside, I really appreciate the aesthetics, compact size, and simplicity of the design. It’s a huge contrast to the much larger Leica L-mount camera options.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Lenses mounted on the original iPhone 1.
Joking aside, I really appreciate the aesthetics, compact size, and simplicity of the design. It’s a huge contrast to the much larger Leica L-mount camera options.
Its interesting for sure-
I wonder if the Aluminum casing is ham stringing Sigma for what they can do from a connectivity standpoint. I like the idea but it has to be useable for good execution in the field.
I guess I am not the target market for it but not having bluetooth/wifi connectivity to move images would be a 100% non starter for me.
I'm also curious about the sensor choice. I've not seen specifics on the sensor but my guess would be that it's nothing new. I think the 61mp IM455 would have been a more natural fit here, but that choice was about keeping the internal storage and transfer speed requirements down. Also, the rolling shutter on that sensor isn't good.
nhmorgan wrote:
I'm also curious about the sensor choice. I've not seen specifics on the sensor but my guess would be that it's nothing new. I think the 61mp IM455 would have been a more natural fit here, but that choice was about keeping the internal storage and transfer speed requirements down. Also, the rolling shutter on that sensor isn't good.
I have a FP also that I don't use it much... I bought it before the A7C line existed... I would have expected a bigger upgrade to FP for photographers, similar specs w/o the evf and buttons. It doesn't have the flip screen either for selfie folks... Comparison to FP:
TNCasual wrote:
Disclaimer: I own an fpL that I have been waffling on selling for months now. I just don't use it much.
The BF seems like an updated fp/fpL. At least updated in some ways - internal storage, new interface, beautiful design. But in ways that really matter, photographically, it is exactly the same as the fp, minus the fp's best feature - its versatility. I want to like it, but for a photography the fp/fpL makes more sense.
Also, it makes one of my gripes with fpL even more complicated. It doesn't have wifi connectivity and no SD card, so it requires a computer to retrieve any images. Or possibly a phone or tablet can recognize it as a drive with a cable (?). For something that is being marketed as a premium Every Day Carry type of camera, it really needs to be simple to get the images on a mobile device for sharing. This isn't that. ...Show more →
As long as your phone supports USB OTG (and I'd be surprised if it doesn't in 2025), you should be able to just attack your camera directly to your phone via a USB cable.
MAubrey wrote:
As long as your phone supports USB OTG (and I'd be surprised if it doesn't in 2025), you should be able to just attack your camera directly to your phone via a USB cable.
I assume it will work, though Sigma doesn't mention this anywhere in the marketing material. It's just that you need that cable. With wireless you don't, even if the transfer is slower.
It almost feels like to me that this was the camera body intended to house the first FF Foveon sensor that has yet to materialize - simple, pure and elegant, aluminum body for heat dissipation, larger than the FP (which may have contained a mechanical shutter earlier in the design stage) and a marketing emphasis on pure photography. The fact that not much has been mentioned by Sigma with regard to the sensor might reinforce this possibility. I do think for at least some of us, this would have been a no brainer had it contained a FF Foveon sensor. As it is now, it seems like a very hard sell in 2025.
brick33308 wrote:
pairing it with Leica Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 could be an interesting combo
I've been looking for something smaller than my SL3 to use with the 21 APO Summicron-SL for traveling along with my Q3 43. I'll have to keep an eye on this and its reviews.
