Camera
Camera enthusiasts already have a lot of thoughts on Sigma's "radical" BF camera
| Photo: Sigma |
On Monday, Sigma kicked off what looks to be a very busy week in camera news by announcing a new full-frame mirrorless camera called the BF. The company says it’s an exercise in “radical simplicity,” and the camera features only five buttons and a single dial, integrated storage and a menu system designed to put all your exposure settings at your fingertips.
Given how much of a departure this camera is from the mainstream, it’s unsurprising that it’s generated a fair bit of conversation among the camera enthusiasts in our forums and in the comments. We thought it’d be interesting to highlight a few to give you an idea of how the community has reacted to this bold new camera.
One important caveat: these opinions are entirely the commenters’ own and don’t necessarily reflect those of DPReview. Once we’ve had time to review the BF, our thoughts will be in our official review.
“Intriguing”
There are some launches where people see the camera and immediately decide they want it without further questions. That hasn’t necessarily been the case with the BF, though the design and interface do seem to make people interested in at least trying one out.
“I’d love to handle one for a day, it looks super interesting,” said MJ_Photo38. “Paying $2000 for one though? Hmm. Not sure about that.”
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| Image: Sigma |
SigmaChrome was also unsure about actually buying one – early in the thread, they showed some trepidation. “I’m sure it’s a beautifully made piece of engineering but it doesn’t seem to have been designed for human photographers. Sharp edges, no grip, not enough controls, no removable storage, only one port, no viewfinder…. This is not a versatile camera. Not for me I’m afraid.”
After a bit more time to think about it, though, SigmaChrome seemed a bit more open to the idea. “I’d sure like to have a play with one too. The menu system seems to be nice and simple; Sigma is good at menu design. Maybe shooting with it for a day or two might make me change my mind. You never know… I might fall in love, or a least become infatuated.”
ArchiMark, who owns a Sigma fp-L, says the BF “Looks very intriguing…..,” and that it “will be interesting to see how it compares, especially in stills” to the company’s compact, high-resolution camera.
Too minimal?
Sigma says the BF “cuts out everything that distracts, limits or stifles creativity.” As a result, it lacks many of the things you’ll find on most other $2000 cameras: there’s no mechanical shutter, stabilized sensor, wireless connectivity, hot shoe, viewfinder, memory card slot or tilting screen, and there’s only a single 10Gbps USB-C port for I/O.
A fair number of commenters aren’t fans of the radical minimalism, with both SigmaChrome and SandyF saying that the camera isn’t very versatile. “I see few positive selling points. It’s more like what it does not have, rather than positive features,” said the latter.
MJ_Photo38 agreed. “To me the BH only makes sense for the few people that want to have a extremely high end build quality, super modern design and UI, etc. This doesn’t look like a pragmatic camera decision.” Some people, like Jeffry7, were even harsher: “By ruthlessly stripping down the concept of a camera, Sigma has made a far less capable, and far less versatile a device.”
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The BF isn’t exactly bursting with controls, and you’ll have to compose using the fixed display. However, the company says the UI will provide a “distraction-free view.”
Image: Sigma |
The lack of a viewfinder seems to be the biggest sticking point, with Tom Schum lamenting: “why oh why did they not put an EVF in the BF? Can we have a BF2, a little bit bigger and with an EVF?” SnowBeard expanded on that thought in a separate thread: “Again, they left off a decent viewfinder – no EVF. The hype about this and some other cameras is ‘we strip it down to its simple form so you can focus on the subject and what you want to say’. Maybe so but you still have to view the subject, no viewfinder makes that frustratingly hard. Viewing a 3 inch LCD from 10-12inches away is more like aiming a shotgun. Viewing the scene through an enlarged viewfinder is like being in the scene.”
That’s not to say that everyone agreed. Some of our members praised the design, with SigmaTog saying “Fantastic idea, wish I was younger, I would take it up immediately,” and SandiWay saying that “It is ‘beautiful’ for sure.”
“Beyond Foveon”
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The BF’s sensor is a conventional full-frame, 24MP BSI model that we suspect we’ve seen in several other cameras.
Image: Sigma |
The other elephant in the room for the BF is its choice of color filter. Like the vast majority of cameras on the market, it uses a Bayer pattern to capture color. Normally, that wouldn’t be notable, except that Sigma has been the flagbearer for Foveon technology, which works completely differently, capturing full-color data across the entire sensor rather than relying on interpolation. The company has said it’s working on making a full-frame Foveon sensor – its previous efforts have maxed out with a 476mm�² APS-H sensor – but that’s not what’s in the BF.
Unsurprisingly, this comes as a disappointment for those who have been waiting years for a new Foveon camera. Responding to a joke about “BF” standing for “Beyond Foveon” (we’re told it actually stands for “beautiful foolishness”), Heritage Cameras hopes it actually means “Before Foveon.”
Roger also bemoaned the choice, saying “I was hoping to see something with a Foveon sensor, but maybe those days are gone.” In another thread, Manzur Fahim and Tirpitz666 both cited the lack of Foveon as their reasons for not buying the camera, with the latter stating “No Foveon No Party, will happily continue to use my Merrills and Quattros.”
Like a Leica
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| The BF’s design reminded several people of the Leica TL2. |
Several users said the BF reminded them of something you’d see from Leica, specifically models like the TL, which was also machined out of aluminum, featured a photo-focused interface and did away with things like an electronic viewfinder.
“The entire design reminds me of the Leica TL & TL2,” said bs1946. “A handful of simple controls and milled from a solid block of aluminum, even though Sigma claims the BF’s milled aluminum block is a first.” SaltyDogStudios agreed, saying that “Sigma seems to be taking a lot of cues from Leica on this camera,” especially when it came to a focus on design. “I remember reading a blog post about the Leica TL and how it was a real conversation piece of a camera. [..]. That’s clearly what this camera is intended to be.”
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| Photo: Sigma |
DavidMillier made a similar connection, commenting: “Interesting, Sigma goes Leica/Hassie! Not for me, though. Whilst I love minimalist industrial design, there are certain things I demand of any camera: a built in viewfinder, a hand grip, minimum of two command wheels (I prefer 3 or even 4).” Roger had a similar take. “The camera reminds me of the Leica TL series which I wouldn’t buy either.”
Heritage Cameras, meanwhile, said the design “seems to make little sense logically, but (as with the Leica T) I want one anyway. I suspect I’m not alone.”
Leica wasn’t the only reference point people jumped to, with several commenters saying the design reminded them of something produced by Apple or Teenage Engineering. Another common point of comparison: the Panasonic Lumix S9.
Not the last word…
We’ve had the chance to get some hands-on time with the BF and plan on writing an article detailing our experiences and answering some of the most frequent questions we’ve seen about it. However, we want to get one out of the way right now: yes, it does have a tripod thread.
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While visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, located 109km west of Key West, Florida, I looked down from the top of Fort Jefferson and saw this group of snorkelers just off Garden Key. Moments after this photo was taken, one of the snorkelers had the bad luck of being stung by a Portuguese man o’ war.
Photo: Dale Baskin |
The theme for our March Editors’ challenge is ‘Water’.
Show us the essence of water in its many forms, from the roaring power of the ocean to a gentle rain, reflections on a lake, smooth waterfalls, frozen ice, or even fine art. The possibilities are endless, so let your creativity flow and show us your best photos that revolve around water. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 16, and Saturday, March 22 (GMT).
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Visit the challenge page to see all the rules
| Images: Vanguard, Apple, Elinchrom |
CP+ may have ended last week, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the flood of accessory news. Today, we’ll look at a few lights, bags, computers and more, but first, let’s see what’s on sale.
Second-gen Goodness
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Canon’s Stacked sensor flagship, the EOS R5 II, is currently on sale for $300 off MSRP. We reviewed it late last year, and came away very impressed – it’s a camera that excels at nearly everything.
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Panasonic’s S5II isn’t quite as performant, but it’s still quite a good camera. It’s also substantially cheaper than the EOS R5 II, especially given the current sale that gets you $500 off.
Let there be lights
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| Image: Godox |
Godox’s latest light for videographers and photographers is the Litemons C30. It’s a tiny LED panel weighing 248g that packs an internal battery capable of putting out 30W of light for up to 45 minutes. A USB-C port lets you recharge the battery or run the light for an extended period of time.
There are two versions of the light – a bicolor model, which costs $59, and an RGB model that will run you $89.
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| Image: Elinchrom |
If you need something a little more powerful, there’s the recently released Elinchrom LED 100 C, a continuous RGB light with an integrated 72Wh battery that provides up to 40 minutes of power in the field. It comes with a diffusion dome and an adapter for Profoto light modifiers and can be charged via USB-C.
On the level
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| Image: Vanguard |
Ball-head tripods are great if you want to easily level your tripod without messing around with leg length, but what if you already have a tripod that you like? Vanguard’s LVL accessory might be for you. It’s designed to sit between your sticks and your tripod’s head, adding a bit of height and letting you level your tripod head in a matter of seconds.
Vanguard makes several sizes, so it should be compatible with a wide range of tripods. The smallest, the LVL 42, has a 42mm base and can support up to 20kg (44lb), while the LVL 75 can support up to 40kg (88lb) – just make sure the rest of your tripod can handle that much weight too.
In the bag
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| Image: Wandrd |
If you want to carry around some camera gear without using a massive backpack, Wandrd’s Stratus Photo 18L may be the bag for you. It’s relatively small and has built-in organization for your camera gear, as well as access hatches on both the right and left-hand side. It’s made of weather-resistant materials and has load-adjustment straps and a chest strap, which should let you carry it comfortably even if you’ve got it filled with gear.
New affordable iPads
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| Image: Apple |
People don’t always think of the iPad as a photographic tool, but nowadays Apple’s tablets have a lot of processing power and can run many of the apps photographers use on their desktops. The company’s entry-level models – the iPad Air and the plainly-named iPad – have just gotten updates that make them better than ever. The Air gets the laptop-class M3 chip, as well as a new, optional keyboard with a bigger trackpad, function row and aluminum design. The M3 iPad Air starts at $599, and the new keyboard costs $269.
The cheaper iPad, meanwhile, gets the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. While it’s not as powerful as the M-class chips and doesn’t support Apple’s suite of AI features, it should still be plenty for light photo editing and organization. Its base storage has also been doubled from 64GB to 128GB. It starts at $349, which is what its predecessor sold for ever since Apple cut the price by $100 in 2024.
That wasn’t all Apple announced this week, though…
Get caught up
Some accessory news is so big that it gets its own article during the week, but we’d feel remiss not also mentioning those products here.
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| Image: Apple |
As an example, Apple’s new computers. The company announced updates to its entry-level MacBook Air and top-of-the-line Mac Studio this week, adding its latest processors. The MacBook Air has enough processing power to handle the typical Photoshop and Lightroom tasks that most photographers need, all while being hyper-portable, while the Mac Studio can handle the highest-end photo and video editing tasks.
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| Image: Peak Design |
Also announced this week: Peak Design’s Roller Pro, the company’s first piece of roller luggage. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a hardshell case and a softshell one, with plenty of padding and a front sleeve that can hold a laptop and other everyday carry items. You can read our full coverage of it here.
It’s currently being sold via Kickstarter for a discount over its $599 MSRP, but the usual disclaimer applies: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.
| Photo: Richard Butler |
Sony has released a firmware update that brings its Content Authenticity Solution to the a7 IV. The company announced a similar update for the a1 II, a1 and a9 III in January. However, this is the first time the tool to authenticate images will be available on something other than high-end, professional-grade cameras.
Software Ver. 5.00 for the Sony a7 IV adds support for the “Write Digital Signature” function for still images. This function allows photographers to add an electronic signature to their images to prove that they were taken with that camera. Authenticity tools such as this are becoming increasingly important with the growing prevalence of generative AI-created imagery and, as a result, the spread of fake images.
Of course, as with the update for the three pro-grade cameras in January, there are some caveats involved. The Digital Signature function requires a paid license and is only available for certain media outlets, not the general public. Unfortunately, Sony still hasn’t provided any additional information on if or when it will be available for general consumers. On the firmware update page, Sony simply says that the “timing for the provision of paid licenses to customers other than certain media outlets is yet to be determined.”
Even though the current usability is limited, Sony rolling this out to consumer models is a step in the right direction. The Content Authenticity information page also says that “more camera models will be supported in due course,” so it sounds like we should see additional cameras with the tool at some point. If Sony makes the feature more widely available beyond media outlets, the Digital Signature feature will already be on cameras and ready for use.
If you want to be prepared, or happen to work for one of the select media outlets, the Sony a7 IV firmware update Ver. 5.00 is now available for download.
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