Camera
The ‘X-Tra’ camera battery Kickstarter campaign appears to have been a scam

Back on November 19, 2020, we published an article covering news of a Kickstarter campaign that appeared to be funding the production of the X-tra Battery, a product that claimed to be ‘the camera battery, re-invented.’ Now, it appears the campaign was a sham, with no products to show for after more than 1,500 backers pledged $221,290 to see the X-Tra Battery to life.
Canon Rumors was the first publication to bring these allegations to light after its founder, who used the KickBooster affiliate program, failed to receive any response when he attempted to collect his 20% commission for referring his readers to the project, despite it being successfully funded. While that in and of itself could’ve simply been a communication issue between two parties, backers of the project have also questioned the legitimacy of the campaign after selective and vague communication from the founders, and no definitive timeline on product delivery, even after critical deadlines had passed.
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As Canon Rumors notes in its coverage, the individual labeled as the ‘CEO’ of X-Tra, who is referred to as ‘Jeffery Parker’ in the above image and appears in multiple videos promoting the product, appears to be a model based in Hong Kong. In addition to appearing in multiple stock photos across the web, the individual is also a model in promotional material for a new Kickstarter campaign promoting ‘wireless 3D audio’ headphones. Now, there’s no evidence this individual is complicit in any of the scams whatsoever, but the lack of clarity does raise questions.
Before publishing this article, we contacted the project creators, Kickstarter, KickBooster, BackerKit and Jellop to see if any of these involved parties have information on the project’s creators. We wanted to give these organizations 24 hours to respond for further information on this campaign and the individuals behind it.
As of publishing, we have only received a response from Kickstarter, who confirmed the ‘project has been reported via the “Report this project” button by a small number of people,’ with most of them coming yesterday. The Kickstarter representative also said it is ‘actively investigating’ this issue. We have followed up with Kickstarter and will provide more information when we receive it.
To clarify our role in covering this project and crowdfunding campaigns going forward, we want to make our process as transparent as possible and detail how we will further improve upon our process going forward to further reduce passing on risk to you, our readers.
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A promotional image used by the Kickstarter campaign to promote the X-Tra Battery. |
We first came across this product on Kickstarter, where we saw it as a ‘new’ project. It piqued our interest and it seemed to be a product our readers would be interested. As with all crowdfunded campaigns we share, we then went through the process of culling through the campaign in an attempt to verify its legitimacy. Below are a few criteria we used to judge whether or not to cover this project:
- The campaign had a substantial description and detailed reasonable specifications for a product of this kind (two 18650 Li-Ion batteries can be expected to offer the stated battery life in the form factor the X-Tra Battery appeared to use)
- The project laid out what appeared to be a reasonable timeline
- The photos/videos show what appears to be a working prototype
- The company had an operational Instagram account with media of the product in use
- There was access to a complete media kit, with a press release, photos and video
- And, most importantly, Kickstarter said the identity of the project’s creator had been verified, which includes using an address, name and form of identification to determine the authenticity of the project’s creators
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A note from Kickstarter on the Kickstarter campaign that specifically says the founder of the project has been verified. There is a discrepancy though — here the name is spelled ‘Jeffrey,’ whereas elsewhere in the campaign, it’s spelled ‘Jeffery.’ |
Together, these factors were taken into account to make the final decision to cover the project. We had nothing to gain from readers backing the project, as we were not at all (and never have been) a part of any Kickstarter affiliate program. As always, there is a risk with crowdfunding campaigns and we try to make this very clear in crowdfunding projects we cover using the below disclaimer (which has been in use for two years now):
‘Disclaimer: 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.’
Over the past 10 years, we’ve covered more than 150 crowdfunding campaigns from creators small and large. While some of those may have had production issues or delayed deliveries, the X-Tra Battery campaign is the first that appears to be a scam from onset with no intentions of delivering any kind of product.
Proving the authenticity of a crowdfunding campaign isn’t an easy task, as many times the products being offered are still under early stages of development and there are always unforeseen risks that could impact the success of a project. Still, we want to ensure we share only campaigns that have the highest chance of success with minimal risk passed on to you. As such, going forward, we will make it a point to establish clear communication with the creators of any project we cover, request additional information on how the funds will be used and verify what happens to the pledges should issues arise during the production process.
As for what you can do if you backed this project, we suggest you immediately contact the payment provider you used to make your pledge and request a refund and/or dispute the charge as fraud. We have compiled a collection of PDFs of the Kickstarter campaign, FAQ, comments and the X-Tra Battery Instragram profile for you to download and keep on hand for reference in the event the campaign gets taken offline.
You can also contact Kickstarter for details on how to proceed, although when you use Kickstarter’s platform, you do agree to do so at your own risk. Still, you can read through this FAQ page provided by Kickstarter and contact the Kickstarter Community Support team using the link at the bottom of that page.
As mentioned above, we have contacted all those involved with the creation, hosting, affiliation and fulfillment of this project. We are hoping to receive more definitive answers from Kickstarter — and the other parties involved — and will update this article with additional information when we receive it.
Camera
Nikon Z5II review in progress: what's beauty worth?

The Nikon Z5II is a full-frame mirrorless camera built around a 24MP BSI CMOS sensor. It’s an update to Nikon’s entry-level full-frame Z5 and is essentially a version of the Zf that trades retro styling for a more conventional design.
Key Features
- 24MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor
- In-body image stabilization, rated up to 7.5EV
- Autofocus subject detection with support for 9 subject types
- 14 fps Raw w/ mechanical shutter
- 30fps JPEG-only mode with pre-release capture
- 3.69M dot 60Hz EVF with 3000-nit peak brightness
- 4K/30 full-width, 60p w/ 1.5x crop
- 10-bit N-Log or N-Raw capture
- Dual UHS-II card slots
- Downloadable color mode presets via Imaging Cloud
The Z5II will be available in April and will retail for $1699 – a $300 increase over its predecessor in absolute terms, though a very similar price when considering inflation and its greater ambitions. Kits will also be available with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens for $1999, or with a 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for $2499.
Index:
- What’s new
- How it compares
- Body and handling
- Initial impressions
- Sample gallery
- Specifications
- Press Release
What’s new
A new old sensor
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The Z5II’s sensor is one we know well, as it features in cameras like the Zf and Z6 II. While it’s certainly not state-of-the-art, it’s historically performed excellently and offers noticeably faster readout speeds than the non-BSI sensor found in the original Z5, which hailed from the early 2010s.
That’ll be most noticeable in video modes – its readout speeds are still slow enough that you likely won’t want to use e-shutter mode unless you really need to shoot silently or are doing JPEG-only bursts where it drops to its faster, 12-bit readout mode. However, the Z5II supports much faster burst rates than its predecessor, shooting in Raw at up to 14 fps with its mechanical shutter, where the original topped out at 4.5fps.
Hybrid abilities
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The Z5II is a much more capable video camera than its predecessor, which could only manage shooting at 4K/30 with a substantial 1.7x crop. The new model, meanwhile, can shoot full-width 4K at up to 30fp and 120fps in 1080p for slow-motion shooting, double what the Z5 was capable of.
It also has a slate of advanced video features such as a product-priority focus mode, electronic stabilization, 10-bit N-Log, waveform monitors and even N-Raw. While the Z5II’s target audience likely won’t find much use for those later modes, it’s hard to complain about their inclusion.
However, while its sensor has good readout speeds, it isn’t anything near as fast as the one on the more expensive Z6III. That means you’ll see more rolling shutter in full-width 4K, and will have to deal with a 1.5x crop if you want to shoot 60p, though the Z5II is at least capable of the higher framerate.
Latest-gen processor
The Z5II has Nikon’s latest processor, the same one that powers cameras like the Z8 and Z6III. That means it largely has the same autofocus capabilities as those more expensive models. It supports the same subject recognition types – the Z5 only recognizes humans and animals, while the Z5II can also detect birds, cars, bicycles, motorcycles, trains and planes.
It also gains a 30fps JPEG-only mode, which supports pre-burst capture. The Z6III’s faster sensor gives it a leg up in this area, though: it can shoot full-resolution JPEGs at up to 60fps and can hit 120fps by dropping down to an APS-C crop.
The company also claims the Z5II supports more advanced noise reduction, putting out cleaner JPEGs at high ISOs, and has added an AF-A mode, where the camera decides whether to use single or continuous autofocus.
A bright viewfinder and a more flexible screen
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Nikon says the Z5II’s viewfinder can reach a brightness of up to 3000 nits, which should help when shooting in harsh daylight. The company doesn’t quote brightness figures for the Z5’s EVF, though it otherwise has similar specs – both cameras use a 3.69M dot display running at 60Hz.
There are also some changes to the Z5II’s LCD. At 3.2″, it’s the same size as the Z5’s, but it’s higher resolution and fully articulated, while the original’s screen was limited to tilt adjustments.
How it compares
While the Z5II isn’t as cheap as its predecessor, it is still among the least expensive full-frame ILCs ever released. Some other cameras on that list, like the original Z5 and Canon’s EOS R8, are among its competitors.
At $2000, Panasonic’s S5II has a substantially higher MSRP than those cameras and, before the Z5II, offered a more complete package than any full-frame camera in the sub-$2000 range. The S9, which is based around the same sensor, is closer in price to the Z5II but is aimed at a more video-focused audience, as it lacks both an EVF and a mechanical shutter. Given that, it didn’t feel as appropriate for this list. While the S5II frequently goes on sale, street prices for cameras drop relative to their MSRPs – a camera that starts off at $1700 is likely to end up significantly cheaper than one that started life at $2000.
The one exception to that rule is if a camera sticks around long enough to get a permanent price cut to reposition it when its replacement arrives. That’s essentially what’s happened with Sony’s a7 III, which was originally released in 2018. It shows its age in many ways but is still in a similar class to the other cameras in this comparison.
Nikon Z5II | Nikon Z5 | Canon EOS R8 | Panasonic S5II | Sony a7 III | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP | $1699 | $1399 | $1499 | $1999 | $1799 (Originally $2000) |
Pixel count | 24MP | 24MP | 24MP | 24MP | 24MP |
Stabilization | IBIS | IBIS | No | IBIS | IBIS |
Max burst rate (Mech / E-shutter) | 14fps 30 JPEG-only |
4.5fps | 6fps elec. first curtain 40fps e-shutter |
7fps mech. 30fps e-shutter |
10fps |
Pre-buffer | Yes, JPEG | No | Yes, Raw, 0.5 sec | Yes, Raw, 0.5 sec | No |
Autofocus recognition subjects | People Birds Animals Vehicles |
Human Animal |
People Animals Vehicles |
Human, Animal, Car, Motorcycle, Airplane, Train | Eye AF |
Max video resolution | 4K 60p w/ 1.5x crop 4K 30p full-width |
4K 30p w/ 1.7x crop | 4K 60p full-width |
6K 30p open gate 4K 60p w/1.5x crop 4K 30p full-width |
4K 30p w/ 1.2x crop 4K 24p full-width |
10-bit options | N-Raw N-Log HLG |
N/A | C-Log3 HDR PQ |
V-Log HLG |
S-Log 3 HLG |
Headphone / Mic jack | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes |
Viewfinder res / mag | 3.69M dots 0.8x |
3.69M dots 0.8x |
2.36M dots 0.7x |
3.68M dot 0.78x | 2.36M dots 0.78x |
Rear screen | 3.2″ 2.1M dot fully articulated | 3.2″ 1.04M dot tilting | 3″ 1.62M-dot fully articulated | 3″ 1.84M-dot fully articulated | 3″ 921.6K tilting |
Storage formats | 2x UHS-II SD | 2x UHS-II SD | 1x UHS-II SD | 2x UHS-II SD |
1x UHS-II SD 1x UHS-I SD |
Battery life (CIPA) | 330 shots | 470 shots | 290 shots | 370 shots | 710 shots |
Dimensions | 134 x 101 x 72 mm | 134 x 101 x 70 mm | 133 x 86 x 70 mm | 134 x 102 x 90 mm | 127 x 96 x 74 mm |
Weight | 700g | 675g | 461g | 740g | 650g |
With the upgrades it gains over its predecessor, the Z5II has become one of the most complete full-frame options for under $2000. You’re not giving up IBIS, battery life and an autofocus joystick like you would be with the EOS R8, and you’re not giving up an EVF and dual top-plate control dials like with the Panasonic S9. It’s relatively evenly matched with the S5II, though we’ve generally found Nikon’s autofocus performance to be more reliable.
The a7 III may still seem like a worthy competitor on paper, especially considering that Nikon and Canon can’t match E-mount’s wide range of lenses. However, other brands have caught up to its once class-leading autofocus system, and its menus were dated and annoying to use even back in 2018. The once enthusiast-focused Sony is really showing its age.
Body and Handling
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The Z5II’s design is relatively unchanged from its predecessor, though that isn’t a complaint. It has a standard mode dial with three custom slots, as well as two top-plate dials for controlling your exposure settings. The camera also comes with a wide variety of buttons, including two customizable ones on the front near the lens mount.
Nikon has added its Picture Control button, which debuted with the Z50II and lets you easily control your JPEG color mode. While the Z5II comes with Nikon’s classic range of color modes built-in, you can also download more via the company’s Nikon Imaging Cloud service and create or customize your own using the company’s desktop software.
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Out of camera JPEG, shot using the ‘Deeptone Monochrome’ color mode.
Nikkor Z 50mm F1.8 S | F5.6 | 1/2000 sec | ISO 100 |
This setup provides a fair amount of flexibility and control over the look of your out-of-camera JPEGs, though it doesn’t come with the freedom and enormous back-catalog of the industry-standard LUTs that companies like Panasonic let you use.
Handling
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The Z5II is a solid camera with a deep grip, which fits well in the hand. It’s sturdy – Nikon says the front, back and top covers are made from magnesium alloy – and sealed against moisture and dust. We shot our sample gallery in light to medium rain with no issues.
The control layout is the same one that Nikon has used across much of its Z lineup – anyone familiar with the original Z5 or Z6 series will be instantly familiar with it. Most of the buttons on the back are generally easy to access while shooting, as is the autofocus joystick. The Z5II also supports using portions of its touchscreen to control the autofocus point. The one button that can be difficult to reach in general use is the Picture Control button, as its position on the top plate will likely require you to re-adjust your grip to hit it.
Viewfinder
The Z5II’s viewfinder is high-resolution and has a relatively high magnification, but where it really sets itself apart from the crowd is in brightness. It has a peak brightness of 3000 nits, which means it should still be clearly visible, even on a bright, sunny day.
The panel runs at 60Hz. While that’s not as fast as the 120Hz mode found on Nikon’s higher-end cameras, it should be responsive enough for all but the most fast-paced situations.
Screen
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The Z5II features a large, high-resolution, fully-articulated display. While it doesn’t provide stills shooters with the ability to tilt up or down in a single motion, once you flip it out, you can use it at pretty much any angle. It also lets you monitor video you’re taking of yourself, an essential feature for anyone looking to try their hand at vlogging.
Ports and slots
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Again, the Z5II’s port selection remains largely unchanged from its predecessor’s. It retains the dual UHS-II SD card slots, headphone and microphone jacks, USB-C socket and micro HDMI port. Overall, it’s hard to find fault with this selection.
Battery
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The Z5II uses the same 16Wh EN-EL15c battery as many of Nikon’s other full-frame cameras. It’s CIPA-rated to get around 330 shots on a single charge. While you can generally expect to get a fair bit more than the literal number of rated shots, the rating provides a consistent benchmark we can use to measure cameras against each other.
We’d consider a rating around 300 to be acceptable for a day of shooting or a weekend where you’re occasionally taking photos, but anything more, and you’ll probably want to keep an extra battery or USB-C battery bank at hand.
If you routinely have marathon shooting sessions, the Z5II can be fitted with the sold-separately MB-N14 battery grip, the same that’s used for cameras like the Z6 II and Z6III. It should roughly double your battery life and lets you hot-swap in a fresh battery without cutting power to your camera.
Initial Impressions
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The Z5II seems like an extremely calculated move in that it fits precisely into Nikon’s lineup and the full-frame camera market as a whole. It’s a budget-ish model that gives you one or two good reasons to pay a bit more for it than its competitors while not being so good as to dissuade those with deeper pockets from buying a more expensive model like the Z6III.
It’s one of the most remarkably complete full-frame that you can get under $2000, and that makes it easily fit into a flowchart. Care about video and shooting fast-moving subjects? That rules out the Z5. Want IBIS? The EOS R8’s out. Want a viewfinder, mechanical shutter and modern menus? Well, that leaves the Z5II. But what if you just have to have full-width 4K/60p, faster burst rates and an even better viewfinder? Well, Nikon will be more than happy to sell you a Z6III for $700 more.
Of course, there are more options if you’re willing to consider other sensor sizes. Fujifilm’s APS-C X-T5 is a similar class of camera, and the lenses for it are generally going to be less expensive if budget is a big concern for you. Nikon sells the APS-C Z50II, which has surprisingly similar capabilities, is smaller and is almost $800 cheaper. For those set on full-frame, though, the Z5II remains a very well-rounded entry point.
The Z5II is a much more ambitious camera than its predecessor
It’s easy to overstate the importance of the price bump from the Z5 to the Z5II. The original was the second cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera ever released, and its successor is coming out after several years of high inflation at a time when the economy doesn’t seem to be doing so well. It’s also a much more ambitious camera; it’s extremely similar to the Z6 II, which launched for $2000 in 2020, except it comes with a better viewfinder and vastly improved autofocus. Sure, people will wish all that was available for the same price the Z5 launched at (or less), but the reality is that even with its higher MSRP, the Z5II is still one of the least expensive full-frame mirrorless cameras at launch.
The one final wrinkle is the Nikon Zf, a camera that is, by all important metrics, the same as the Z5II but with a higher price tag. It comes with a style that the rest of the cameras we’ve talked about today can’t match; it looks like a classic film SLR with all the dedicated dials, but it can also be used like a modern twin-dial mirrorless camera.
Some people won’t care about or for that design, and that’s great – they can get the Z5II and never think about the Zf again. Others will care about that and pay extra to get it – or wish they could and feel slightly bad about it. Either way, it’s the one competitor that requires an emotional decision, not a logical one.
Pre-Production Sample Gallery
Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don’t abuse it.
Camera
You can now buy Viltrox's fast, lightweight and cheap 50mm Air lens

Image: Viltrox |
Yesterday, Viltrox had some fun with April Fool’s Day and announced a lens in its Air lineup that was, well, literally air. But today, the company has revealed a real addition to the Air series of compact and lightweight lenses. The AF 50mm F2.0 Air was initially announced and displayed at CP+, though details were extremely slim at that point. Now, though, things are more official, with full details available.
The AF 50mm F2.0 Air is available for Z-mount and E-mount. It joins the 20mm F2.8 and 40mm F2.5 full-frame lenses already in the lineup, along with 25mm F1.7, 35mm F1.7 and 56mm F1.7 APS-C Air lenses. The 50mm focal length, affectionately called the nifty fifty in the photography world, is a versatile option. It’s ideal for everything from street photography and travel to portraits and more.
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Image: Viltrox |
Viltrox’s take on this classic focal length is compact and lightweight, with the E-mount model weighing 205g (7.2oz) and the Z-mount version weighing slightly more at 220g (7.8oz). The optical design features thirteen elements in nine groups, which include three ED lenses, four high-refractive elements, and one aspherical element with HD nano-coating. Viltrox says it will provide “vivid, distortion-free images.”
The lens offers an aperture range of F2.0 to F16 and it features a nine-blade aperture, resulting in what Viltrox says is “stunning bokeh.” An STM motor drives autofocus, which works with eye and face detection, promises minimal focus breathing and supports in-body image stabilization. It can focus as close as 0.51m (20″).
The Viltrox AF 50mm F2.0 Air is available today. It’s currently on sale for $183, though it will cost $199 at full price.
Buy now:
Camera
The Sigma BF isn't the revolution I hoped for, but the effort that's gone in is obvioius

Photo: Richard Butler |
Some years ago, when I was relatively new to the camera industry, I wrote a post for DPReview’s short-lived blog, suggesting it was high time someone re-thought the way camera interfaces work.
I used Apple as an example of a company making inroads into an established market by developing a completely different way to interact with a device. I had no idea, back then, just how much impact the iPhone would go on to have, of course. The iPhone 3G, the first to offer competitive communication speeds, had only been launched a few months earlier and it seemed impossible that the likes of Nokia would be swept away by a relatively small computer company.
I explicitly wasn’t advocating for cameras to move to a smartphone-style touch interface, more for a blank-sheet reconsideration of what a camera needs to provide and how best to prioritize those things.
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When I wrote a blog post in 2008 asking for an Apple-style re-think of the way cameras operate, I had no idea just how significant the iPhone would go on to become.
Rendering: Apple |
Sixteen years later, no one’s really attempted it. A lot of cameras still operate like film cameras with a dizzying array of digital functions clumsily added on top. Most manufacturers haven’t significantly re-thought menu systems originally designed for 20-or-so options despite them now having to accommodate around 100. Arguably none of them work well at this point: the difference is in just how badly they cope.
The result is cameras that are only really usable by people who’ve spent quite a lot of time learning how to use them, which is why I quietly seeth every time I hear a camera being described as ‘intuitive.’ Photography’s core elements are complex enough that there’ll always be something of a learning curve, but there’s probably a middle-ground between a smartphone that does everything from focus and exposure to adaptive processing for you and a camera that operates like a 1980s SLR with a text-based choose-you-own-adventure computer game glued to the back.
Small steps
There has been some innovation since then, of course: Pentax created the TAv (time and aperture priority) exposure mode that has now become commonplace in the form of allowing Auto ISO while in Manual exposure mode. And its Hyper Program mode where you could override its aperture or shutter speed decisions while retaining a high degree of automation.
Likewise, Canon introduced its Flexible Priority exposure mode (along with the disappointingly useless M-Fn swipe bar) on the EOS R, which let you select which of aperture value, shutter speed and ISO you controlled and which were automated, on-the-fly. I’ll confess I never quite managed to get my head ’round using it quickly enough for it to be beneficial.
The Sigma BF is not the answer
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With its dedicated settings screen, the Sigma BF represents a radical new approach to camera operation.
Photo: Richard Butler |
The Sigma BF is one of the most radical attempts I’ve witnessed to re-think how a camera operates. That’s why I’ve put so much time into making videos about it over the past few weeks: because it’s so different to anything you might have used before that it’s hard to appreciate without seeing it in action.
To be absolutely clear: it is not the future of photography. It’s a fascinating, back-to-fundamentals way of controlling a camera that makes you really think about shutter speed, aperture and exposure compensation (and by extension, ISO), in a way I’ve found quite inspiring. However, it engenders (perhaps even enforces) a slow, contemplative way of shooting that wouldn’t be appropriate for most photography or most photographers.
I’ll admit when I first heard the underlying specs of the BF I was worried Sigma had somehow taken five years to make a more limited version of the fp, which would appear to be a complete waste of everyone’s time. But when I got to actually use it, the interface turned out to make it one of the most interesting cameras I’ve used in years. Again, not as an all-round, do-anything camera: even if you added a mechanical shutter, it wouldn’t be that. But as an attractive device for documenting the world, it’s strangely compelling.
All about the detail
Whatever you might think about the BF, a little bit of time spent using it reveals just how much thought has gone into its interface. Learning to operate each function one at a time through the dedicated settings display, then using the main LCD solely for composition and focus, with no incomprehensible icons distracting you, is unexpectedly engaging.
Whereas on the single-dial Panasonic S9 I find myself constantly frustrated, pressing buttons, cursing and wishing for a second control dial, on the BF I’ve found myself intentionally passing the aperture control back to the camera’s single dial. It’s difficult to rationalize, and yet, it makes sense when the camera is in your hand.
There are two details that have jumped out at me. The first is that: when you half-press the shutter, just as you’re about to take your shot, the BF switches the dial’s function to exposure compensation. It’s a lovely little touch: it assumes you’ve selected the aperture and/or shutter speed you want, creatively, but makes it easy to give it a little tweak at the last moment, if needed.
It just works
But the detail that really stood out to me is the way White Balance is handled. Not something you might usually notice or pay attention to, but the way it’s handled on the BF is so clever that it makes you realize how much thought has gone into it.
When you first turn the camera on, the White Balance icons are arranged in order of color temperature, so that you can scroll from correcting too much orange light to correcting too much blue. That’s standard enough.
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Custom White Balance presets get saved along the white balance continuum in the menus. You can tap the trash icon to delete them. |
But what jumped out at me is what happens when you set a custom white balance. For this you have to bring up the 10-setting function menu to access the Custom WB option, but whatever value it records is then saved as a preset, in sequence along the color temperature spectrum.
So if you set a custom white balance that isn’t quite as cooling as the Incandescent preset, that custom preset will now appear between the Incandescent and Fluorescent settings as you scroll through your white balance options. If you find you no longer need that preset, you can delete it.
Manually defined white balance values are treated a little differently: they still appear in their relative position on the scale, but have to be selected from the function menu because, once selected, the rear dial adjusts their value, rather than jumping between presets. I was annoyed by this inconsistency at first, but it makes sense that you’re more likely to want to constantly fine-tune a white balance value you’ve chosen yourself, rather than setting from a grey card.
Ultimately, the handling of white balance is a tiny little detail for a setting most people don’t regularly interact with, but a detail that’s redolent of the degree of consideration that’s gone into ensuring the BF can be operated using a screen that displays a single parameter at a time.
There’s still need for revolution
As I hope I’ve made clear, I’m not saying the Sigma BF is the iPhone of the camera industry: far from it. But sixteen or so years after asking for it, it’s lovely to see someone willing to radically rethink how a camera could work. And I want to acknowledge Sigma and whoever designed the BF’s White Balance system for doing so.
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