On the surface, the 4.6-megapixel Sigma DP2 ($649 street) is a compact point-and-shoot camera that's very expensive, too big to fit in your pocket, and lacks optical zoom, face detection, and HD-or even SD-video recording.

No optical zoom; Lens is not interchangeable; No face detection; Noticeable shutter lag; Low still image and video resolutions; Small LCD; ISO 1600 and 3200 are only available when shooting in RAW format.

running firmware v1.02 For many years we, along with a great many other photo enthusiasts, have been hoping, and cajoling manufacturers, for a small camera with a good lens and a large sensor. While the large manufacturers made approving noises, none of them seemed willing to make the first move.

Excellent levels of detail in ISO 100 images (irrespective of pixel count; Dynamic range comparable with its peers; Good lens with only minimal distortion and little chromatic aberration; Attractive minimalist styling; Good build quality; Greatly improved user interface (though still has its

Sluggish performance; Desaturated and 'flat' JPEG output; Unreliable White Balance; Green and magenta tints to parts of many images; Continuous mode only allows four shots per burst (three in RAW; Auto Focus struggles in low light (and there is no AF help light; Image quality drops sharply above ISO

It's rare in the digital camera market to see something that truly innovates. With their DP1 in 2008, Sigma did just that, putting a completely new type of APS -C image sensor in a fixed lens compact camera.

Improved APS -C Foveon X3 sensor from $6000+ Sigma SD1; Simple; adaptable control scheme and operation; Fixed 30mm lens is sharp and has bright f/2.8 maximum aperture

Camera body can be tough to hold without rubberized grip

The successor to Sigma's DP1 arrives with big expectations and striking design. But how does it fair on the WDC testing bench?

Excellent result can be achieved with a fair amount of effort

Stuttered focusing system; problems in use.

The Merrill range brings major updates to Sigma's DP series of expert compacts which, you may remember, come loaded with large-format sensors (APS-C) and fixed-focal-length lenses.

Sturdy; robust design; Good-quality lens; Sensor/lens give exceptional quality images; Noise handled well up to 400 ISO; Interesting design and handling

No built-in flash or accessory supplied; No optical or mechanical stabilisation; Very low battery life (two batteries supplied as standard; Only one software option for RAW files; No viewfinder (optical or EVF; Video resolution: 640 x 480 pixels

The new Sigma DP2 uses Sigma's Foveon X3 sensor, a unique triple-layer design where red, green and blue pixels are arranged in a vertical stack and each pixel in the final image has full colour information from the start. As a result, the pixel-level definition is genuinely startling.

Excellent construction; Great design and layout; Image fine detail

Limiting lens; Not great value for money; Some sluggish performance issues

Digital SLR, although when comparing the DP2x and the new DP2 Merrill, the camera has been redesigned with a new lens, that matches the specification of the

Clear menu system; New high resolution screen; Excellent image quality when shooting RAW; Impressive levels of detail; Robust metal body; New lens

Large RAW files (45 to 55mb each; Poor JPEG results; Poor auto white balance results; Sigma Photo Pro performance; Lacks flash; VGA video; Poor battery life

We see a lot of new camera kit at the AP office. New features, picture effects and claims of improved performance are the norm. In the Sigma DP2 Merrill, Sigma has created a camera not intended to compete on such terms.

, garnered praise for its lens and picture quality at low ISO settings, it wasn't without fault. Many reviewers and users alike commented on the restricting choice of wide-angle lens, the 35mm equivalent of a 28mm, as well as more damaging aspects, including poor high ISO performance, inadequate...

At low ISO sensitivities, the photo quality is extremely good, with a broad, smooth tonal range with good shadow and highlight detail. Although, according to Foveon and Sigma, the X3 sensor has 14-megapixel resolution, colour resolution (in this case the number of photo sites, which is 3 for each...

Excellent characteristics for shooting in black and white; Compact; Nice manual controls

Slow AF system, Short battery life, Stiff shutter button, Some interface annoyances, Occasional lock-ups; poor white balance; overly blue LCD screen; poor video capture