An impressive sensor in a compact body, but some of the DP2's other quirks aren't as appealing.

Instead of a regular APS-C sensor, the Sigma DP2 Merrill adopts a Foveon X3 CMOS chip, which consists of three layers of photodiodes, each responding to different wavelengths of light.

As premium compact cameras go, the Sigma DP2 takes a different tack to the likes of the Panasonic GF1 and Canon G11 . It doesn't support interchangeable lenses or rock a built-in zoom lens – instead, it features a fixed focal length lens with a large aperture, teaming it up with an advanced...

If you were to say "SIGMA" to someone who'd spent a good part of their photographic past shooting 35mm film, there's a good chance the first word out of their mouth would be "lenses.

I read all the reviews and did my research prior to buying this camera. I highly recomend doing the same to avoid disapointment. This is not a typical point and shoot and if you buy it as an everyday carry around camera you may be disapointed.

Great Resolution; Small / Compact

Lag / Shutter Delay; Poor in Low Light; Short Battery Life

This camera produces absolutely amazing image quality, but requires a few compromises. The sensor and lens combo are fantastic, the lens is one of the sharpest I have ever used. With good light, image quality is fantastic, but above ISO 800 is only really useable as B&W.

Great color; Great Resolution; Great Sharpness; Small / Compact

No Viewfinder; Poor in Low Light; Short Battery Life; Slow Writing To Card

It's always difficult reviewing cameras like the Sigma DP2, a fairly niche product that inspires fierce loyalty in its devotes. A compact, pocketable camera designed to appeal to enthusiast and fine art photographers, the DP2 joins models like the Canon PowerShot G10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3...

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 lockups; poor white balance; overly blue LCD screen; poor video capture

At the 2006 Photokina tradeshow, Japanese third-party lens manufacturer Sigma announced development of its first compact digital camera . A year and a half later, the Sigma DP1 -- the camera that started the trend for large-sensor, fixed-lens compacts -- hit the market .

Phenomenal detail and "depth" at low ISOs; Incredible image quality for the price and size (at low ISOs; No demosaicing artifacts; Extremely high resolution; Superb corner-to-corner sharpness and contrast from fixed lens; even wide open; Low geometric distortion and chromatic aberration; Decent...

Fixed focal-length lens, Poor macro reproduction ratio, Moderate vignetting wide open, High ISO performance is still poor; much below average for the sensor size, Below average dynamic range, Auto and Incandescent white balance produce color casts indoors, Slow startup, Sluggish continuous mode...

Captured images have good dynamic range and showcase the potential of the sensor. The Sigma DP2 Quattro, in our opinion, can only perform well in the hands of an experienced or extremely conscientious photographer who knows exactly what he's doing.

The Sigma DP2 Merrill is dedicated to Dick Merrill (1949-2008), a photographer and engineer who developed/invented the Foveon sensor technology. The camera is based on former DP compact Sigma cameras, but uses the newest generation of the Foveon X3 sensor.