Digital Photo Pro - May 2007
' …the camera quickly grew on me from the handling perspective, and offering a nice combination of size and weight it balances well with numerous optics and you certainly don’t feel like it’s anything but a very decent bit of kit.' 'You can obtain high-resolution images fully acceptable in many areas of professional use. In fact, because of the high pixel density as noted I would, for example, say this could well be the best camera around for close-up photography if that is your domain.'
   
Amateur Photographer - 12th May 2007
‘…I found using the camera a pleasurable experience. I rarely needed to visit the menu, and when I did, there was no scrolling through pages of features I don’t want, so those I do are quicker to find. ‘...browsing through my images reveals that the eight-segment evaluative metering system generally does a very good job. It isn’t overly distracted by small highlights in the scene and exposes the majority of the scene correctly.’ ‘When either the built-in flash unit or Sigma’s optional EF-500 DG Super flashgun were called into service to give extra illumination, the SD14’s exposure system continued to give good service.’
   
Digital Camera - June 2007
‘There’s no interpolation, no de-mosaicing and no guesswork involved. The results of this different approach is an image quality with a level of clarity at a pixel level that is simply stunning.’ ‘The way the software balances the ‘fill light’, highlight and shadow is incredibly impressive. It brings out the sensor’s wider dynamic range, retaining detail in dark shadows and bright highlights long after most sensors would have given up, and yet it retains good contrast in the midtones while it does so.’ ‘In the right conditions this camera produces image quality that you simply can’t get from a conventional sensor.’
   
British Journal of Photography - 2nd May 2007
‘In answer to the question of whether the camera has been worth the wait, the answer is a resounding yes.’ ‘Image quality at ISO 100 was very impressive, both in terms of colour rendition and detail. A quick resolution check using a test chart showed that, in terms of black and white line pairs, the SD14 is roughly on par with a 10 million pixel Bayer array camera such as the Nikon D200, but that for primary colours and shades such as flesh, foliage and so on, where the Bayer camera shows reduced resolution, the SD14 maintains an almost constant level.’
   
Master Photo Digital - May 2007
‘The shutter deserves a special mention, as the quietness and precision of the mechanism can really only be described as exquisite – I have really, genuinely had people comment on this aspect of the camera when I’ve been using it.’ ‘It’s certainly clear that the noise levels at 800 ISO are reduced compared to the SD10… Foveon sensors don’t seem to generate the strong colour noise of the Bayer model even when pushed. I’d have no hesitation using the 800 ISO for faster exposures, but the SD remains better suited to well-lit situations, offering a lot of additional information in highlight areas.’
   
Practical Photography - June 2007
‘So what are the results like then? The simple answer is, excellent. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you first open up the images on your computer for the first time. Even more surprising is when you open up an identical shot from a Nikon D200. The Sigma virtually blows it out of the water with the level of clarity and highlight and shadow detail and, or course, punchy colours. At low ISO settings, the image quality is superb – great colours and a minimum of noise.’ ‘As the SD14 is very much aimed at the advanced enthusiast, the software needs to be targeted at the same users too. Unlike many other manufacturers’ supplies software, Sigma Photo Pro 3.0 more than covers all the essentials you need from a basic RAW converter. In fact, it actually does a great job.'
   
Digital Photo - June 2007
‘To protect against dust getting onto the sensor, the SD14 is fitted with a dust protector that sits just behind the lens mount. It doesn’t shake the dust off the sensor like some other systems, but instead prevents dust reaching the sensor in the first place.’ You can see the thinking behind the sensor and the colours produced are excellent.’
   
Digital SLR User - June 2007
‘Colour accuracy of the SD14 both indoors and out is nothing short of superb.’ ‘Without doubt the highlight of the SD14 is the superb Foveon X3 sensor capturing full colour data at each pixel location with its three separate layers of photodiodes. The ability of the SD14 to process in-camera JPEGs in addition to war file capture is a distinct and very welcome option. Another highlight of the package is Sigma’s inclusion of the superb PhotoPro software. It’s without doubt one of the best Raw editing utilities available.' ‘In terms of image quality, at lower sensitivities the SD14’s Foveon chip is on par with the best mosaic sensor and effortlessly impresses with its colour purity.’
   
What Digital Camera - June 2007
‘The right hand grip is perfect for my hands, with my thumb naturally curling round the back to rest in the rubberised indent on the rear. Add a reassuring weight (that isn’t overly heavy) and a great balance and in the hand this is one of the finest feeling cameras I have come across in some time. It’s not just the physical presence of the SD14 though, as the control layout is equally well thought out.’ ‘Offering 98% coverage it shows you virtually everything that will appear in the final image and the view is bright. Not only that – it’s also easy to see the corners of the frame and the green LED viewfinder information at the same time, so you don’t have to move your eye around, which is again excellent.’
   
Ephotozine - June 2007
Billed as a 14Mp sensor (three sensor layers of 4.6Mp each), the image quality that the camera achieves is certainly outstanding. Designed for the experienced photographer, the SD14 is, thankfully, free of preset scene modes but does have designated settings for things like Mirror-up, 2sec self timer with auto mirror up and a 10sec self timer, which are all useful. Sigma are well known for their lenses but are a very small camera manufacturer and to apply the advances in the SD14 over their previous models without going to a major manufacturer for the hardware speaks volumes for their ingenuity. What the SD14 does have, apart from the advances in handling over its predecessors, is superb image quality and colour fidelity when used in its intended RAW format.
   

Photography Monthly - July 2007
The SD14 seems happy enough and purrs softly when I take a picture. The shutter action is virtually silent and the camera feels solid and comfortable in my hand. I’m enjoying myself immensely. There are some very neat touches such as manual pop-up flash and a good-quality 2.5in LCD monitor. Start-up time is impressive too, with the camera ready to take pictures in less than a second.’ ‘Once the shots are written you’ll be rewarded with images displaying punchy, saturate colours that really leap out at you. Resolution is impressive as well.’ ‘There’s much to like about the SD14 – great image quality, low noise at low ISOs, butch design. It looks great, and feels extremely solid in the hand. And the colours of the sensor really leap out at you. They are vivid, saturated and crystal clear.’
   
Which Digital Camera - July 2007
‘The key element is its tonal range which, thanks to the fact it is capturing more detailed colour information, means that it can better represent the tonal differences across an image. This is especially important when contrasting light tones are involved. Exposure on the SD14 is very good, and that tonal range performance is as good as we expected. Overall the SD14 is a camera that delivers a very good level of detail without a stack of bells and whistles.’
   
  Digital Camera Buyer - Issue 59
‘Pick up the SD14 for the first time and the camera sits very nicely in your hand, with a solid feel to the construction.’ ‘…Sigma’s software has an excellent interface and is pretty intuitive to use. Very quickly, you can get your images ready to print or for some fine-tuning in Photoshop.’ ‘If the conditions are right…then the SD14 can produce images that have potential to take your breath away.’ ‘The colours are excellent, with image sharpness and surface textures that look very three-dimensional. You can understand what Sigma has been banging on about in relation to the 14-megapixel Foveon sensor.' ‘It’s easy to understand the theory behind the technology and when you see what it’s capable of producing, you’ll be very impressed.’
   
Digital Photographer - Issue 58
‘Once up and running, the camera feels responsive and everything works as it should. Half pressing the shutter, focus lock is quick and accurate. In low-light conditions, the focus assist light does a good job, working even in almost complete darkness.’ ‘If the conditions are right… then the SD14 can produce images that have the potential to take your breath away. The colours are excellent, with image sharpness and surface textures that look very three dimensional. You start to understand what Sigma has been banging on about.’
   
 

F2 Freelance Photographer - June/July 2007
‘By using Raw, you also get the benefit of the exceptional dynamic range of the SD14. The sharpness and clarity of images from the SD14 is impressive. Fine detail is captured with a lack of colour fringing and moiré, and textures in fabric are retained accurately. Once again, Sigma’s DSLR is going to be a weapon of choice for fashion photography, simply because it captures colour in a way that no other camera at the price can match.’
   
  Digital SLR Photography - September 2007
‘The SD14 looks and feels much better than its predecessors, with better styling, nicer balance and more robust quality. As with all models designed for serious use, the Sigma has a good weight and the exterior feels very robust.’ ‘The Sigma is easy to get around and quick to use. The eight segment Evaluative metering system performs very well.’
   
Outdoor photographer - November 2007
‘The SD14 is well built, without being to heavy’ ‘The grip is quite pronounced, but it felt well sculpted and comfortable in the hand’ ‘I was impressed by the smooth colour rendition and vibrancy without over saturation. So, for the studio shots, landscapes and static subjects I would recommend the SD14. The lack of a low-pass filter also opens up the opportunity to remove the dust protector and experiment with infrared’
   
  RPS Journal - September 2007
‘Compared to previous SDs, the SD14 is lighter, smaller and more versatile – a built in flash provides a quick fix for indoor and fill photography, and allows wireless control of the EF-500 super; a flash sync socket is now provided. The battery is now a single BP-21 camcorder style pack, providing a realistic run time of 500 images, while also offering very rapid charging’ ‘Certainly, at the moment Sigma is ahead of the field with this system and for the money this is cutting edge technology’
   
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