I arrived at Dungeness just after 3pm and the light was already beautiful, quite typical of the kind of luminosity one might encounter in Cornwall. I hurriedly checked in to my accommodation and then ran out of the door with my camera bag. As soon as you pass the sign for Dungeness estate you find yourself in a unique landscape. Feeling a little rushed with the fading light and being unfamiliar with the location I headed straight for the boats out on the shingle. The above is the first image of the trip, not a bad start with nice conditions in which to familiarise myself with a new camera.
I’ve been using SIGMA Foveon cameras with the Art range of lenses for most of my work for around the last four years. I love the medium format quality and rich depth that Foveon brings to my work and prints. The fp is SIGMA’s first Bayer sensor camera and has a 24.6MP back illuminated sensor. It is very solid in construction and weather sealed. I was pleased to see that fp has the familiar (to me) Sigma menu system which is highly intuitive and a pleasure to use, one of the main reasons that I enjoy shooting with Sigma cameras. As a photographer who likes long hikes, cycling and occasionally canoeing, I try to keep my kit as lightweight as possible. For this trip I had the new SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary lens and the SIGMA 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN| Art lens. These new L-mount lenses are much smaller than those I’ve been using previously and I am excited to get exploring with this new lightweight kit.
This system has been designed to be modular and so one can personalise it to their own needs. I also need a viewfinder as I feel detached from the image making process without one.
At the earliest opportunity I will be acquiring the SIGMA LCD Viewfinder, as personally I feel detached from the image making process without one. The viewfinder is the same in design as those I’ve been using with my DP Quattro series of cameras. There will also be third party viewfinders available.
The only other thing that bothered me is that I kept catching the MODE button, which brings up the mode screen (A, P, S, M mode etc). With that in mind I shall also be needing one of the grips which come in small or large size.
Other than that, I am hugely enjoying this camera. Image quality is superb, build quality second to none, a joy to use and the ability to personalise it.
A full length version of this article is available to read on Karl’s blog on the following link; https://www.karlholtby.com/single-post/2019
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Featured product: SIGMA fp Camera
