This is the latest in what has become a multi part Vintage Digital series on the latest camera that I am a bit obsessed with presently, the SIGMA sd Quattro and 30mm f/1.4 Art lens kit. The first three parts were:
(This ended up being a long one so instead of one post with all items below I broke it up into parts. Flee now while you can those of short attention span. Save yourself.)
- Unpack how on Earth I got here.
- Unbox the thing and first thoughts.
- Quick sample shots and initial wrap up.
In one of those posts I mentioned that I liked the ergonomics enough that a post focused on that alone was in order. Well this is that post.
As such there will be little or no mention of the main topics typically discussed which have more to do with objective specs. Specifically there will be no mention of it’s…
Ergonomics.
As stated previously I found it odd that it is both unlike any camera I have used and fairly intuitive. A wonderfully chunky thing in hand I said. Also went on to say that I have held considerably more expensive cameras and lenses that do not feel nearly as good as this.
It also manages to feel substantial without feeling overly heavy as well. A rare feat in my experience. Before mentioning a fairly unique approach to displaying information I will first start with more traditional aspects.
Many common controls that will often require a bit of menu fishing in other cameras have dedicated switches or buttons. For instance:
Great execution of more common control elements like the quick select, front dial, and shutter button.
A non-conventional but effectively placed on/off switch that was over engineered to Pentaxian proportions.
As is the AF/MF switch on the kit lens
Speaking of over-engineered there is the rear dial, lock switch (where what controls are locked can be selected), and well placed metal diopter dial…
…that is operational when slightly raised…
…and locked when pushed down.
Very common, but well placed photo review button.
The writing to SD Card light that will leave you to abandon image review in the field after a while once you realize that you will need to wait until it goes out before the button above will do anything. Not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion.
A bit more common, but appreciated is the display type button.
A less common dedicated EVF/Monitor switch.
Also less common is the dedicated single or continuous button. Thankfully brings up a select dialogue rather than operating as a toggle that I would set off without meaning to.
Dedicated focus point (9 of them) select button.
There are the well covered ports.
Lastly the dedicated buttons for common controls are appreciated, but they alone do not tell the whole story.
Here is the sd Quattro’s party piece. The funky little vertical side display right of the rear screen that I really like.
You might be saying, like I did at first, that is nice but a lot of cameras have an auxiliary screen. But above allowing you to turn the main back screen off on the sd Quattro there is more to this party piece. Not only does it display the current settings, but it corresponds with control buttons next to the display. When you press the corresponding button the associated parameter remains lit and then can be adjusted by using either of the control dials.
Exposure compensation.
ISO
Metering method.
Mode.
And last but not least a great feeling grip.
While not nearly as compact as the dp2 the sd makes good use of its larger size by adding buttons and switches.
Last thoughts.
I can add ergonomics to my documented appreciation of the sd Quattro’s image quality.
Well done SIGMA.
Eric L. Woods 