Sigma SD15?

Call me crazy but ive been looking at pics by the sigma SD14 and other foveon X3 pics and really like the results.

The image quality and colours look great. Therefore im very tempted to get a SD15. I like how the SD15 will force me not to shoot in idiot mode (which i fall back on far too much) and make me think more.

As some may know my K10D died a death a while back and I have the following lenses...
Zenitar 16mm fisheye
50mm prime (asahi opt co japan smc pentax m 1:1.7)
pentax 75-300mm FAJ
tamron 2x converter
Of the above the only lens I really car about is the fisheye (which i oddly use for landscape work


QUESTION 1
How many of these would work on the Sigma / are there adapters available?

Ive had a look and some posts suggest they would work as is (with the exception of the tele) others say i would need to hack off the apeture lever? been reading through them for a couple days and its really confusing. Im not confident i could do any hacking unless i had a online guide w pics?

Theres also this site.
http://foto.nordjylland.biz/SD14/SD14-NonSigmaLenses.htm#PentaxK

Would I be better off keeping only the fisheye and selling the rest to buy SA mount lenses?


QUESTION 2
Will I love the SD15?

My alternatives would be to get a Pentax K-R or K-5 which i imagine would be a big improvement on the K10D

Alternatively I could get a SD14 for £300 and get a K-R aswell maybe?

Thoughts? will I notice the distinct result from a Foveon sensor when I get my ameteurish hands on one >?

I'll post this on the sigma forum in dpreview also...

Personally, i think you are crazy. Once you reach a certain level all cameras give the same results, it`s how you use the camera that matters, and the quality of the lenses. Certain things like fast frame rates or low light af or high ISO are important to some people and if you are one of these the pick the camera that best suits your needs, as you had a K10 presumably none of these mattered?
IMHO wait for the K5 to hit the streets, then buy a good used K20 or K7.

Davex.

Q. 1. None
There are no adapters available.

Q. 2. Nobody can answer that for you.

Do you care to explain why the SD15 will "force you not to shoot in idiot mode and think more"? As far as I know, those points are not camera related, but photographer related.

Changing camera brand won't likely improve your photographic skills. On the other hand, if you are more comfortable with the SD15, then go for it.

Fair point on picking up some good used gear, Hadnt considered that option.

I like my Zenitar a lot so if cant get it to work on the SD15 then thats not good

Also fair point on the me being lazy using green mode too much, but if the camera doesnt have one...


I guess I just like the look of the Foveon images... Ill see what this week brings from photokina... any other thoughts from anyone?

I don't think a Pentax User site is likely to be able to answer your questions about the Sigma camera, which is not really in the main arena of things.

And yours might look completely different

I use Pentax, have used all the main brands...however, I go to the NEC Focus show each year and two years ago Sigma had a large show of VERY large prints (about 2 feet by 18 inches) from the SD14 and I was very, very impressed indeed. Ignore snide and biased comments, judge for yourself, but I too am very intrigued with the SD14 & new SD15.

I suggest you do LOTS of googling...there are several specialist SD sites and forums.

cheers Steve.

How is the Sigma camera with compatibility with other lens makes, I don't think that besides Sigma anyone else make lenses for it, if so you should think carefully before making such a commitment.

The Sigma cameras I see as a "dead end" of development, pretty much like the Fuji DSLRs. Yes, they have their following, but it's a very, very small market and the availability of cameras and lenses for the Sigma is very poor.

I saw the images too, but also saw equally good images from all the other makes on offer.

Hiya,

John, I normally agree with your often common sense views, however on this occasion I could not disagree more with your negative view.

Both Sigma and Fuji have chosen, bravely, to take their own DSLR route rather than follow the herd like sheep. If you do a fair bit of research you will see that both of them have good reason to do so. All digital sensors, like most things have pro's & con's and the paths that Sigma & Fuji have taken just have a different set of pro's and con's. It is a fact that the image 'style' or 'motif' of both Sigma and Fuji DSLR's ARE different to the mainstream CCD/CMOS sensors.

It may be a minority that use Fuji/Sigma, but it is a large minority and both of them have a very good cult following, who appreciate the benefits that they see that Sigma/Fuji sensors give them.

If it were not for companies like Fuji/Sigma who challenge the commonly held views, then there would be far less innovation and that would be a bad thing.

And as for Sigma DSLR owners having little choice of lenses? Have you seen the Sigma range? HUGE; far, far, larger than the current Pentax lens range and Sigma lenses have superb build, excellent image quality and (unlike Pentax) excellent pricing. I think anyone who cannot make superb images from that massive range of lenses needs help. As far as I see tha only gap in the Sigma lens range is a shift lens, hardly an issue for 99.9% of photographers.

And how are Sigma/Fuji sensors any more of a 'dead end' than the CCD/CMOS sensors? I fail to see any logic there.

Sorry to take such issue, but all of us need companies like them.

cheers Steve.

Fair enough Steve.

The Fuji DSLRs were highly regarded by portrait photographers, but when shooting side by side I have to say the Pentax pictures looked better. Warmer, and better, IMHO at least. Fuji have it seems withdrawn from the DSLR market.

The Sigma SLRs do indeed have the Sigma range, but I'll bet in years to come we will find that Sigma fit Sigma lenses are few and far between on the second hand market.

In the future, who knows where sensors will go, but the Fuji ones may well be in bridge cameras or mirrorless cameras. The Fovean? We shall see with that one, but my own feeling is that it will find it very hard to survive against the mass of the "opposition" - if I'm right, that could well be a shame.