SIGMA FP L
SIMPLE MINDS The Sigma is kept clean and uncluttered, with the new EVF (below) bolting on to the side
SPECIFICATIONS
Price: £1999/$2499 Sensor: 61megapixels, full-frame, BSI Bayer CMOS, 3:2 Image stabiliser: ISO range: 100-25,600 Expandable 6-102,400 Lensmount: L LCD: 3.15in, 2.1milliondot touchscreen Viewfinder: Optional LVF-11 Auto focus: Phase and contrast detect Recording formats: Electronicwhen shooting movies up to 59.94pMOV 3840x2160 29.97p/25p/23.98p, FHD 1920x1080 119.98p/100p/ 59.94p/50p/48p/29.97p/25p/ 24p/ 23.98p. External output: DCI 4K24pRaw, 4K3840x2160 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p, FHD 1920x1080 119.98p/100p/ 59.94p/50p/48p/29.97p/25p/ 23.98p4:2:2 8-bit viaHDMI Connectivity: USB-C, TypeD HDMI, 3.5mmstereomic input Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXCUHS-II slot Battery: 1200mAhBP-51 Li-ion CinemaDNG8/10/12-bit, MOVH.264All-I/GOP. 4K
be thought of as a digital zoom; the more you zoom, the lower the resolution of the shot. There are also new colour profiles and a composite low ISO expansion setting. This is where the camera records a series of photos and combines them to give the effect of a lower ISO setting. The new AF systemoffers eye detection and a subject tracking AF system that works within a 7x7 grid and has 49 focus points. Unfortunately, all this stills spec has come at the cost of some video capability, as the fast 100 and 120fps frame rates in Full HD now have a pretty severe 1.67x crop. But in a nod to hardcore cinematographers, it does have options for real 24p and 23.98p. There is also a zoom crop function, where you can shoot 4K fromup to nine different crops of the sensor down to a native 3840x2160 – the equivalent of a 2.5x crop. The camera really is all about shooting Raw video, where you can extract an incredible amount of detail from the files in post. If you connect an external SSD, you can output 10- or 12-bit CinemaDNG Raw video. Or for smaller files, output via HDMI in ProRes Raw to an Atomos recorder or Blackmagic Raw to its Video Assist monitor/recorder. And using HDMI output also allows DCI 4K video in the wider 4096x2160 size, but only in 24p. The camera retains the small andminimalist body, with few external controls. But now there is an optional £599/$699 EVF-11 electronic viewfinder, which bolts on to the side of the camera and has a 3.69million dot OLED function that can tilt up to 90°. It has a 21mm eye point to avoid vignetting around the edges, an adjustable diopter from-4 to +3, and comes with two different eyecups. However, this viewfinder
takes up the HDMI port and stops you charging the camera over USB – but it does add a headphone socket. The camera is available in a kit with the EVF for £2449/$2999. One of the bugbears we had with the original Sigma fp was battery life, as it quickly ate through the 1200mAh. The fp L still uses the same battery, but official figures say it’s slightly more power-hungry, so you’d need to invest in a pocketful of spares. You can charge the battery via the USB-C socket while the camera is in use. And the USB-C socket now allows plug-and-play functionality for the camera as a webcam for streaming. Two years on from the fp launch, the fp L is still the smallest full- frame mirrorless camera, and it shoots Raw internally to SD cards. Since the fp release, more L-Mount lenses have been launched at a range of prices, and you can use Canon or PLmount lenses via Sigma’s adapters. But it still lacks a tilting or folding screen and audiomonitoring, unless you bolt on the EVF, which thenmeans you can’t use the HDMI socket for anything else. It’s still the most quirky camera on the market, but has great, headline spec that might make sense for you.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 112.6x69.9x45.3mm/ 4.43x2.75x1.78in Weight: 427g/0.94lbwith battery and card
PLUG IN BABY The new EVF-11 viewfinder fits to the end of the camera and connects via HDMI and USB
More information sigma-imaging-uk.com
“The camera really is all about shooting Raw video, where you can extract an incredible amount in post”
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