Sigma SD9 vs Sony A700: A Hands-On, In-Depth DSLR Showdown for Photography Aficionados

When I look back through my years testing hundreds of cameras - from entry-level shooters to pro-grade beasts - the Sigma SD9 and Sony A700 stand out as emblematic snapshots of DSLR evolution in the 2000s. Each caters to serious photographers, but they do so with wildly different philosophies and tech bakes.

I've spent ample time handling both these mid-size SLRs, pushing their sensors, autofocus, and ergonomics through real-world scenarios that matter. Whether you're a pixel-peeper chasing the ultimate image quality or a cheapskate enthusiast marveling at value, this detailed face-off will help you pick your next camera intelligently.

Let’s crack them open and compare their guts, versatility, and street cred across photographic disciplines - from intimate portraits to wild wildlife hikes. And, for those who love visuals, I’ve inserted a few reference photos from my own test gallery.

Getting a Feel in Your Hands: Size and Ergonomics

You know the saying: you buy a camera you fall in love with, and a big chunk of that is how it feels between your clubs for thumbs.

Starting with build, the Sigma SD9 clocks in heavier at 950g, compared to the lighter 768g Sony A700. Physically the SD9 measures 152x120x79mm - slightly chunkier than the A700's 142x105x80mm frame. Despite the SD9’s heft, it feels sturdy, with a robust mid-size SLR body that’s reminiscent of a solid old-school manual camera.

On the other hand, the Sony A700 offers a more compact body but still with a comfortable grip. The ergonomics on Sony’s model lean toward the modern tradition with better contouring for those extended shooting sessions. The layout is well balanced, something you’ll appreciate when tracking fast-moving subjects.

Top-Down Control Layout: Command Central

No one enjoys fumbling through menus when the decisive shot hinges on swift shutter finger action.

The SD9 keeps things minimalist - fewer buttons, no illuminated controls, and no top screen for quick settings glance. Its primitive control scheme reflects the early-2000s DSLR era, relying on traditional dials for shutter speed, aperture priority, and manual exposure modes. For manual photographers who enjoy tinkering, this is familiar and somewhat charming. However, the lack of live exposure feedback or customizable buttons could frustrate shooters reliant on instant adjustments.

Sony’s A700, launched five years later, improves on that with additional dedicated buttons, a built-in flash, and a higher max shutter speed (1/8000s vs. SD9’s 1/6000s). More importantly, the A700 supports customization, has better exposure compensation controls, and a top-mounted LCD that clearly relays key info at a glance.

Sensor and Image Quality: Where Tech Meets Pixels

Here is where we begin to see the fundamental technical rift between these two cameras.

The Sigma SD9 boasts a 3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor based on the unique Foveon X3 technology - a sensor that captures full color information on every pixel using three stacked photodiodes sensitive to different wavelengths (red, green, and blue). The sensor size is 20.7x13.8mm, smaller than Sony’s, but its unique architecture theoretically offers superb color fidelity, sharpness, and detail per pixel compared to traditional Bayer sensor designs.

However, let me be frank from my hands-on testing and lab data: the SD9’s 3MP resolution output (2268x1512 pixels) feels painfully low by modern standards. Prints larger than 8x10 inches can appear soft or blocky, and digital cropping is severely limited.

The Sony A700 employs a conventional 12.2MP APS-C sensor (23.5x15.6mm). This CMOS sensor delivers a healthy 4272x2848 image resolution, making it far more versatile for cropping and enlarging. The A700 also uses a standard Bayer filter array with an anti-aliasing filter, providing reliable detail without excessive moiré artifacts.

On raw image quality metrics, the A700 shines with a DxO overall score of 66 and exceptional low-light ISO performance up to 6400 native - whereas the SD9, being an older camera, doesn’t have DxO lab data. Empirically, ISO 400 is the SD9’s practical ceiling; noise dominates beyond that, restricting low-light flexibility.

Summing sensor takeaways:

• SD9: Superior color depth and arguably better in-studio portrait color rendition due to Foveon tech, but puny resolution and high ISO limits tether its real-world adaptability.
• A700: Resolutions and ISO headroom suited for nearly any scenario, from landscapes to fast sports - even if colors are less “magical” than the Foveon look.

Viewing and Image Review Interface

An often overlooked but crucial aspect for efficient workflow is how you review and compose your shots.

The Sigma SD9 sports a tiny 1.8-inch LCD with abysmal 130k-pixel resolution. Forget checking fine focus or histograms on that screen. It’s only marginally better than a toy. With no live view offered, composing is wholly optical.

Sony's A700 features a 3-inch LCD at a very respectable 920k pixels - this alone makes an immediate difference when assessing sharpness, exposure, and color on location. Though it lacks live view (quite common for SLRs of its vintage), the playback is user friendly and comfortable for tentatively adjusting shots without lugging a laptop.

Viewfinder wise, SD9’s pentaprism offers 98% frame coverage and 0.77x magnification - nice for framing accuracy - while the A700 trades slightly less coverage (95%) and smaller magnification (0.6x). Still, the A700’s bright, sharp finder coupled with higher resolution LCD wins for overall usability.

Autofocus and Speed: Chasing Action and Moments

Autofocus systems can make or break cameras for sports, wildlife, or street shooters relying on fast, reliable focusing.

The Sigma SD9 employs contrast-detection autofocus using its sensor - a slow, somewhat clunky system handled via single, continuous, and selective modes. It has multi-area AF but no face or eye detection, and notably, no phase-detection AF, leading to slower acquisition and hunting under challenging light.

In contrast, Sony’s A700 features an 11-point phase-detection AF system. This considerably improves speed, tracking, and accuracy, particularly valuable for moving subjects. Continuous shooting at 5fps - though modest by today’s standards - allows the A700 to capture fleeting moments that the SD9’s continuous drive (not specified but known to be practically non-existent) cannot handle.

In practical wildlife outings, the A700 smoothly tracks birds in flight, while the SD9’s slow AF made me miss many shots. Sports photographers will feel the difference even more acutely.

Durability and Weather Sealing

For outdoor photographers, body weather sealing can transform an outing from risky to routine.

The SD9 does not offer any environmental sealing or ruggedization features. Similarly, it lacks dustproof or water resistance features, so it requires cautious handling around moisture or dust.

Sony’s A700, however, delivers partial weather sealing - an upgrade over the prior Minolta 7D. This improves confidence when shooting in drizzle or dusty conditions, especially for landscape and travel photographers desiring durability without extreme expense.

Lens Ecosystem and Mount Compatibility

Lens choices directly influence your creative flexibility.

The Sigma SD9 uses the proprietary Sigma SA mount with approximately 76 native lenses available at the time. Sigma’s lineup, however, has historically been narrower compared to more established mounts, and fewer third-party lenses support the SA mount. This limitation can pose problems for photographers seeking specialty lenses such as super telephotos or advanced macros.

Sony’s A700 uses the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount, benefiting from a vast ecosystem - over 140 lenses at the time I reviewed - including third-party heavyweights (Tamron, Sigma, Tokina) and a strong selection of native optics. This mount is known for excellent AF implementation and image quality across the range, particularly strong in telephoto and portrait lenses.

For me, the A700’s access to a broader and more diverse lens portfolio offers more creative freedom, especially for wildlife, sports, and portrait shooters.

Battery Life and Storage Options

Shooting daylong gigs or travel photography sessions demand reliable power and ample media.

The SD9’s battery type and life are undocumented in my tests, but anecdotal reports suggest it runs shorter sessions due to power-hungry sensor reads and dated battery tech. Storage is via a single CompactFlash Type I or II slot - typical for its era.

Sony’s A700 fares better with a more efficient battery model (NP-FM500H) and offers dual storage slots: one for CompactFlash and another for Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo cards. Dual slots provide either overflow or backup options, enhancing reliability when shooting high-volume events or crucial assignments.

Connectivity and Modern Usability

Connectivity feels like a weak point for both cameras by today’s standards but noteworthy differences remain.

The SD9 offers only USB 1.0 connectivity at painfully slow 1.5 Mbit/sec speeds with no wireless features, GPS, or HDMI. Transferring images is a slog, and tethered shooting is not viable for professional workflows.

Sony’s A700 upgrades substantially with USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) for faster file transfer and includes HDMI output - handy for reviewing shots on HDTVs. However, it still lacks wireless or modern Bluetooth/NFC options.

Value for Money: Paying for Pixels and Practicality

Price tags on these cameras reflect their generation gap: the SD9 clocks in around $3000 (inflation adjusted, of course), whereas you can find used Sony A700 bodies around $1000.

Let's be blunt - paying triple the price for low 3MP images and clunky AF is hard to justify for most enthusiasts. The SD9 is a niche camera carbon-copied mainly by collectors, pixel purists, or studio shooters who prize Foveon’s color science over megapixels.

The A700 represents exceptional value for photographers craving a solid all-rounder with more modern features, better image flexibility, and a solid lens kit.

Real-World Photography Discipline Breakdown

To round things off, here’s where I’d steer you based on your main photography interests:

Portrait Photography

• Sigma SD9 wins praise for lush and natural skin tones from Foveon’s full-color capture. Gorgeous, painterly bokeh from quality Sigma glass matched with SD9’s color science produces very “organic” portraits. But beware of low resolution limiting print sizes.
• Sony A700 offers more versatility with higher res, faster AF, and in-body stabilization enabling sharper handheld portraits in dim lighting. Color science is less unique but solid.

Landscape

• The A700’s wider dynamic range, higher resolution, and partial weather sealing make it a better all-day field partner.
• The SD9’s color fidelity here is a treat for controlled conditions but hampered by its lower resolution.

Wildlife and Sports

• The A700’s 11-point PDAF, 5fps burst, and faster shutter speeds give it a decisive edge.
• The SD9’s autofocus is too slow and low frame rate to catch action.

Street Photography

• A700: compact size and Wi-Fi missing, but discrete and fast.
• SD9: bulky, slower response, putting it out for candid shooting.

Macro

• Neither boasts dedicated macro-focused features or focus stacking, but Sony’s stabilization makes macro handheld more feasible.

Night and Astro

• A700’s high ISO capabilities and long exposure support leave SD9 in the dust for night shooters.

Video

• Neither camera offers video recording capabilities - these were early DSLRs, ahead of the video revolution.

Travel Photography

• A700’s dual cards, lighter body, and ruggedness win here.
• SD9’s endurance and flexibility feel limited.

Professional Use

• SD9 appeals to studio and fine art photographers with a preference for raw quality over speed.
• A700 is more reliable in workflow integration with widely supported raw files and connectivity.

Sample Shots Gallery: Pixel Peep and Judge Yourself

Sigma SD9 front Sigma SD9 screen back Sony A700 front Sony A700 screen back

Here are some real-world JPEG shots from both cameras under controlled lighting and varied subjects. Notice the SD9’s nuanced color gradations on skin and fabric, but also the A700’s superior detail clarity and dynamic range.

Final Performance Ratings at a Glance

Wrapping Up: Who Should Pick Which?

Choose the Sigma SD9 if:

• You are a fine art or portrait photographer who prizes exceptional color fidelity over resolution.
• You shoot mostly in controlled lighting and studio environments.
• You love Foveon sensor technology and don’t mind working around slower AF and limited low-light ability.
• Your workflow involves mainly stills, with minimal need for video or speed.

Pick the Sony A700 if:

• You want a versatile DSLR capable of handling landscapes, wildlife, sports, and everyday shooting.
• You value a faster, reliable autofocus system and higher resolution for cropping.
• You shoot in varied lighting, including low light or outdoors with some weather risk.
• You want better ergonomics, dual card slots, and practical usability for travel or pro work.
• You need a camera offering modern connectivity and smoother workflow integration.

Final Thoughts From Someone Who Has Held Both

Though the SD9 and A700’s release dates are a stone’s throw apart in photographic terms, their design philosophies diverge considerably. The SD9 feels like a relic for a very particular enthusiast - adored for its unique sensor and image character but limited in flexibility.

Sony’s A700, on the other hand, feels like a bridge to modern DSLRs: fast, capable, and user-friendly, without breaking the bank. It’s a testament to Sony’s focus on marrying legacy Minolta tech with pushes toward higher performance.

Whether you’re a pixel perfectionist or an active shooter, knowing these strengths and compromises ensures you pick a tool that truly serves your creative ambitions.

Happy shooting, and may your next camera be your favorite yet!