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Sigma SD1 Merrill

 
Sigma SD1 Merrill front
 
Portability
57
Imaging
56
Features
45
Overall
51

Sigma SD1 Merrill summary

Sigma SD1 Merrill is Sigma's Advanced DSLR digital camera first launched on April of 2012. It houses a 15 MegaPixel, CMOS (Foveon X3) APS-C sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4800 x 3200.

Sigma launched this model in order to update the older Sigma SD1 (Read Full Comparison)

The SD1 Merrill comes in at #57 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras & over-all #422 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should check out our Smart camera filter to get camera listings based on your personal criteria.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Sigma SD1 Merrill history

The Sigma SD1 Merrill has a history of related digital cameras. Underneath, you can find all earlier and new models alongside key features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sigma-SD1-Merrill front thumbnailSigma SD1 Merrill15MPAPS-Cn/a fps2012
Sigma-SD1 front thumbnailSigma SD1
SD1 Merrill vs SD1
15MPAPS-C5.0 fps2010
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Sigma-SD15 front thumbnailSigma SD15
SD1 Merrill vs SD15
5MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
Sigma-SD14 front thumbnailSigma SD14
SD1 Merrill vs SD14
5MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006
Sigma-SD10 front thumbnailSigma SD10
SD1 Merrill vs SD10
3MPAPS-Cn/a fps2004
Sigma-SD9 front thumbnailSigma SD9
SD1 Merrill vs SD9
3MPAPS-Cn/a fps2002
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Sigma SD1 Merrill Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of good and bad points of the Sigma SD1 Merrill based on things which are generally considered essential in a digital camera.

above average minimum ISO (100)
environment proof
focusing manually
good sensor size (APS-C)
has phase detect AF
megapixel count decent (15MP)
screen size is good (3")
supports RAW files
swap lenses (Sigma SA mount)
doesn't have liveview
does not offer selfie friendly screen
lack of HDMI socket
lack of headphone socket
lack of image stabilization
lack of microphone socket
lack of Timelapse recording
no moving screen
no video shooting
pixelated screen (460 thousand dots)
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Sigma SD1 Merrill Sensor details

The Sigma SD1 Merrill features the Dual True II chip. The sensor specification in the Sigma SD1 Merrill is 24mm x 16mm (APS-C). The 384 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4800 x 3200 pixels .

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The CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor has 15MP and delivers a standard ISO range of 100 - 6400. RAW files are saved therefore you have wider room to maneuver in post.

The picture underneath shows the SD1 Merrill's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The SD1 Merrill sensor has a crop factor of 1.5 and is showcased in green.

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To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sigma SD1 Merrill dimensions

Sigma SD1 Merrill weighs in at 1.74 lb (790 grams / 27.87 ounces) & the volume of the camera is 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1"). The weight of typical Advanced DSLR camera is 776 grams so the Sigma SD1 Merrill is very much the same compared to various competitors.

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Underneath is a shot of the Sigma SD1 Merrill beside a softdrink to help you get a feel for its scale.

Sigma SD1 Merrill dimensions scale

The top view just below will illustrate the button design on the SD1 Merrill.

Sigma SD1 Merrill topview buttons dials

Sigma SD1 Merrill Lens specs

The SD1 Merrill works with the Sigma SA mount and has 77 lenses to pick from. Below is some of the lenses we have in our database which will fit the SD1 Merrill.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Sigma-30mm-F1.4-DC-HSM-Sigma-SA lensSigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM30mmf/1.4 435g
Sigma-24mm-F1.8-EX-DG-Aspherical-Macro-Sigma-SA lensSigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro24mmf/1.8 485g
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Sigma-120-300mm-F2.8-DG-OS-HSM-Sigma-SA lensSigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM120-300mmf/2.8 2950g
Sigma-20mm-F1.8-EX-DG-Aspherical-RF-Sigma-SA lensSigma 20mm F1.8 EX DG Aspherical RF20mmf/1.8 520g
Sigma-10mm-F2.8-EX-DC-HSM-Diagonal-Fisheye-Sigma-SA lensSigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye10mmf/2.8 475g
Sigma-100-400mm-F5-6.3-DG-OS-HSM-Sigma-SA lensSigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM100-400mmf/5-6.3 1160g
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Sigma-70mm-F2.8-EX-DG-Macro-Sigma-SA lensSigma 70mm F2.8 EX DG Macro70mmf/2.8 527g
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Sigma SD1 Merrill Connectivity

The SD1 Merrill has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras which include NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily transfer files and at times change camera settings without the hassle of connecting physically to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and hit the shutter whenever you are not close to the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it could be attached to an external display. Most cameras enable you to charge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Sigma SD1 Merrill Video specs

Sigma SD1 Merrill doesn't capture video. In case you are wanting a digital camera to take only pictures, this might not be an issue.

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Sigma SD1 Merrill Weather Sealing

Sigma SD1 Merrill comes with environment proofing which makes it a great selection for use in rough conditions. This is particularly helpful when you are unsure about the elements you might face in outdoor photography.

Sigma SD1 Merrill Screen and Viewfinder

The Sigma SD1 Merrill is equipped with a 3 inch fixed display screen supporting a resolution of 460 thousand dots.

Unfortunately the display screen isn't a touch screen.

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The View Finder details for Sigma SD1 Merrill are the following:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • Coverage 96%
  • Magnification 0.64x

Viewfinders can be rather helpful in sunny outdoor situations which might make the camera screen washed out and difficult to see.

Sigma SD1 Merrill Shutter specs

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Sigma SD1 Merrill Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sigma SD1 Merrill features external flash support but is without integrated flash.

Sigma SD1 Merrill Autofocus specs

Sigma SD1 Merrill features both Phase Detect Autofocus as well as Contrast Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more quicker & exact in comparison with Contrast Detect autofocusing.

Sigma SD1 Merrill features manual focus when needed in low light situations or you require more exact focus control.

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Sigma SD1 Merrill Battery life

The usual Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 offers the maximum (2260) battery life in this kind of cameras.

Here is a listing of Advanced DSLR cameras that come with the highest battery life:

Sigma SD1 Merrill for different categories of photography

The following diagram presents a rundown of the Sigma SD1 Merrill for different categories of photography. To look at more, browse to the specific section underneath.

Sigma SD1 Merrill Portrait photography advice

The Sigma SD1 Merrill receives a points total of 65 which is above average, meaning that it is a fine pick to use for portrait photography. Taking portrait images favors heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW files together with the capability to use off-camera lighting.

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has manual focus
sensor resolution is decent (15MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
saves RAW files
no liveview feature

Sigma SD1 Merrill Street photography factors

Getting a modest points total of 57, the Sigma SD1 Merrill is relatively appropriate to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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nice sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
environment sealing
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization

Sports photography with Sigma SD1 Merrill

A nice sports photography rating of 61 suggests the Sigma SD1 Merrill is a fine pick for shooting sports. A camera should have great tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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decent megapixels (15MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
environment sealing
comes with phase detect auto focus
no liveview feature
no image stabilization

Sigma SD1 Merrill Travel photography highlights

Weight is super critical in choosing a travel camera. Overall, the Sigma SD1 Merrill gets a moderate 54 for a travel camera which makes it somewhat acceptable to buy for your holidays.

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environment proofing
resolution is good (15MP)
missing Time Lapse mode
does not offer selfie friendly display

Landscape photography with Sigma SD1 Merrill

If you find yourself planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photos, the most vital factor will no doubt be image quality. The Sigma SD1 Merrill and it's very good grade of 63 as a landscape camera is a fine choice within the current marketplace.

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manual focus
swap lenses (Sigma SA mount)
decent sized screen (3")
MP count decent (15MP)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
environment sealing
no liveview feature
does not have image stabilization
does not have Timelapse recording

Sigma SD1 Merrill as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging preferably should posses a articulating display, mic input and if possible IBIS. Considering everything, the Sigma SD1 Merrill is just not suitable for vlogging as it delivers a low score of 9.

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lack of video recording

Sigma SD1 Merrill Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the SD1 Merrill, below is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall within the class of Advanced DSLR.

The diagram followed below gives you a bird's eye view of the SD1 Merrill vs it's highest ranking competitors listed earlier.

Following are additional cameras you might take a look at as alternative options. To read through a comprehensive comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Sigma
Model
Sigma SD1 Merrill
Type
Advanced DSLR
Revealed
2012-04-10
Physical type
Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS (Foveon X3)
Processor
Dual True II
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
24 x 16mm
Sensor area
384.0mm²
Sensor resolution
15MP
Anti aliasing filter
Peak resolution
4800 x 3200
RAW format
Highest native ISO
6400
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Lens
Lens mounting type
Sigma SA
Available lenses
76
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3"
Resolution of screen
460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
96%
Viewfinder magnification
0.64x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash settings
no built-in flash
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Highest video resolution
None
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
790 gr (1.74 pounds)
Dimensions
146 x 113 x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1")
Other
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse recording
Storage type
Compact Flash (Type I, UDMA compatible)
Card slots
Single
Launch price
$2,339