SIGMA BUMPS UP FP RESOLUTION AND PHOTOGRAPHER APPEAL

AS THE SMALLEST L mount full frame mirrorless on the market, there’s lots to like about Sigma’s fp, but it’s really more video-centric in its feature set and lacks some features considered very important by photographers, such as an

EVF. So now Sigma has unveiled the fp L, which has the same ultra-compact bodyshell, but steps up to 61 megapixels effective resolution (almost certainly using the same BSI CMOS sensor as Sony’s A7R IV) and hybrid contrast/phase detection autofocusing. It’s actually the first L mount camera to have phase-difference detection autofocusing, and the new system also adds eye-detection capability with subject tracking.

The higher res sensor allows for a ‘Crop Zoom’ function which ranges up to 5.0x, and is available for both stills and video.

Importantly, the new model allows for an optional EVF module to be fitted and, since it’s so compact to start with, the combination is still a very small package by full frame camera standards. The EVF has an 1.27 cm OLED-type panel with 3.68 megadots resolution and a high magnification of 0.83x. The eyepiece section can be tilted upwards through 90 degrees. Additionally, the EVF-11 unit also incorporates a stereo audio output for connecting headphones when shooting video.

While it gains some new features, mostly aimed at photographers, the fp L is still a very powerful video camera, with uncropped internal recording in the Cinema DNG RAW format and with 8-bit colour, or H.264-encoded 4K UHD with either 8- or 10-bit colour and at 24, 25 or 30 fps. Both All-Intra and LongGOP compression routines are available in the MOV format. Full HD video can be shot at frame rates of up to 100/120 fps for slow-mo effects (but with a 1.67x crop). Cinema DNG with 10-bit or 12-bit colour can be recorded externally via HDMI to an SSD (i.e. an external drive), or 4K RAW to an external recorder in both the UHD and DCI resolutions. Video features include a ‘Director’s Viewfinder’ function (with a wider choice of aspect ratios than previously), shutter angle control, waveform display, time code support, zebra patterns and a focus peaking display. The original choice of 12 colour modes is expanded with two new additions called Duotone – with a total of ten contrasting colour gradient settings – and Powder Blue, which adds a slight blue tint to the image.

As before, the fp L has a diecast aluminium bodyshell that is fully sealed against the intrusion of dust or moisture, and employs a heat sink structure to ensure long periods of running are possible when shooting video. At 427 grams, the L body is only fractionally heavier than the original fp. There’s a fixed 8.0 cm LCD monitor screen with a resolution of 2.1 megadots and touch controls. The new camera can now be powered via USB C as well as having in-camera battery recharging.

The Sigma fp L is distributed in Australia by C.R. Kennedy Imaging. Visit https://sigmaphoto.com.au for more information.