Sigma DP1 Merrill review

Sigma's large sensor compact camera with Foveon x3 sensor

Sigma DP1 Merrill
The Sigma DP1 Merrill features an APS-C format sensor like the one found in Sigma's SLR

TechRadar Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Excellent images at low ISOs

  • +

    Manual controls

  • +

    Good basic control layout

Cons

  • -

    Noise above ISO 400

  • -

    Slow write times

  • -

    Slow raw processing software

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Better known for its lenses than cameras, Sigma has been producing both compact cameras and DSLRs for decades.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill is the latest in a line of compact cameras, and, similar to the previous DP models, it's not your average compact.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

With a fixed 19mm lens (equivalent to 28mm), no built-in flash and only VGA quality video, it lacks many of the features you'd expect in a compact camera, especially one with a premium price-tag.

But it's what lies inside the Sigma DP1 Merrill - priced at £799.99/AU$950/US$999 - that really makes it stand out from the crowd.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

At the heart of the Sigma DP1 Merrill is the same APS-C sized Foveon X3 sensor as the Sigma SD1 Merrill DSLR, which is quite unlike the Bayer sensor design used by almost every other digital camera on the market.

Instead of separate pixels sensitive to red, green and blue colours, which are then processed by interpolation to make a full-colour image, the Foveon sensor is made up of three layers.

This means that each pixel is effectively capturing all three colours, so the image doesn't have to undergo any interpolation to render a full-colour result.

This sensor also doesn't require an anti-aliasing filter, which can reduce the amount of detail a normal Bayer sensor can resolve.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

This Foveon X3 sensor design makes it difficult to compare the resolution to other cameras. You'll see that the resolution is quoted as 46MP, but it's not quite that simple, since when you open an image from the Sigma DP1 Merrill you'll find that they are actually 4704 x 3136 pixels.

So, in traditional terms the images are 15MP, but because each pixel is made up of three layers, the effective pixel count can be considered as 46 million.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

The 19mm lens offers a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which isn't the widest maximum aperture available on a compact camera, but does offer a reasonable option for low-light shooting.

The lens also has a manual focus ring, with a distance scale displayed on the rear LCD screen, along with nine individually selectable focus points for the autofocus.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

If you don't need the wide-angle capability of the Sigma DP1, the Sigma DP2 Merrill offers the same facilities with a 30mm (equivalent to 45mm) f/2.8 lens.

As you'd expect of a camera at this price, you get a full range of exposure modes, including Fully Manual.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

There are also three metering modes, with the option of Spot and Centre-Weighted, along with the default Evaluative mode.

The range of ISO settings available are 100 to 6400, and the 19mm lens offers an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/16.

Sigma DP1 Merril review

There is the option of shooting raw, JPEG or both together, with seven colour modes including Vivid, Neutral, Portrait, Landscape, Black and white and Sepia available in JPEG images.

The raw files are Sigma's own X3F format, which can only be opened using the supplied Photo Pro software, since even older versions aren't fully supported by any other software.

Latest in Compact Cameras
Fujfilm GFX 50R
First Fujifilm GFX100RF images leaked in build-up to expected reveal – here’s what they tell us about the unique premium compact camera
Canon PowerShot V1 in user's hands, oudoors with a snowy Japan backdrop
I review cameras for a living, and the new Canon PowerShot V1 could be this year’s vlogging star – here’s why
Canon Powershot G7 X Mark III
Canon’s rumored PowerShot V1 point-and-shoot could hit the sensor sweet spot – and be first of two new PowerShots for 2025
Flashback ONE35 redisposable digital camera on a wooden surface
I tested the Flashback ONE35 "re-disposable" camera, and it's a novel idea let down by a shoddy app
Canon compact cameras tipped for a big return with rumored Powershot V1 – and I think that's Canon's most exciting play for 2025
Panasonic Lumix TZ99 point and shoot camera on a bright green / cyan background
The point-and-shoot is back: Panasonic launches new Lumix out of the blue, with iPhone-trouncing 30x optical zoom
Latest in Reviews
Alienware 27 AW2725Q monitor on desk displaying a scene from Cyberpunk 2077
I played games with Alienware's new 27-inch 4K OLED monitor and now I don't want to see another LCD panel
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
I've reviewed the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) - and it remains the best 15-inch laptop I'd recommend for most people
Samsung Music Frame on a table beside some books and a vase
I spent six weeks listening to the Samsung Music Frame and it kept missing the beat
GlocalMe KeyTracker
When I tested this global tracker, it trounced the Apple AirTag in so many ways
Groov-e Boston DAB radio on a wooden table
I tested this affordable DAB radio and, sadly, its tinny output made me think of every car garage I've ever been to
An AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D on its retail packaging
I've reviewed three generations of 3D V-cache processors, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the best there is