シグマとフォビオンの歴史

Though widely regarded for its extensive and incredible unique interchangeable lens catalog, SIGMA also has an impressive history as an innovator and manufacturer of distinctive cameras.

In fact, when SIGMA introduced its first camera the Mark I to the market in 1976, it became the only independent lens maker to manufacture its own 35mm SLR cameras. In the 27 years since its entree into camera market, SIGMA has developed and manufactured 22 cameras.

These units range from film and digital SLRs to compact digital cameras. Each and every one of SIGMA’s camera, was designed with one goal in mind; “To enable photographers to capture extraordinary images.”

The camera users are amazingly passionate about SIGMA. SIGMA camera users get what SIGMA is trying to achieve. They get the purity, they get the big picture and understand the journey that were currently experiencing.

The launch of the SD9 DSLR camera in 2002 was a significant milestone for SIGMA. Not only because it marked the introduction of the company’s first digital camera, but because it incorporated FOVEON’s groundbreaking camera sensor technology.

This exclusive innovation underscores SIGMA’s passion for outstanding image quality, and enabled SIGMA camera users to capture photographs with colors and depths that are on par with film cameras but unattainable with other digital camera systems.

FOVEON technology essentially is a three layer image sensor. In the top layer we collect the blue light, in the middle layer the green light, and in the bottom layer the red light.

What makes it a game changer is because the pixel are arranged in vertical stack blue green red, you wind up with an image that has more depth and dimensionality than you can’t obtain with other image sensor technologies.

The three layers technology that FOVEON developed is a lot like film, and the things people have enjoyed with film that again dimensionality that people have lost when using Bayer sensors is available again through SIGMA cameras with their FOVEON X3 image sensors inside.

After the success of the SD9 and the renewed excitement around developing cameras that could deliver uniquely detailed images, SIGMA went on to introduce the SD10 and the SD14 cameras with the FOVEON technology.

In 2008, SIGMA purchased FOVEON and continued developing its DP series of digital compact cameras with the FOVEON X3 sensor. The DP1 was the first and only compact digital camera to employ an APS-C size image sensor.

This meant that although the DP1 is small enough to fit into your pocket, it packs the power and the resolution of a DSLR camera.

The latest embodiment of the philosophy of creating cameras with outstanding image quality can be found in the new SD1 camera from SIGMA.

The thing that’s so exciting about the SD1, although there is a couple of things really, but talk about the sensor first. No.1. It’s a huge step forward in the development of the X3 technology.

Previously we have done sensors that had larger pixels and smaller pixel counts. In this sensor, we had complete break through in the development of the image sensor. Now we’ve got three times the number of pixels we had before.

We also increase the optical format of the sensor from 1.7x focal length multiplier to 1.5x focal length multiplier. There is a lot of engineering work we had to be done in developing this new generation, with improving noise performance, when shrink the pixels you have to improving the noise.

We have worked through that with our fab partner in Korea, and come out with the sensor that truly delivers a promise of X3. The other part of its very exciting about this is the camera that SIGMA has designed and built around that sensor.

It’s a beautiful piece of engineering. It’s got a beautiful magnesium alloy body and controls, touch the feel, balance, that things photographers really appreciate when first pick up camera that feels good in new hands. That’s a people are telling me about the SD1 camera what really like.

The menu design forms has been written in a way with very easy to use menus, very intuitive, a couple of unique user interface of controls that I think people need to actually use the camera to understand.

Those are the two main things. It’s really the marriage of this new exciting sensor technology, that’s been developed over the last few years in FOVEON, and a tremendous amount of work that went on in Japan in building the SD1 camera and designing the camera.

For me, exploring the possibilities when it comes to SIGMA cameras and FOVEON sensor inside means that you are not limited in your ability.

How are you exploring the possibilities? Our history and innovation your creativity envision. Together let’s explore the possibilities.