Sigma BF Camera
47 comments
·February 24, 2025KaiserPro
Euphorbium
I absolutely love the removal of it. I Hated the viewfinder on every camera I had, and always wished there was none of it.
112233
They had viewfinders for their cameras that lacked viewfinders before, e.g.: https://www.sigmaphoto.com/dp1-quattro-compact-digital-camer...
KaiserPro
Ooo thats wild, almost like one of those cinema camera emulators that directors have.
m463
> lack of viewfinder
Yeah, I think this is another situation where touchscreen-only phones/tables set a bad example for others to copy. I think a viewfinder is way better for outdoor shooting, but maybe people who take most shots indoors don't care?
_aavaa_
It's great to see that at least one manufacturer is still willing to release a camera that isn't either a "generic modern" camera or an "film styling but with digital" camera.
I love the idea of a smaller body focused full frame camera, though I am skeptical of how useable this camera will be in colder climates. That metal is going to be freezing cold, and those buttons looks hard to operate with gloves on.
NBJack
I admit I don't find it practical to hold. Part of today's shapes are to make it easier to grip, hold at an angle, etc. The metal body is neat and probably super durable, but I imagine that glass won't last long if it slips.
I wonder if condensation will be a factor?
diiaann
I think I’m a target customer? I don’t think this is rev for me but I think in the future I could be sold. I own an a7c because I value compactness. I was just in New Zealand and a lot of times I was pretty happy to take photos on my phone. As my purpose was to just be able to take an image in my head and translate that to an actual photo. There are definitely some shots that I needed a bit more technical setup which was great with the a7c but I really didn’t need nearly so many of the bells and whistles. I also don’t really want to have to edit in RAW, ideally I get a good enough image that I can just transfer to my phone and post straight to Instagram with little work.
gwill
do you want interchangeable lenses and a full frame sensor as well?
0_____0
before you bag on this, try to ask some questions like:
- who is this product trying to reach?
- what does it do well?
- what do it's designers know that I don't?
If you see something that strikes you as weird, there's a reason for it. You're looking at a highly designed product, it's all intentional, try to be curious.
cgomez
Sure, but also no.
By that reasoning, you might say there's no such thing as bad art. In most cases, things are designed with the best of intentions and may or may not be successful for their audience.
But a standalone ILC is already a small addressable market so the choices do matter, especially for a company of Sigma's size.
gwill
Would you mind answering those questions? I love photography and when looking over a camera can get an idea around strengths/weaknesses. This seems like they wanted to cheap out on construction with fewer physical controls and still be able to advertise as a compact FF camera despite having a low MP sensor.
subpixel
I've spent a lifetime taking photos with all sort of cameras, and in my experience unless someone is paying for the photos I never use a camera that doesn't fit in my pocket, and over half the time that is an iPhone.
In UX there is a concept of 'don't make me think' - the camera corollary is 'don't make me carry'.
lastofthemojito
It's true that the best camera is the one you have with you.
I've definitely carried "real" cameras much less in the ~2 decades since I've gotten a smartphone than the 2 decades prior. I still use a "real" camera when I'm aiming for the best results, but it doesn't make up the majority of my photos anymore, mainly because it is an extra hassle to have something else to carry.
Are there any worthwhile pocketable cameras these days? Seems like those CoolPix and similar cameras that were ubiquitous 20 years ago are a rare sight these days, and if people own an actual separate camera it's going to be something beefy. Has anyone applied the advances in computational photography from smartphones to a standalone camera with a somewhat larger sensor and lens, but still smaller than the Sigma BF and competitors?
packetlost
> over half the time that is an iPhone
What is it the other half of the time? I've been thinking of picking up a GRIII for my trip to Japan this summer, but I'm open to other ideas.
I personally almost always find phone photos to be woefully inadequate for even light editing, mostly because they turn into a blurry mess as soon as you crop even a little bit or want to print/look on a large screen.
NBJack
It violates the spirit of what you probably want, but there are some amazing free upscaling options these days.
I recently found a pic from behind-the-scenes of an old favorite movie of mine. It was exactly the kind of photo I wanted, but woefully small. With minimal effort and Real-ESRGAN (and perhaps a touch of artificial film grain), I blew it up to a very crisp B&W poster I framed. I'm still looking for errors in it.
packetlost
Yeah, it sorta does, but it does give some peace of mind if I need to pull out the phone for a quick, unexpected photo.
I'm really looking for something fairly portable specifically for touristy street photography stuff. Perhaps it's time to pick up an X100VI...
ipsum2
I really wanted to like this (and buy it) due to the aesthetics, but spec-wise it's worse than the Linux s9. Notably missing an in body stabilization, which is important if you intend to use small lenses that don't have stabilization built in.
112233
I think I'll pass this time. Merrill DP2 is still my favorite camera, maybe when (if) they release their next Foveon sensor camera in a few years it will be tempting. But judging by the design trajectory, it will be shaped like a tetrahedron or something.
squidsoup
Seems like a usability regression. My Fujifilm camera has independent physical controls for ISO, aperture and shutter speed, and it delightful to use.
resters
I want a lens mount "case" for my iphone that lets me connect high end lenses and has its own full frame sensor and image stabilization tech inside.
ceearrbee
There are actually a couple options out there - Alice, and SwitchLens! I've not used either of them, but both of them are apparently decent (but not world changing). I have thought about grabbing them, but I lack m4/3 lenses which would be perfect for this.
https://petapixel.com/2024/06/26/switchlens-turns-your-phone... https://www.alice.camera/
Seich
That’s a gorgeous-looking camera. I am really happy to see Sigma still taking chances on their cameras. The FP is still one of my favorite cameras, it’s fun and really inspiring.
Looking forward to the BF.
blackeyeblitzar
I wonder if this can recapture the magic of old film cameras. With smartphones, the low effort it takes to capture a photo makes them less interesting. But DSLRs are also overly complicated for someone just wanting to capture something spontaneously.
ge96
lmao I was like "wtf is going on with that stick"
the slab design I wonder, I made my own camera bodies (for RPi) and the straight edges do hurt your hand
The size reminds me of the hype I felt with Sony Alpha Nex-5n when that was new (tiny body and big lens)
The body reminds me of Teenage Engineering
edit: oh yeah Sigma FP that was another tiny body camera
Interesting concept.
For me the deal breaker is the lack of viewfinder. However this might be designed for people who've not grown up with SLR or rangefinder cameras, but phones instead.
The ux is interesting it looks like the thumb wheel is the only real physical controls and only works on the selected item. For me thats probably ok, as I only really set the shutter speed during shooting.
I wonder what its actually like to use? I wonder how it compares to something like the AliceCamera (https://www.alice.camera/)?
However, if I was on the market for a camera, of that rough size and quality, I'd probably go for a second hand GFX100, which is around the same price as the BF. Its the only mirrorless camera that is easy to use (in shooting, the setup isn't great) and shows me what the picture looks like live. (I'm looking at you Canon RP)