Sigma fp L camera comes in April with 61MP sensor and new autofocus
[15:26 Thu,25.March 2021 by blip]
As suspected, Sigma has just introduced its new full-frame fp L camera. It is virtually no different in appearance from the older fp camera, so it remains extremely portable, and is also said to offer much of the same film features of the fp with the latest firmware. However, the fp L is equipped with a new rear-exposed Bayer sensor that has an effective resolution of 61Mp. An optical low-pass filter is designed to minimize moiré; it's said to be "weakly pronounced," according to Sigma.
Sigma fp L
A big jump, then, up from the original 24.6MP resolution, which isn't necessarily an advantage for filmmakers, as the maximum video resolution doesn't jump with it, remaining 4K (DCI-4K when shooting externally). Thus, you have to rely on the internal downsampling, whose quality will have to prove itself in the test. Whether the full 9.5K of the sensor is used for downsampling by default or whether a crop is applied is currently unknown to us.
Sigma fp L
What will almost certainly be improved is the autofocus, because it is also based on phase detection in the fp L (previously there was only contrast AF). It is supposed to act faster and more reliably in both photo and video, and a tracking function is also included for filmmakers. For the new sensor, Sigma claims a dynamic range of 13 stops (it's 12.5 for the fp without L), and dual base ISO is also implemented and is 100 / 1250 for the fp L.
As a special feature that takes advantage of the high sensor resolution, Sigma fp L offers a digital crop zoom that is operated with finger gestures on the display. In cine mode, this extends up to 2.5x in 4K/UHD and 5x in FullHD.
As before, the camera can shoot in three different RAW formats. Internally or on SSD in CinemaDNG (8 bit, 10 bit, 12 bit), via HDMI a 12bit signal is output for external recorders, supported are again the ATOMOS Ninja V for a ProRes RAW recording as well as the Blackmagic Video Assist 12G for Blackmagic RAW. As mentioned, however, it is only recorded in a maximum of 4K/DCI, so that it is not RAW in the sense of raw sensor data, which would include about 9.5K (as before and partly also with other cameras). The maximum frame rate in 4K does not increase compared to fp, but it remains at 24p (DCI) or 29.97p (UHD). ALL-I compression is again available for internal recording in H.264.
Like the old fp, the new fp L offers its own user interface in the video section. A new feature is the ability to take screenshots of the display, for example to be able to reconstruct the settings later. Another new feature is that users can save their own picture styles and easily exchange them with others via QR.
The option to use the camera as a director's viewfinder has also been retained - the RED Komodo 6K has been added as a compatible camera, and frame guides can now be freely defined to map sensors from other cameras. For those who want to use the fp L as a webcam, a USB power supply has been implemented.
Another new accessory is the EVF-11 electronic viewfinder. It has a 0.5 inch OLED panel, which resolves with 3.68 million pixels, and can be turned up by 90°. Incidentally, SIgma has also included a small headphone jack here for audio control, which is missing from the camera body itself.
In April, the Sigma fp L is scheduled to hit the market for 2,299 euros, body-only (lenses are connected via L-mount as usual). The "original" fp with the lower pixel count will remain in the range in parallel. The EVF-11 will cost 649 Euro (and is also compatible with the older fp).
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