Photo Sergi Monsegur

Yes, I know. It's a discontinued model almost since Sigma announced the SD-15 at the recent Photokina . But despite this (or perhaps because of) the Sigma SD-14 is a camera that is tempting me a lot lately.

There are several reasons: firstly the fact of using the Foveon sensor, which is supposed to get a performance very different from the classic pattern Bayer (yes, in some things better and others worse) and its peculiar Dust protection system.

On the other hand the ridiculous price they are running and, most importantly, the ability to convert a bayonet mount on a Canon EF and to share objectives with my current EOS.

The Foveon sensor is peculiar to collect the full color information for each pixel, instead of using a pixel for each color. This is accomplished through a three-layer system similar to that used in the film chemistry. This construction would provide advantages in clarity and reduction of moire problems by avoiding the interpolation filter Bayer. A change is a camera for which users are branded as slow and noisy at higher ISOs.

According to the manufacturer Foveon needs a third of pixels to give the same quality as each collects the information triple. Thus the 4.7-megapixel sensor of the SD-14 would give a yield equivalent to 14 megapixels. However some analysts say is real talk twice (9.4), which tripled.

Moreover, in the SLR Sigma infrared filter is not placed next to the sensor, but with the bayonet, while making closing the mirror box. This can serve as effective protection against dust, staining for though the great distance to the sensor, prevent the subject from becoming visible.

In addition, this filter (apparently, very fragile) can be removed by the user to clean the inside (the mechanism continues to generate particles which can lead to the sensor) and to leave easily disassembled and turn on an infrared camera, which is very tempting to do astrophotography and landscapes.

Photo Sergi Monsegur

As for the price, now you can find the Sigma SD-14 Sigma 18-200 with a target of 473 euros , while the same objective, in the same shop, is of 195 € , so that the body is at 278 € .

If the objective is stabilized (OS), the kit would cost 582 euros and 400 single optics , so that the camera remains at 182 euros. Ridiculous right?

However, keep two cameras with different bayonet is very expensive, because just by doubling the optical or take advantage of one of the cameras. The best thing is that recently discovered that the bayonet Sigma SA is a hybrid between the Pentax K and Canon EF, taking the mechanical part of the first and the second electron.

Thanks to that, it would be possible to exchange a Sigma SA for a Canon EF, solder the wires in the same order and any official, including the aperture and autofocus. In practice it appears that the only thing that stops working is the stabilizer of the objectives.

The easiest is to change the bayonet on a target. In this way and some people have successfully mounted the camera Canon Sigma . Of course, this prevents use after the Canon.

The good thing would be to change the camera's bayonet, but, unfortunately, to make the camera must be removed completely. At least that's on the Canon EOS buy scrap to see if it was viable. However at least one person seems to have made the successful transformation and the other has done with a Sigma SD-9 .

The alternative that some have tried is to transform a teleconverter . Suffice to buy a EF x1.4 multiplier (that supports the largest number of lenses) and exchange the saddle for the equivalent male Sigma lens that comes with the camera. In this way we would have a valid EF Sigma 18-200 lens for any Canon camera, and a teleconverter which is mounted on a camera and supports Canon Sigma EF.

The problem with this solution is that we ran out of angle, because the multiplication x1, 4, add the crop factor x1, 7 of the SD-14, which leaves us in a x2, 38 for any EF. That would turn a 10 mm by 23.8, and would need a fish eye 4.5 mm for a 10.7 mm. This would be a problem for landscape, although you can always choose to have a lens with Sigma Mount, for example a 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM , and the rest use the Canon EF.

In exchange for astrophotography can be as advantageous, because with a 300 mm, would have a focal length equivalent to no less than 714 mm.

Moreover, all EF lenses lose a brightness diaphragm is mounted on the Sigma SD-14.

If it were easy to switch on the camera bayonet probably already have a SD-14 in my hands, but the solution does not stop multiplying like it, so I keep turning hesitating ...