16. Sigma

SD-14

The major distinguishing feature of the Sigma SD-14 is its Foveon sensor. When the sensor was being developed, there was great excitement about this technology. The idea, create a three layer sensor with each layer sensitive to a different color light, Red, Blue and Green. Each layer is 4.7 megapixels. The sensor is thus 14.0 megapixels in size. Sigma SD DSLRs produce very good images with excellent color. Still the camera hasn’t done all that well, the major reason being that it uses only Sigma mount lenses. I’m not talking about the lenses Sigma makes for major DSLRs; I’m talking lenses with a mount especially made for the SD-14 and earlier versions of the camera.

Should Sigma ever catch on and put a Canon, Nikon or Pentax mount on an SD model, I imagine that demand for the camera would increase significantly.

Sony

Alpha DSLR-A100

Sony’s A100 DSLR has received considerable praise for two reasons: the quality of the images produced by its 10 megapixel CCD sensor and its support for Minolta A-mount lenses. Sony has always been quite good at image quality, so the first reason is not all that surprising. That the A100 has a Minolta A compatible lens mount is both big and good news. For a while after Minolta left the camera business, Konica produced A mount cameras and lenses under the Minolta-Konica label. With Konica now out of the camera business, Sony’s A100 is the only Minolta A mount camera being manufactured.

For the features it offers, the A100 is selling at bargain prices. Whether you’ve got Minolta lenses or not, I suggest you check out the company’s entry level A100 DSLR.

• Alpha DSLR-A100K...
• • patoaba
  • $599.99
• • 6th Ave Electronics
  • $799.99
• • Smartlion
  • $799.99