Think different

One of the most interesting cameras of 2019 was the Sigma fp, which gobsmacked most pundits when it came out at the end of October. Not only was it the smallest full-frame mirrorless camera in the world, it eschewed Sigma's favoured Foveon sensor technology in favour of a conventional 24MP Bayer chip and packed in lots of heavyweight video-recording features. These include 4K recording (3840x2160) at 30fps, plus the ability to output raw video in the12-bit CinemaDNG format to an external recorder. The fp can also record directly to an external SSD by plugging one into its USB-C port. So is the camera an ingenious hybrid or a messy compromise? Does the ‘yang' of all those video features balance with the ‘yin' of the still-photography experience? A recent trip to Japan to interview camera and lens makers following the cancellation of the CP+ show provided me with the perfect opportunity to road-test this intriguing hybrid.

This was the first Sigma camera I'd