A revolutionary new L-Mount camera, the Sigma BF, was launched this morning in Japan. Milled from a solid block of aluminium (where have we heard that before?), the BF is a radical device with a 24MP sensor, just three (haptic) buttons and a massive 230GB of internal storage, but no SD-card slot. It weighs just 388g (13.7oz) without battery.
We have limited information currently, but hope to get the full Sigma press pack from the UK distributors later this morning. According to DPReview staff, who were present at the launch, the camera has no mechanical shutter, “which means it risks exhibiting rolling shutter when used to shoot fast-moving subjects. There is also no stabilisation.”
No card, no mechanical shutter
Describing the camera, DPReview goes on to say, “The BF is a small rectangular body with a texture cut into the front surface to provide grip. A small settings display to the right of the fixed live view displays either the ISO, shutter speed or aperture value, so that the main composition panel doesn’t have to have camera settings intruding on the view.”
There are no strap lugs, just one eyelet to accommodate a string-style wrist strap. While this is probably a good idea if the camera is used with a compact lens, but the concept doesn’t bode too well if some larger L-Mount lenses are used.
Another oddity is the branding, with SIGMA below the rear screen and a simple BF printed atop. I can’t think of another camera which does without front branding.
The Sigma BF will come in either black or silver. In a separate announcement, Sigma launched silver versions of the I-Series primes to match the camera. The recommended price of the Sigma BF is $1,999 |£1,969 | €2,339 (with GBP and EUR prices including approximately 20% tax, USD before tax).
Sigma BF: New silver lenses
To complement the Sigma BF, with its black and silver body options, Sigma has introduced silver versions of the Contemporary I range of lenses, which particularly suited to the smaller body.
Sigma BF Accessories
More on Sigma
Read the preliminary announcement at DPReview
Sigma announcement
Above images from the Sigma website
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I saw someone talk about this as a new ‘rangefinder’ camera, … which given that it has no EVF struck me as being somewhat odd!
Wondering if the camera has a ‘high resolution mode’ – which would justify use of the new L-mount Sigma APS-C 16-300mm f3.5-6.7 18.8x zoom lens on the BF? Full BF review awaited. The Sigma 16-300mm APS-C lens is equivalent to 24-450mm FF and could prove useful for some Leica T/TL/CL enthusiasts.
I’d be happy to use the BF with an accessory Zacuto ‘analogue’ magnified eye-level finder – as adapted for use on my Nikon1 J5 camera (which also lacks an EVF) Possibility I might wait for a dealer to have a demo or s/h BF – and then ascertain if one of my spare Zacuto finders will safely fit the BF’s monitor – without the securing ‘elastic’ fouling the BF’s controls. Reason I choose to use the J5 s that it has the best sensor of all the Nikon 1 series (1″ sensor) cameras.
I need more information before I can form any opinion. However, my Ricoh GR IIIx HDF is in the mail. Resistance was futile after Andrew article.
You will love it. Only yesterday I suddenly had a need to grab some photos for publication and I hadn’t taken any of my cameras out with me. Except I remembered that the Ricoh was in my pocket. I don’t think the final result (bearing in mind the restraints of a blog) would have been any better had I used a full-frame camera….. and in this instance I didn’t miss a viewfinder.
Brilliant – you’ll enjoy it I’m sure.
I wonder about the fixed internal storage. If that fails, the camera has to go back to Sigma for a new internal SSD. Not user friendly.
Hi Jon
that doesn’t really seem like too much of a problem to me, you could say the same thing about any of the other components. I think there is quite a good argument for internal storage only (perhaps two memory banks would be more sensible).
best
Jono
This is the problem with all internal storage, which most new cameras have in one form or another. I did once hear that the T/TL used a memory card which could be replaced with a modicum of effort, but I’m not sure on that. Without removable storage, then, you are right that the camera is vulnerable. And no backup (which is what the internal memory on most Leicas is used for).
Possible to upgrade a T / TL camera’s “Micro SD card internal memory” with one of higher capacity. There’s a YouTube video demonstrating the DIY upgrade.
Thanks, Dunk
I’m still happily using my TL2 having upgraded the internal memory using that YouTube hack: 16gb micro-SD card replace by a 256gb one. No complaints from the camera and took about 10 minutes max to make the switch. Given it is out of warranty I wasn’t too worried.
If I still owned a T/TL/TL2 I would definitely do the memory hack. As Jono says (on this thread), the TL2 is probably a better bet than the new Sigma BF (always accepting that the BF is full-frame and the TL2 is APSC).
Mike
What do I think? I think it needs a viewfinder if it wants to be more appealing to keen photographers than the S9. At that price
youngsters who take most of their photos on a phone are likely to continue to take pictures on their phone or buy a new phone
instead of a BF. Not nearly as stylish as Leica’s TL. Its success will depend more on its operation, haptics and image quality than it just being the latest chip off the old aluminum block.
I quite agree. you can get a mint condition TL2 for quite a lot less, probably a better bet!
I agree that the lack of a viewfinder seems to be the kiss of death for a “proper camera”. It’s one reason the Lumix S9 hasn’t flown off the shelves (as I infer), it was a problem with the T range, although at least an EVF could be fitted. Both the fp and the BF suffer from no easy way to add a viewfinder. It’s an interesting device, and one I would like to try, but whether it will succeed among photographers is in the hands of the jury.
I was thinking about the TL2 when reading this as well. I loved my Leica T when I had it (cost £300. Amazing!). It really was a ground-breaking camera, very much ahead of its time.
Intriguing. The Leica T is also the first thing that comes to mind. No option to add an EVF though and 24MP only, so only 10MP for TL lenses which otherwise would be perfect on a body like this. Wait and see.
I hadn’t even begun to consider TL lenses, but you are right. It’s definitely an odd one, especially when you tot up all the missing things —— mechanical shutter, removable storage, no possibility of EV. no stabilisation, no strap lugs. And, as Jono points out, it looks expensive. When I saw the pictures this morning, I thought they were breathtaking, but reality is already beginning to set in.
Mike,
I agree, when I first saw the BF this morning I was most impressed by the design. I originally thought it was going to be smaller until I saw it in some of the YouTube reviewers hands. It appears as if you were to place a Sigma 45mm contemporary lens on it, you would probably be somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Q3-43. The image quality of the Q3-43 is exceptional and would take a lot to beat it. If the BF had an EVF I could be tricked into trying one. Sticking to the Q’s for their beautiful results!
Cheers,
Mark
Interesting – I read somewhere that they claim it’s the first camera in history to be made out of a single block of aluminium. . . . . have they forgotten the lovely Leica T? Anyway, I still think it’s interesting and wonder if it will be more successful than the T.
Expensive though!
The resemblance to the T construction has been mentioned by several reviewers, and I can’t believe Sigma would not know this. So we need to fact-check the statement. Maybe there is something unique about it, and I will ask the PR people later today. Interestingly, at least one reviewer has speculated whether there could be “some Leica involvement”, but I very much doubt it.
The UK price is likely to be slightly less than £2,000 in my opinion, probably around £1,900. The camera’s nearest competitor, the Lumix S9, started off around £1,500, if my memory is right, but is now being offered for £1,149 in Panasonic’s own store. So that’s been a big success, then. And I see you can get it with 18-40 lens for £100 more.
On balance, choosing between the two, I think the BF is more interesting than the S9. What do you think? But will it be more of a success than the Lumix?
What I find particularly fascinating is that there is no Sigma badging [correction, SIGMA on the back], and the model designation is restricted to a small BF on the top plate. Furthermore, no strap lugs, have to use a stringy-thingy which is problematic with bigger L-Mount lenses.
Even more intriguing is that I knew nothing about the BF before I woke this morning to read my newsfeeds. I think even Sigma UK have been caught hopping because there is still no press release at 11.15…
I think the difference with the Lumix S9 is that the BF is more directed at photographers (and less at bloggers). I wonder if it has a fast readout . . . thinking about rolling shutter. I think it’s more interesting than the S9 as well, it’s a pity it doesn’t have a bigger sensor though (thinking of TL lenses).
Indeed, I wonder why they couldn’t have fitted a higher-resolution sensor. I suppose the sensor is similar to that in the fp. And, of course, a (for instance) 60MP sensor would reduce the number of shots that could be handled, given the lack of removable storage. No doubt all these aspects will be chewed over in the next few days.
Mike
The YouTube video, “Dr. Andreas Kaufmann: About the Essence” has similarities to Sigma’s BF introduction. Sigma appear to have used Dr. Kaufmann’s original Leica T marketing ‘ideas’ – particularly the ‘block of aluminium’ and ‘essence’ references. Sigma should have used different / more original, marketing terminology.