Sigma SD14 review

Shutter lag measured 0.7 seconds in our high-contrast test and 1.4 seconds in our low-contrast test, which mimic bright and dim shooting conditions, respectively. In continuous shooting mode, we were able to capture highest resolution and highest quality JPEGs at an average rate of 2.3 frames per second.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate faster performance)

Time to first shot

Raw shot-to-shot time

Shutter lag (dim light)

Shutter lag (typical)

Olympus Evolt E-410

1.4

0.7

0.9

0.4

Nikon D40x

0.2

0.8

0.9

0.4

Canon EOS 400D

0.3

0.6

1.1

0.4

Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

1

0.5

1.6

0.4

Pentax K10D

0.5

0.5

1.6

0.5

Sigma SD14

1.8

0.9

1.4

0.7

Typical continuous-shooting speed
(Longer bars indicate faster performance)

Frames per second

Olympus Evolt E-410

3.3

Pentax K10D

3.2

Nikon D40x

3

Canon EOS 400D

2.9

Sony Alpha DSLR-A100

2.5

Sigma SD14

2.3

 
Image quality
Under the right circumstances, the Sigma SD14 can create very good images, but once you move up to higher ISOs, the image quality degrades significantly. At ISO 100 or ISO 200, colours look quite accurate and the camera's white balance is generally neutral. If anything, colours looked slightly over-saturated in our test images, especially reds and oranges.

As you increase the ISO, however, not only do you see a increase in noise, but the entire colour profile of the camera shifts. Our lab test images took on a serious magenta cast at ISO 1,600, and green patches on our colour-checker chart turned nearly neutral grey. At the same time, a careful eye will notice that certain colours, including skin tones, look just slightly more accurate with the Sigma than they do with many CMOS- or CCD-based cameras.