Sigma DP Merrill for Snapshots

Prototype

Veteran
Location
Illinois
Name
Brian
Sigma advertises the DP series as a camera for artists. But it is small enough to carry almost everywhere and I've been using it as a snapshot camera. I often contemplate whether to bring my compact with a zoom instead, but I find that I can get better results from upsizing and cropping than using the zoom on my small-sensor compact.

Here are some snapshots from Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway. The third image can be used as a reference to see how much I have cropped to achieve my "digital zoom."

 
I love having a compact because no one pays attention to you. This is especially helpful at sporting events, where "good photos" are reserved for the professionals. With a compact, however, you can be very sneaky:

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Not bad at all. It makes the purchase of a Merrill all the more tempting. With all of these great new cameras arriving and being announced, making choices is getting harder! Continue to support Sigma by getting the new DP Merrills? Get the smallest full frame camera of all time with the Sony RX1? Or go whole hog, wait and save for another 8-12 months, and get the newly announced Leica M?
 
and who knows what amazing cameras will be available in 8-12 months to outshine the current offerings?
oh that's right, by then there'll be still more on the horizon to help you put off a decision :D
 
The only camera that will let you get the job done "right", is the ones that can be bought right now. An old saying for pilots, is: You can't use runway that's behind you, altitude above you, or fuel that is still on the ground. Future cameras, or cameras that we have to "save up" for, don't help with the current job at hand. Longing for something in the future, can be so distracting, as to rob us of the joy of the moment. That being said, I too am looking forward to what will, maybe be my next upgrade. Meanwhile, I'm actually getting better acquainted and comfortable with my E-p2 than any camera I've had in quite a while. Had to quite buying, selling, trading, for a while, to give us an opportunity to get properly acquainted and comfortable.
 
The only camera that will let you get the job done "right", is the ones that can be bought right now. An old saying for pilots, is: You can't use runway that's behind you, altitude above you, or fuel that is still on the ground. Future cameras, or cameras that we have to "save up" for, don't help with the current job at hand. Longing for something in the future, can be so distracting, as to rob us of the joy of the moment. That being said, I too am looking forward to what will, maybe be my next upgrade. Meanwhile, I'm actually getting better acquainted and comfortable with my E-p2 than any camera I've had in quite a while. Had to quite buying, selling, trading, for a while, to give us an opportunity to get properly acquainted and comfortable.

+1 to that
 
To conclude my post: Bringing the the DP Merrill for snapshots has the advantage of quickly transforming back into a creative tool. I was taking quick shots of everyone at the table in a restaurant while we were looking through our menus when I saw an opportunity. The light was poor but I noticed the the light was not too bad across the table. I originally had a B&W mindset for this photo, but I decided to keep it in color:

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It's not perfect, with a couple distracting elements in the background, but it's easily my favorite photo taken with the Merrill so far. I'm really enjoying this camera. I've found some disadvantages for using it as a snapshot camera, however, like the huge RAW files and short battery life. I'm still evaluating whether or not these are showstoppers. Luckily, my S95 or smartphone are small enough to carry along with the DP Merrill.

[...]With all of these great new cameras arriving and being announced, making choices is getting harder![...]

The RX1 is stunning, but the fact that it has a lens that is said to be worth $1,000 by itself is a big psychological barrier for purchase. I know I can't keep the lens when I'm ready to upgrade the body. With the DP Merrill, the M43 and NEX equivalent lens is only $200, despite how good it really is. (I know it's not the same exact lens, but the psychological barrier is just not there for the fixed-lens Sigma)

[...]by then there'll be still more on the horizon to help you put off a decision :D

Which saves you money since you're not buying anything now. :) As long as you have a camera currently, that is.

[...]Meanwhile, I'm actually getting better acquainted and comfortable with my E-p2 than any camera I've had in quite a while. Had to quite buying, selling, trading, for a while, to give us an opportunity to get properly acquainted and comfortable.

I'm currently struggling with G.A.S. at the moment. I'd like another small-sensor compact like the LX7 and P7700, but I know I haven't fully mastered the Canon S95. At least they are in different size categories, so there will be situations where one is better suited than the other.
 
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