Sigma SD9

Exposure options include Program, Manual, Aperture and Shutter Priority, based on multipattern, spot or centre-weighted metering. The point-and-shoot options are pretty good too, but the manual mode will give the most creative control. The sports finder is also worth a mention - a feature that has been brought up to date in the SD9. The finder shows you an area larger than the actual recording area so, in effect, you can see a subject as it approaches the frame. It may irritate at first, but it's another unique touch. The cross-hair AF is a little disappointing at times, though, and we were also concerned about the limited ISO range of 100-400, as performance suffers at the higher setting.

The bottom line, however, is does it all work together? When it comes to features and software, the SD9 is one heck of a camera. But the crucial factor is image quality, and we obtained sharp, nicely exposed images with powerful colour saturation. That said, it's not outstanding and the images produced by Fuji's FinePix S2 Pro (see Reviews, issue 98, p142) are better, plus it has the added flexibility of a built-in flash. The technology certainly has legs though, and we expect to see more cameras based on similar designs. As a budget SLR, it's tremendous value.

Author: John Clements