On this the first day of Photokina 2006 in Cologne, Germany, Sigma announced it's latest dSLR: the SD14. We first learned about the SD14 nearly a month ago with the release of a teaser website. Sigma has created quite a buzz over this camera, claiming it represents a revolutionary leap forward thanks to a few new features not found on any other dSLR.


The Sigma SD14 has a brand new Foveon X3 direct image sensor with three layers of sensor components that act like the three layers of emulsion in photographic film, detecting red, green, and blue light. Sigma claims that this allows the camera to "take in all the color information without omissions, and capture it exactly as it is." As a result, the camera should be able to produce more natural-looking colors and textures than any other camera in its class.

The camera also has a dust protector that you will find on any Sigma D-series cameras. By simply hitting a button you can place and remove the dust protector from the sensor. The SD14's viewfinder is pentaprism, which typically provides a wbrighter and wider field of view. Finally, the SD14 has a bright 2.5-inch color display, 5-point autofocus with crosshairs, and a mirror lock-up to reduce the effects of camera shake.