The Sigma fp Just Became a Little Bit More Brilliant: Compressed Raw Is Now Possible

The Sigma fp Just Became a Little Bit More Brilliant: Compressed Raw Is Now Possible

The Sigma fp was both a surprising and exciting release when it appeared on the market last year. Both brilliant and yet fundamentally flawed, users pondered when some firmware updates would arrive to eliminate some of its shortcomings. Here is the first round.

This diminutive little camera is incredibly powerful for its size, shooting 12-bit uncompressed raw using a 24.6-megapixel sensor. Typically you’d need to spend at least four times the $1,799 that the fp costs right now to get a camera that offers similar specifications.

There are definitely some drawbacks, however, which Caleb Pike explained in this video in detail just a few days ago. The Sigma fp has been available to buy since October, and while its size and insane resolution made it a great option under many circumstances, the lack of compressed raw made for huge file sizes and a complex workflow.

Until now. If you have an external recorder, it's now possible to capture a DCI 4K 12-bit HDMI raw feed in a compressed raw format. You can find a full list of the changes on the download page, which can be found here.

The modular and lightweight form of the Sigma fp makes it a great base for a rig, as hinted in Pike's video. If you’re interested in snagging the SmallRig top and bottom plates for the Sigma fp, they’re yours for just $43.59, while the handle is available at $56.35.

Do you love your Sigma fp? Does this update make it a more viable purchase? What else would you like to see changed? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Andy Day's picture

Andy Day is a British photographer and writer living in France. He began photographing parkour in 2003 and has been doing weird things in the city and elsewhere ever since. He's addicted to climbing and owns a fairly useless dog. He has an MA in Sociology & Photography which often makes him ponder what all of this really means.

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3 Comments

This body design has a lot of potential, but a while back an owner posted some serious issues with it. Whether or not they've been addressed is not clear. It's a very versatile design tho, although being L-mount holds it back.

Is 6K30P too much of a request? Asking for a friend...

For "mass market" consumer cameras, I'd say yes. But for something as niche and video-centric as this, I imagine it would serve the target market.