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Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

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Sigma DP2 Quattro

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma DP2 Quattro
$930.68

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
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Sigma DP3 Merrill

15 MP | APS-C (24 x 16 mm) CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

Sigma DP3 Merrill
$1352.50

CHECK TODAY's PRICE
Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill, two Large Sensor Compact cameras by Sigma. Sigma DP2 Quattro was introduced to market in February 2014 and Sigma DP3 Merrill was launched in January 2013. There is only 1 months difference between DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Sigma DP2 Quattro has a 20.0 MP and Sigma DP3 Merrill has a 15.0 MP resolution.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sigma DP2 Quattro Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-02-13
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 45 mm f2.80 Prime Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 395g. 161 x 67 x 82 mm

Sigma DP3 Merrill Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-01-08
  • 15MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 75 mm f2.80 Prime Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 330g. 122 x 67 x 59 mm
  • Replaced Sigma DP2 Merrill Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sigma DP2 Quattro over Sigma DP3 Merrill
Face Detection Focus Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution 20 MP vs 15 MP 33% more pixels
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s vs 1/s faster mechanical shutter
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide 45mm vs 75mm 30 mm wider coverage
AE Bracketing Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Reasons to choose Sigma DP3 Merrill over Sigma DP2 Quattro
Continuous Shooting 4.0fps vs 3.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight 330 g vs 395 g 65 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele 75mm vs 45mm 30 mm longer tele reach
Max Video Resolution 640 x 480 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Common Strengths of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
LCD Screen Resolution 920k dots vs 920k dots Higher resolution screens
Manual Focusing Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Max Aperture - Tele 2.80 vs 2.80 Fast lenses at tele
Common Weaknesses of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill
Image Stabilization No vs Unknown No Built-in stabilization
Articulating Screen No vs No No flexible viewing angles
Built-in Flash No vs No Require external flash
Viewfinder None vs None No eye-level shooting option
Environmental Sealing No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Focal Length - Wide 45mm vs 75mm No real wide angle coverage
Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill.

Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Front View


Here is the back view size comparison of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill.

Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill.
Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sigma DP3 Merrill is significantly lighter (65g ) than the Sigma DP2 Quattro which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Sigma DP2 Quattro nor Sigma DP3 Merrill provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don\'t tilt or flip in directions.
Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill: Sensor Comparison

Sigma DP2 Quattro has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features TRUE III engine processor. On the other hand, Sigma DP3 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C (24 x 16 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features Dual TRUE II engine processor.

Sigma DP2 Quattro's sensor provides 5MP more than Sigma DP3 Merrill's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the DP2 Quattro and DP3 Merrill sensor size comparison.

Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Sensor Size Comparison


Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill Lens Specs Comparison

Sigma DP2 Quattro features a 45 mm F2.8 Prime lens whereas Sigma DP3 Merrill features a 75 mm F2.8 Prime lens.

Sigma DP2 Quattro has 30mm wider coverage than the Sigma DP3 Merrill. Both cameras has a max aperture of f2.80 at the wide end. On the tele end, Sigma DP3 Merrill has 30mm longer reach than the Sigma DP2 Quattro. Both cameras has a max aperture of f2.80 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Widest - Sony RX100 VII
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

DP2 Quattro
DP3 Merrill
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sigma DP2 Quattro for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma DP3 Merrill for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sigma DP2 Quattro for Street Photography

GOOD

Sigma DP3 Merrill for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
45 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
75 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sigma DP2 Quattro for Sports Photography

POOR

Sigma DP3 Merrill for Sports Photography

POOR
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
45 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/s
Unknown Focus Points
75 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sigma DP2 Quattro for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sigma DP3 Merrill for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
395g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
330g
Body Thickness 84mm
Read the details

Sigma DP2 Quattro for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sigma DP3 Merrill for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
45 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (24 x 16 mm) sensor
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 15.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
75 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details


Sigma DP2 Quattro vs Sigma DP3 Merrill: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sigma DP2 Quattro and Sigma DP3 Merrill scores compare:

Sigma DP2 Quattro
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #42 out of 58 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #434 out of 1190 in all Cameras
Sigma DP3 Merrill
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #51 out of 58 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #673 out of 1190 in all Cameras

Sigma DP2 Quattro is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sigma DP3 Merrill in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Sigma DP2 Quattro.

Sigma DP2 Quattro
Sigma DP2 Quattro
$930.68

Sigma DP3 Merrill
Sigma DP3 Merrill
$1352.50

Sigma DP3 Merrill vs Sigma DP2 Quattro Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sigma DP2 Quattro Sigma DP3 Merrill
Brand Sigma Sigma
Announced 2014-02-13 2013-01-08
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS (Foveon X3) CMOS (Foveon X3)
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.5 x 15.7 mm 24 x 16 mm
Area 368.95mm2 384.00mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 15 megapixels
Max Resolution 5424 x 3616 4704 x 3136
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 45 mm (1×) 75 mm (1×)
Max Aperture F2.8 F2.8
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 920k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/2000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Unknown
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None 640 x 480
Video Formats n/a Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 395g 330g
Dimensions 161 x 67 x 82mm 122 x 67 x 59mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
Report a correction Report a correction
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