Sigma SD14 Review

Main Features

5MP - APS-C CMOS (Foveon X3) Sensor

ISO 100 - 800( expands to 1600)

2.5″ Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

750g. 144 x 107 x 81 mm

Replaced Sigma SD10

Replaced by Sigma SD15

$253.86

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Sigma SD14 Overview

First introduced in September 2006 , Sigma SD14 is a 5.0MP Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor. Sigma replaced the older Sigma SD10 with this model and later SD14 was replaced with Sigma SD15. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Sigma SD14 vs Sigma SD10
Compare Sigma SD14 vs Sigma SD15
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Sigma SD14 vs SD10 vs SD15

Sigma SD14 has an Overall Score of 41/100 and ranked #183 out of 200 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #754 out of 1171 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Sigma SD14 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Sigma SD14 Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Sigma SD14 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

Buy Sigma SD14 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 800

Small LCD Screen ( 2.5″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 150kdots )

Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps

Heavy Body: 750g

No Environmental Sealing

No AF Micro Adjustment

Sigma SD14 Lens Mount and Lenses

Sigma SD14 has a Sigma SA Bayonet lens mount and currently there are 76 native lenses available for this mount. SA has access to Sigma's full selection of lenses but the downside is no other manufacturer offers a lens for this mount.

Sigma SD14 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 23 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 15 lenses with weather sealing for SD14 but bear in mind that SD14 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Sigma SD14 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sigma SD14 Lenses

	Focal Length on SD14	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing	Price
Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art	0-0mm	F1.8	1490gr	AF	$1,099.00
Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A	0mm	F1.4	665gr	AF	$728.79
Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	0-0mm	F2.8	565gr	AF	$307.95
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C	0-0mm	F5.0 - F6.3	1930gr	AF	$1,719.49
Sigma 20mm F1.8 EX DG Aspherical RF	0mm	F1.8	520gr	AF	$400.00

Check our Sigma SD14 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Sigma SD14 Sensor and Photography Features

Sigma SD14 has a 5.0MP APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 2640 x 1760 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. SD14 has a native ISO range of 100 - 800 which can be boosted to 1600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Sigma SD14 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Sigma Quattro with its 29.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sigma SD14 vs Sigma Quattro or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Sigma SD14's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Sigma SD14 Physical Specs

Sigma SD14 weighs 750 g (1.65 lb / 26.46 oz) and has external dimensions of 144 x 107 x 81 mm (5.67 x 4.21 x 3.19″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 771g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 81mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Sigma SD14

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Sigma SD14

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Sigma SD14 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sigma SD14, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sigma SD14 with its main competitors:

Sigma SD14 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs SD14	Thickness	vs SD14
Sigma SD15	5.0MP - APS-C	750g	equal weight	81mm	equal thickness
Sigma SD10	3.0MP - APS-C	950g	200g heavier	79mm	2mm thinner
Sigma SD9	3.0MP - APS-C	950g	200g heavier	79mm	2mm thinner
Nikon D7200	24.0MP - APS-C	765g	15g heavier	76mm	5mm thinner
Pentax 645Z	51.0MP - Medium format	1550g	800g heavier	123mm	42mm thicker
Sigma Quattro H	45.0MP - APS-H	g	750g lighter	91mm	10mm thicker
Nikon D800	36.0MP - Full frame	900g	150g heavier	82mm	1mm thicker
Canon 70D	20.0MP - APS-C	755g	5g heavier	79mm	2mm thinner

Sigma SD14 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Sigma SD14 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Sigma SD14 has a Fixed Type 2.5″ LCD screen with a resolution of 150k dots. At only 2.5″, the screen is on the smaller side and 150kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

SD14 has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 98% and a magnification ratio of 0.6x. 98% coverage means that what you see in your viewfinder while shooting will slightly be different from the actual image.

Max Shutter speed
Sigma SD14 can shoot continuously at max speed of 3 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash
SD14 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Sigma SD14 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system.

Video Features
Unfortunately Sigma SD14 doesn't have Video recording ability.

Connectivity and Storage

Sigma SD14 has a USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Sigma SD14 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sigma SD15 >>Compare to SD14	None	shots	No	No	No
Sigma SD10 >>Compare to SD14	None	shots	No	No	No
Sigma SD9 >>Compare to SD14	None	shots	No	No	No
Nikon D7200 >>Compare to SD14	1920 x 1080	1110shots	Yes	No	Yes
Pentax 645Z >>Compare to SD14	1920 x 1080	650shots	No	No	No
Sigma Quattro H >>Compare to SD14		shots	No	No	No
Nikon D800 >>Compare to SD14	1920 x 1080	900shots	No	No	No
Canon 70D >>Compare to SD14	1920 x 1080	920shots	Yes	No	No

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Sigma SD14 is $253.86

What type of Photography is Sigma SD14 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Sigma SD14 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the SD14 compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Sigma SD14 for Portrait Photography

Sigma SD14 has a score of 49 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Sigma SD14 for Portrait Photography

Sigma SD14 for Street Photography

Sigma SD14 has a score of 42 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Large APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
No Live-view

No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Sigma SD14 for Street Photography

Sigma SD14 for Sports Photography

Sigma SD14 has a score of 73 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps

Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Sigma SD14 for Sports Photography

Sigma SD14 for Daily Photography

Sigma SD14 has a score of 49 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
Large Body

750g
Body Thickness 81mm

Read the details of how we scored Sigma SD14 for Daily Photography

Sigma SD14 for Landscape Photography

Sigma SD14 has a score of 37 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSD14.

Large APS-C (20.7 x 13.8 mm) sensor
No Live-view

Very Low Resolution Sensor: 5.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Sigma SD14 for Landscape Photography

Sigma SD14 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Sigma SD14 compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of SD14 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Sigma SD14 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Sigma SD14

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sigma SD14 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Sigma SD15

Compare

Sigma SD10

Compare

Sigma SD9

Compare

Nikon D7200

Compare

Pentax 645Z

Compare

Sigma Quattro H

Compare

Nikon D800

Compare

Canon 70D

Compare

Sigma SD14 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Sigma SD14 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Sigma SD14's price range.

Sony NEX-6

Compare

Panasonic GF7

Compare

Fujifilm X-A2

Compare

Olympus E-P3

Compare

Pentax Q10

Compare

Olympus E-PL6

Compare

Fujifilm X-A1

Compare

Pentax Q-S1

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Sigma SD14

Does the Sigma SD14 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Sigma SD14 have RAW support?
Does the Sigma SD14 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Sigma SD14 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Sigma SD14?
What is the Sensor Size of Sigma SD14?
is the Sigma SD14 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Sigma SD14 have Touch Screen?
Does the Sigma SD14 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sigma SD14?

Sigma SD14 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Sigma
Model	Sigma SD14
Announced	2006-09-26
Body Type	Mid-size SLR
Price	$253.86
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sigma SA Bayonet
Number of Lenses	76
Focal Length Multiplier	n/a
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2.5″
Screen Resolution	150k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	98%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.6
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a
Max Flash Sync	1/180s
Flash Modes	Unknown
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS (Foveon X3)
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	20.7 x 13.8 mm
Sensor Area	285.66mm²
Sensor Resolution	5 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	2640 x 1760
Max Native ISO	800
Max Boosted ISO	1600
Min Native ISO	100
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
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	750g
Physical Dimensions	144 x 107 x 81mm
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (10 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	Compact Flash Type I or II
Storage Slots	1

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