Sigma Corporation of America announces new name, pricing for flagship SD1 camera
DSLR takes Foveon technology creator’s name, undergoes manufacturing improvements to reduce price
Ronkonkoma, NY, Feb. 8, 2012
– In a personal letter to the company’s loyal customers, Sigma
Corporation CEO Kazuto Yamaki today announced that, starting next month,
Sigma’s 46-megapixel SD1 DSLR will be renamed the SD1 Merrill in honor Richard “Dick” Merrill,
the late co-creator of the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor technology.
The otherwise unchanged DSLR will also be sold at a lower price that
reflects new efficiencies in the camera’s production.
The SD1 Merrill will be sold for approximately $3,300 MSRP in the United States.
Today Yamaki wrote:
To our valued customers,
We would like to express our appreciation for your loyal patronage of Sigma products.
Today,
we announced our new digital single lens reflex camera, the Sigma SD1
Merrill. This product has the same features, performance, and
specifications as the Sigma SD1, however, the price is substantially
revised. We are gearing up for its release in March 2012, and the market
price is expected to be approximately $3,300 MSRP.
At
the time of its introduction, the Sigma SD1 was a revolutionary product
incorporating a 46MP* direct image sensor which provided the highest
resolution in a digital SLR camera. As the world’s only full-color
sensor capturing all three primary color components (R, G, and B) within
each pixel location, the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor made it possible
for the image quality of SD1 to not only demonstrate improved
resolution, but also to obtain richer expressions of gradation, as well
as to enhance the three-dimensional impression which is specific to
Foveon sensors. *Resolution equivalent to 30MP on a color filter array
sensor
However,
even with this revolutionary image sensor, we could not solve issues
related to some of the manufacturing methods before the start of mass
production, and the production cost ended up substantially exceeding our
originally expected price. As a result, we had no choice but to set the
price of the SigmaSD1 high. This caused great discouragement to all of
you who looked forward to its release, and wished to experience the very
unique image quality of the Sigma SD1 in person; this has become our
biggest disappointment and pain.
Since
then, overcoming this situation has become the first priority for us
and Foveon, and we have together made improvements to reduce production
cost substantially. Even though this effort took nearly a year, at last,
we achieved a reduction target close to the price we originally
planned. Therefore, we decided to release Sigma SD1 as a new product,
and were able to make our recent announcement.
The
Sigma SD1 Merrill keeps the best image quality of the Sigma SD1, which
has a unique identity, but comes with a substantially revised price.
Although some of the manufacturing methods have been enhanced, the
performance and characteristics of the sensor itself have not changed.
There is nothing more pleasurable for us than enabling our valued
customers to experience the Sigma SD1 Merrill in person, as a digital
SLR camera of a new era which inspires photographers’ inner artistic
sensitivity, providing “high image quality” and changing current
perceptions of what is possible.
On
the other hand, we fully understand that it is not acceptable to
current Sigma SD1 users that a new product with exactly the same
specifications as their camera is being released with a substantially
revised price a year later. After all, those customers committed to
purchasing the Sigma SD1 with great expectations.
During
this period, we have seriously considered how we can express our
appreciation for our Sigma SD1 customers. Currently, we have a plan to
offer a support program for current Sigma SD1 owners. This support
program will provide points that can be exchanged for our products. This
program is expected to be valid after the release of Sigma SD1 Merrill
and it will last until the end of this year, 2012. It will be applicable
for all Sigma products including both current and new products to be
released this year. More details will be available soon; we appreciate
your kind understanding as we finalize this program.
We
would like to once again express our appreciation to current Sigma SD1
owners, and other customers who are looking forward to our next DSLR
camera, for your loyal patronage to Sigma. We will continue doing our
best with the aim to design and manufacture ideal photographic equipment
that inspires the artistic hearts of photographers everywhere. We
sincerely value your continued support.
Kazuto Yamaki
Chief Executive Officer
SIGMA CORPORATION
Sigma Corporation of America
will soon contact current Sigma SD1 owners in the United States to
discuss the support program and the redemption of points with the
company as a result of this pricing change. In the meantime, SD1 owners
in the United States may contact Director of Marketing Christine
Moossmann by emailing Cmoossmann@sigmaphoto.com with questions or concerns about this announcement.
To locate an authorized Sigma dealer nearest to you, visit www.sigmaphoto.com/where/where.asp. For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com.
About Sigma Corporation
For
more than 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has
driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience,
plus imagination,”with anemphasis on producing high-quality,
high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This
family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens
manufacturer in the world, producing more than 40 lenses that are
compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon,
Olympus, Panasonic and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital
SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is
headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout
Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.
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