The first time I learned about SIGMA’s cameras (the SD09 and SD10) was in 2006. I saw photos with exceedingly good image quality in forums like PBase.com, and was immediately drawn to them. It was a time when digital cameras were still new…between 6-8 megapixel sensors, and had only begun their meteoric rise in popularity – I simply haven’t seen a camera that could create such lifelike and beautiful images.

I didn’t buy a SIGMA camera for myself back then. But when the DP Merrill series was released in 2012, with the Foveon sensor’s quantum leap from 14 megapixels to 46 megapixels, it seemed the perfect moment for me to get into the camera system. Also, the announcement of SIGMA GLOBAL VISION’s product revolution in the same year made it possible to acquire high product quality and stellar optical performance at reasonable prices. It was the answer to my photographic needs.

I started with the Merrills (DP1, DP2 and DP3) and subsequently bought the dp Quattro, the sd Quattro, as well as the Quattro H for myself. I also own more than eight SIGMA lenses, most of which I still regularly use today.

Although these SIGMA cameras were not built with many features in mind, their focused design philosophy – including the ease of use and the amazing image quality – makes me want to use them for all genres of photography in which I’m involved. I could sum up my impression of these cameras as “straightforward and hassle-free.” They feel more intimate to me the longer I use them, and with them, I’m able to produce large-format prints with such exceptional quality that I barely do on for other high-megapixel cameras.

As a fine art giclée printer, I need to have a deep understanding both of photography itself and the workflow involved, from shooting to printing. While I’m not a professional photographer myself, I like to shoot landscapes and abstract still lifes, street photography, portraits and more – a wide range of genres, really. More importantly, I usually create prints of my favorite photographs. SIGMA’s cameras and lenses offer me unprecedented advantages thanks to their highly detailed, lifelike renditions of subjects and their amazing colors without the need to resort to extensive post-processing.

Initially, I had viewed SIGMA as a talented maker of high-quality third-party products that rival original brand lenses. Over time, however, SIGMA has become a company that provides a complete photography system and solution. I now think of SIGMA as a company that offers innovative products and solutions while staying true to their core values of design, quality, and reliability. They are my first choice for photography products.