Sigma fp vs Sony RX1R

The Sigma fp and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2019 and June 2013. The fp is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the RX1R is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sigma fp		Sony RX1R
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Leica L mount lenses		35mm f/2.0
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (6 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Viewfinder optional		Viewfinder optional
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
12 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
280 shots per battery charge		270 shots per battery charge
113 x 70 x 45 mm, 422 g		113 x 65 x 70 mm, 482 g

Check fp price at
amazon.com
Check RX1R offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sigma fp and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sigma fp and the Sony RX1R. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony RX1R is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Sigma fp. It is worth mentioning in this context that the fp is splash and dust resistant, while the RX1R does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX1R has a lens built in, whereas the fp is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the fp gets 280 shots out of its Sigma BP-51 battery, while the RX1R can take 270 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sigma fp	113 mm	70 mm	45 mm	422 g	280	Y	Jul 2019	US$ 1 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	133 mm	73 mm	78 mm	486 g	350	n	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	US$ 2 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R II	113 mm	65 mm	72 mm	507 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the fp has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the fp has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.98μm versus 5.97μm for the RX1R), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the fp is much more recent (by 6 years) than the RX1R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Sigma fp has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 6-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the fp is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the RX1R uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sigma fp	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.2	14.2	2829	94
2.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1968	84
5.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
6.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
7.		Leica X Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1491	78
8.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2877	95
9.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
10.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
11.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
12.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
13.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.2	14.2	2805	94
14.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
15.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
16.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
17.		Sony RX1R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	1080/60p	25.8	13.9	3204	97
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the fp provides a higher video resolution than the RX1R. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The fp and the RX1R are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. However, optional viewfinders – the EVF-11 for the fp and the FDA-EV1MK for the RX1R – are available as accessories. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sigma fp and Sony RX1R in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sigma fp	optional	n	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica X Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D780	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2 / 2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
15.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX1R II	2360	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The fp has a touchscreen, while the RX1R has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the fp is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Sigma fp has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The fp writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX1R uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The fp supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the RX1R cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sigma fp and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sigma fp	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	-	-	-
2.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica X Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D780	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

The fp is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sigma. In contrast, the RX1R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the RX1R was succeeded by the Sony RX1R II. Further information on the features and operation of the fp and RX1R can be found, respectively, in the Sigma fp Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX1R Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sigma fp or the Sony RX1R – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Sigma fp:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1229k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the RX1R launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R:

• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the fp necessitates an extra lens.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the fp is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sigma fp and the Sony RX1R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the fp or the RX1R perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Sigma fp	4/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2019	US$ 1 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Leica X Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	US$ 2 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 859	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	4/5	90/100	..	..	May 2019	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 329	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R II	5/5	..	..	82/100	..	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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