After six years, Sigma’s super-small minimalist has returned – and the new Sigma FP2 fits 6K open gate, a tilt screen, and a larger-capacity battery inside an even slimmer body.
Announced on October 23, the Sigma FP2 takes the same unusual utilitarian design and hybrid focus as the original FP, but overhauls everything from the sensor to the autofocus. The new sensor has nearly identical still photo resolution at 24.5MP, but upgrades video from 4K to 6K open gate.
The FP2’s sensor also shifts to a partially stacked design. That only gives the burst speed a slight bump from 18 fps to 20 fps – but the buffer moves from a poor 12 shots to a more respectable 200, shifting the ability to maintain that speed from less than a full second to about ten seconds of continuous shooting.
Beyond the speed boost, the updated sensor also improves dynamic range, now up to 14.1 stops.
The original FP’s contrast detection autofocus system felt a bit outdated even in 2020, but the second generation overhauls this too, switching to a hybrid phase detection and contrast detection system. Sigma says that the move improves accuracy and speed, as well as performance in low light.
Like the first generation, the Sigma FP2 is a hybrid that leans a bit heavily towards the video side, with a switch to shift from cinema to still photo modes. Beyond the 6K open gate, the second generation also adds 32-bit float audio. In addition to shooting 12-bit ProRes, the FP2 can also shoot in Leica’s L-Log.
Unchanged from the FP is the camera’s image stabilization, which remains only electronic. That EIS isn’t available at the full 6K resolution, but comes into play for 4K and lower resolutions.
The body design of the Sigma FP2 remains very much in the same spirit of utilitarian, minimalist design – but there are a few key changes. Chief among them is the addition of a tilting LCD screen, which can tilt up to 90 degrees and down to 45 degrees to aid in shooting low and high angles.
The width and height of the camera remain the same, but the depth is a few millimeters smaller, allowing Sigma to once again bestow titles like the world’s smallest full-frame interchangeable lens camera.
While the design is slightly slimmer, the FP2 is heavier than the FP at 460g / 16.2 oz with the battery and memory card installed. The tilting screen and an updated battery with 30 percent more capacity are the likely culprits behind the slight weight increase.
The FP2 has a single SD card slot, but also has 70GB of built-in storage.
In the spirit of the original Sigma FP, the FP2 strips away several features but adds them back in using accessories, creating a compact system meant to be customized. The new EVF-21 external viewfinder, like the new screen, is tilt-capable, sporting 5.76 million dots across the .5-inch OLED.
The LVF-21 mounts over the camera’s built-in screen, helping to cut out glare while magnifying the monitor up to 2.5 times. A new baseplate attaches to that LCD viewfinder accessory and supports video accessories mounted to its 3/8-inch screw posts.
The hot shoe slot, battery charger, and a connector for running AC power are also add-on accessories.
The Sigma FP2 is expected to begin shipping on November 11, retailing for $2,199 / £1899 body only. The camera will also be available in a $2,699 / £2,399 kit with the add-on viewfinder, as well as with a 50mm f/2 DG Contemporary lens for $2,749 / £2,419.
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