Sigma DP3 Merrill gets priced at $1,000 and coming in a few weeks

The third camera in the Sigma Big Sensor Primes Merrill line-up with the slightly larger Foveon sensor is the aptly named DP3 Merrill and it has been given a price by Sigma. Surprise-surprise, it is $1000, just like the price of the DP1m and DP2m. It is currently available for pre-order at Adorama and B&H Photo for $1000 with a February-28-2013 release estimate. Please note estimates are estimates.

Perhaps the best thing that happened to the Sigma DP-series cameras is the release and popularity of the Fuji X100* series. It frames their prices more favorably than before where there was no other frame of reference compared to DSLRs and iLCs of similar sensor size.

Another good thing perhaps for Sigma is the upcoming HTC M7 uber-smart-phone. It is supposed to have a 3-layer sensor with Ultrapixels, divorcing itself from the Bayer megapixel anchor. With so many companies filing Foveonesque patents, it will be interesting to find out who is actually designing and manufacturing the alleged HTC M7 sensor. Does Sigma+Foveon even have the capacity to make a mass-market sensor since HTC sells a whole lot of smarthphones?