The DP3 Merrill ($999 direct) is the most recent entry into the Sigma's DP family of compact cameras. It has the longest lens of the bunch, a short-telephoto design with macro focusing capability, but uses the same 46-megapixel Foveon X3 image sensor as the DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill. The APS-C sensor is as big as you'd find in an SLR, but its design requires you to use Sigma's software for Raw processing. It's not a camera for everyone, but if you're willing to put the time in you'll end up wtih impressively sharp photos. Our Editors' Choice for prime-lens compact cameras is still the Ricoh GR, but the GR sports a wide-angle lens that sees the world in a different way than the DP3's narrow 75mm-equivalent lens.

Foveon Image Sensor, Design, and Features

The Foveon X3 image sensor that is at the heart of the DP3 is a design unique to Sigma. It uses three layers to record information, each one sensitive to a different color channel. Traditional digital cameras use a single-layer sensor with a Bayer overlay, which has grids of red, blue, and green pixels to create a color image. Each layer of the DP3's sensor boasts a 15.4-megapixel resolution—because of this, Sigma advertises it as a 46-megapixel camera, even though the resulting, printable images are limited to 15.4 megapixels in size.

The sensor design omits the low-pass filter, which is a trend on higher-end cameras. But because of its design, which by its nature omits the Bayer color-array filter, there's no danger of moiré entering into your shots. The downside to the unique design is that there's no support for the Raw format in Lightroom or similar software programs—you'll have to use Sigma's Raw software to process photos. The software leaves a lot to be desired, but you can use it as a basic converter to convert the Raw imaes into TIFF format, which can then be imported into Lightroom or the workflow application of your choice.

In terms of design, the DP3 is essentially a brick with a lens, measuring 2.6 by 4.8 by 3.2 inches, and weighing in at 14.1 ounces. Its body is the same size as the DP1 and DP2 in terms of height and width, but it's got the biggest lens of the three. The size isn't out of line with the Leica X2 (2.7 by 4.9 by 2 inches), but that camera's 36mm-equivalent lens doesn't jut out nearly as far. The DP3 doesn't support an EVF, but you can slide a fixed optical finder into its hot shoe; you'll have to trust its autofocus system, but our tests showed that to be accurate, albeit slow.

The lens is a 50mm focal length, which translates into 75mm in terms of full-frame photography. It has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and can focus as close as 8.9 inches. That's not close enough for the 1:2 magnification that is typical for dedicated macro lenses in this focal range, but it does get you 1:3 magnification, which is quite impressive for a compact camera with a big image sensor. Some shooters may feel limited by the narrow field of view, especially since you can't change the lens. Foveon fans can choose from the DP1 or DP2, both of which feature a wider lens, and enthusiasts with big camera budgets can take a look at the full-frame Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1; it's got a faster, wider 35mm f/2 lens, but costs nearly three times as much as the DP3.

The DP3 is only available in one color, a pleasantly minimal flat black finish. Buttons are labeled in white—for shooting functions—and red—for playback functions. On top you'll find the power button, Mode button, a control wheel, and the shutter. The rear houses the Auto Exposure lock, a four-way controller with a center select button (the up direction lets you select the focus mode, the bottom the focus point), an image playback button, a button to control the amount of information shown on the rear display, the menu button, and the QS button.

The QS (Quick Set) button grants access to seven quick shooting controls. Press it once and you can adjust the ISO, exposure compensation, drive mode, and image format settings. Press it a second time and the menu switches to white balance, image compression, color balance, and image format (in the same place as the first menu) settings. It's a well-designed interface, and lets you adjust settings without diving into the menu system.

The 3-inch rear display packs a 920k-dot resolution. It's sharp and gives you a good idea about the quality of the images you are capturing. The display is just as sharp as the 1.2-million-dot display on the Ricoh GR, but it's not as bright; that camera has an extra layer of white pixels that make it possible to view on even the brightest days.