Sigma Fp interface/customization questions

[EricTheAstroJunkie]

Hi everyone,
I've been on the fence about getting a Sigma Fp for a while now and I have a few questions regarding the interface and customizability of the camera for user preferences that I can't really seem to find answers to. I do a lot of astrophotography and the camera is appealing for a lot of reasons, namely the size, simplicity, and passive heatsink, with astro we don't need things like IBIS, an optical low pass filter, and a lot of the added fluff that gets added. Anyways, I'm wondering if someone can answer the following questions for me, all of these questions relate ONLY to STILLS mode as I won't ever be using the camera in CINE mode:

1) I see the camera allows bulb mode exposures up to 300 seconds, is it possible to set a specific shutter speed value longer than 30 seconds? IE can I put the camera in bulb mode and tell it to take a 60 second exposure without an external intervalometer?

2) Is it possible to reprogram buttons on the rear of the camera? I'd like to reprogram the TONE, COLOR, and AEL buttons to very specific adjustment settings I need on a regular basis if possible, otherwise I'd have to put these things in the QS menu.

3) Is it possible to program pre-defined User modes into the QS menu so I can quickly flip between a couple different pre-defined settings/setups?

Any help with these questions would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[SandyF]

Just to acknowledge your post, I wish I could help but I cannot. The Sigma fp camera is the only Sigma camera I haven't personally used. Added: or the SDQ-H. I just have the SDQ.

 

[AlanC]

I have the fp L, not the fp, but as far as I'm aware the two operate the same way:

1) No.

2) You can reprogram AEL, up / down / left / right (rear dial direction buttons), TONE, COLOR and MODE. There are restrictions on what you can put on AEL but the others can be assigned pretty much any setting.

3) You can program 6 custom modes (C1 to C6) and either put the mode selection on the QS menu or use the MODE button to move between them.

 

[Roger J]

Greetings
1, you can do 30 seconds in Shutter mode and Manual mode I do not know about the b setting or 300 sec.
2, To some degree. I'd go with what Alec said on this one
3, there again Alec is correct
Sorry I wasn't more help, but I use my FP for street, rodeos, wind surfers, and portraits. I have mine set for these needs and it works excellent. I'd love to see images from astrophotography done with the FP or FP-L. The clarity, color and sharpness would be out of this world!!

Good luck
Roger J.

 

[SandyF]

I'd like to know more about astrophotography too. I was utterly impressed by some recent photos posted on Facebook of the Aurora borealis taken in Virginia of all places! Taken a couple miles from where I'm writing. How did the photographers do that??

 

[Roger J]

I'd like to know more about astrophotography too. I was utterly impressed by some recent photos posted on Facebook of the Aurora borealis taken in Virginia of all places! Taken a couple miles from where I'm writing. How did the photographers do that??

Hi Sandy
Roger J.

 

[Josep]

I'd like to know more about astrophotography too.

This seems like a good article by Mark James Ford on the subject with the fp.

Astro-Photography with the SIGMA fp (1/2)

Astro-Photography with the SIGMA fp (2/2)

 

[Roger J]

Sweet excellent
Thank you
Roger J.

 

[SandyF]

Thanks for the links. I read through both, fascinating results, but his set-up and results are way beyond my capabilities.
A local photographer in Virginia is giving a program at Shenandoah Park in August, Gregory I. Redfern, but I probably cannot attend due to conflict of schedule. So I just ordered his book on Astrophotography. I think it's more centered on work with cameras rather than telescopes+cameras.