Sigma has announced the DP1, a fixed-lens compact digital camera that uses the same 4.67(x3)-megapixel Foveon X3 APS-C format sensor as the newly announced SD14 digital SLR. The DP1 is the first point-and-shoot style camera with a large SLR-quality sensor, and it will capture RAW format images in addition to JPEGs. It also sports a fixed focal length 16.6mm f/4 lens (equivalent to a 28mm lens on 35mm film format).

The Foveon X3 sensor design, unlike all other current image sensors, incorporates three layered photo-detectors at each pixel location, meaning it directly measures all three primary colors (RGB) at each pixel. As with the SD14, Sigma lists the DP1's resolution as 2652 x 1768 x 3 to indicate this unique, full-color measurement pixel design.

From the pictures of the camera it's clear that the DP1 will not have an optical viewfinder; composition will be done on the 2.5-inch LCD. There's also no hot-shoe to be seen. Judging from the 2.5-inch LCD, the camera's dimensions appear fairly small but not quite as tiny as the super-slim class of digicams. Few other details have been published, and no pricing or availability information is given.