Further details on specifications of the Sigma SD15, a direct successor to the now rather long-in-the-tooth SD14, were provided in February 2010. The Sigma SD15's near-APS-C sized Foveon image sensor is unchanged from that in the SD14, and still yields a final image size of 4.7 megapixels, with full color information at every pixel location. The SD15 is the first Sigma digital SLR to receive a TRUE-branded image processor - specifically, the current generation TRUE II processor as first seen in the DP2 compact.

Changes in the Sigma SD15 as compared to its predecessor include a larger, sigificantly higher resolution 3.0-inch LCD panel, and slightly restyled / reconfigured rear panel controls. The SD15 also switches from CompactFlash / Microdrive media to Secure Digital or SDHC cards, but doesn't support the newest SDXC cards. Body side is unchanged, but weight has been reduced just slightly. On the inside, the Sigma SD15 offers an expanded ISO sensitivity range, seven user-selectable color modes, DPOF compatibility, tweaked metering methods, and a new Russian language option. The SD15 also drops the interpolated Super High image resolution, and looks to have dropped the reduced-resolution Raw file modes as well.

The Sigma SD15 will first ship in Japan from June 25, 2010, and we understand that European availability should commence from July. Both body-only and kit variants will be available, with the latter including an 18-50 mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM lens. Pricing has not been disclosed for the Japanese market, but suggested retail pricing in the United Kingdom is apparently around £900 (US$1,330*), according to our friends over at the Digital Photography Review.

Alongside the announcement, Sigma has released a gallery of twenty two Sigma SD15 sample photos, shot by photographers Carl Rytterfalk, David Hamory, Jim Kofron, Kendall Gelner, Laurence Matson, Lea Tippett, Rick Decker, and Scott Greiff. With just two exceptions, the samples are all shot at the camera's base sensitivity of ISO 100, while samples five and 13 are shot at ISO 200.

Sigma has also added galleries shot with several of its latest lenses using the SD14 and SD15 camera bodies, and advised Japanese customers of updated pricing and availability information. The SIGMA 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM is priced at ¥94,300 (US$1,030*), will ship in Sony mount from June 18 2010, with a Pentax-mount variant following from July 2 2010, and the Sigma-mount variant is demonstrated on both the SD14 and SD15 bodies in an eight-image gallery. The SIGMA APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM costs ¥189,500 (US$2,070*), also ships in Pentax mount from July 2 2010, and is shown in Sigma-mount form in a twelve-image gallery shot with the SD14 and SD15 bodies. Finally, the SIGMA 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM has now gone on sale in Japan in its Canon-mount version, priced at ¥82,800 (US$900*), and is demonstrated in Sigma-mount form in a seven-image gallery shot with only the SD14 body.

* Note: US dollar prices in this news article are rough equivalents, and are calculated without taking into account the effects of exchange rate fluctuations, taxes and duties.