Sigma FP2 Sensor Readout Measured at 14.2ms, More Than Twice the Original FP

Sigma's FP2 reads out its full-frame sensor in 14.2ms in single-shot stills mode and 11.1ms in burst — more than twice the speed of the original fp and the BF, according to lab measurements published by DPReview. The number matters because the FP2 is a full-time electronic-shutter camera: rolling shutter rate decides whether it's usable for fast action, flash work under studio strobes, and banding-free shooting under artificial light.

What does the measurement change for working shooters?

The headline figure, 14.2ms (roughly 1/70 sec), held constant whether the camera wrote JPEGs, DNGs or both. In burst mode, readout jumps to 11.1ms, about 1/89 sec. DPReview's testers note the camera's 1/50 sec maximum flash sync already hinted at this range, since sync speed is bounded by how fast the sensor's line-by-line readout can end the exposure across its full height.

The comparison numbers put the FP2 in current flagship territory:

• Single-shot readout: 14.2ms — a fraction faster than the Panasonic S1II and Nikon Z6III
• Burst and video readout: 11.1ms — identical to the Nikon ZR in the same tests
• 16:9 video region: 9.4ms, which equates to the same 11.1ms across the full sensor height

That doubling of readout speed versus the original fp translates directly to work: a subject must move twice as fast before motion distortion becomes comparable in stills or video, images should band less under artificial lighting, and flash sync can run at exposures nearly a stop faster than on the predecessor.

Why does burst mode sync faster than Sigma's flash limit?

One discrepancy stands out. The Nikon Z6III syncs flash up to 1/60 sec despite its marginally slower single-shot readout, while Sigma caps the FP2 at 1/50 sec. DPReview's testers speculate Sigma may be less confident about triggering the flash precisely during the brief window when the whole sensor is active. The 11.1ms burst readout suggests the camera could sync faster if Sigma pushed flash triggering into that mode — a firmware question, not a hardware limit.

What do the video modes show?

Readout times proved consistent across every video mode tested:

• 6K or 4K 3:2 open gate, any frame rate, ProRes Raw or H.265: 11.1ms
• 6K or 4K 16:9, any frame rate, ProRes Raw or H.265: 9.4ms

The 6K open gate Raw output matched the 11.1ms rate, and 4K open gate footage measured identically — evidence, per DPReview, that 4K open gate is derived from 6K capture. The implication: the sensor can physically read fast enough for 6K/60 open gate, but Sigma doesn't offer it, likely because of power consumption, heat or processor load rather than sensor speed.

Real-world shooting so far supports the lab numbers. DPReview reports it hasn't encountered much banding during use, though it says it will keep watching as the camera stays in rotation.

For photographers weighing the FP2 as a compact full-frame body, the measured readout puts it alongside Nikon's current generation rather than in the compact-camera slow lane its predecessor occupied. The open question is whether Sigma can unlock faster flash sync via firmware to match the readout hardware it clearly has.