Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Sensor

credits: Sigma

Sigma’s full-frame Foveon sensor has been in the works for years, and while progress has been slow, CEO Kazuto Yamaki says the project is still very much alive. In a recent interview with photographer and YouTuber Matt Granger, Yamaki admitted that Sigma is still in the technology development phase, they haven’t even started designing the final sensor yet. “We’re still working on the design of the pixel architecture,” he explained, adding that every time they run a new prototype, they run into fresh technical problems. It has been a challenge partly because Sigma has never designed a sensor completely on its own before.

Right now, Sigma’s engineers are testing small-scale prototypes to fine-tune the design before they move to a full-frame version. The new Foveon sensor is expected to use a stacked BSI structure and include on-chip phase detection, both major steps up from earlier designs. It will keep the traditional X3 layered setup, which captures red, green, and blue light at every pixel, promising richer colour and better dynamic range, maybe even reaching 60 megapixels. But the same old challenges are still there, managing heat, reducing power draw, and making sure each pixel performs perfectly. Sigma wants to get all of that right before even thinking about mass production.

Even with the delays, Yamaki says Sigma isn’t giving up. The company knows the Foveon will always be niche, but it is a project they believe in, something for photographers who care about image quality above everything else. He described the effort as a kind of “beautiful foolishness,” a passion project that goes against the grain of the wider camera market. It is still a long road ahead, and a full-frame Foveon camera probably won’t appear until 2026 or later, but Yamaki’s update makes clear that Sigma isn’t done chasing this dream just yet.

You can see the full interview with Sigma’s CEO on YouTube here