Ronkonkoma, N.Y. - Sigma America said this week that its previously announced DP2X advanced-sensor compact camera will be available in April at an $800 suggested retail.

The camera, which is the successor to Sigma's DP2 and DP2s cameras, features a 14-megapixel Foveon X3 direct image sensor (2,652-by-1,768-by-3 layers), and will now also include Analog Front End (AFE) and high-speed autofocus.

The AFE is also used in the DP1x compact digital camera and SD15 d-SLR, and converts full color data, which the FOVEON X3 capture system records, into a digital signal for richly colored high-definition images.

A new AF algorithm provides improved high-speed autofocus.