Choose a camera according to the sensor
Which one has the best dynamic range and the best ISO sensitivity?
These values are provided by the Photons Stop Photo site for a set of cameras from which we have chosen those included in the comparisons on the Bluejean.fr site, plus some full-frame cameras added for comparison. Camera are ranked according to the dynamic range, from best to lowest.
Recall that the dynamic range is the index of the ability to clearly reproduce both the lightest and darkest areas in an image, and the ISO sensitivity the ability to see clearly in low light. Dymamic range is more useful for landscape while ISO score est relevant to sport and action.
Benefit of dynamic range on the Fujifilm X-E3
Ranking...
| Brand | Model | Sensor | Dynamic Range | ISO |
| Sony | A7 III | Full frame | 11.60 | 6420 |
| Sony | A7 C | Full frame | 11.59 | 6274 |
| Sony | A7 R II | Full frame | 11.42 | 5857 |
| Nikon | Z 5 | Full frame | 11.35 | 4099 |
| Sony | A7 II | Full frame | 11.16 | 3863 |
| Sony | A6600 | APS-C | 10.97 | 2929 |
| Canon | R | Full frame | 10.63 | 4675 |
| Sony | A6100 | APS-C | 10.54 | 2521 |
| Nikon | Z 50 | APS-C | 10.53 | 2406 |
| Sony | A6400 | APS-C | 10.51 | 2470 |
| Fujifilm | X-T30 / ~X-S10 | APS-C | 10.47 | 3645 |
| Panasonic | Lumix G9 | Micro 4/3 | 10.30 | 2703 |
| Fujifilm | X-E3 | APS-C | 10.24 | 3610 |
| Sony | A6000 | APS-C | 10.24 | 2088 |
| Canon | M6 Mark II | APS-C | 10.08 | 2253 |
| Sony | A7 R II | APS-C Crop mode | 10.05 | 2772 |
| Sony | A5100 | APS-C | 9.89 | 1968 |
| Canon | M50 | APS-C | 9.84 | 1409 |
| Panasonic | Lumix ZS/TZ 100 | 1" | 9.80 | 915 |
| Panasonic | Lumix GX9 | Micro 4/3 | 9.75 | 1860 |
| Olympus | OM-DE-M1 III | Micro 4/3 | 9.74 | 2472 |
| Canon | M6 | APS-C | 9.73 | 1311 |
| Olympus | OM-DE-M5 III | Micro 4/3 | 9.69 | 2475 |
| Fujifilm | X-T200 | APS-C | 9.59 | 1910 |
| Olympus | OM-DE-M10 III | Micro 4/3 | 9.46 | 2103 |
| Canon | RP | Full frame | 9.11 | 4074 |
| Sony | RX 10 IV | 1" | 9.05 | 723 |
| Sony | RX 100 VI | 1" | 8.81 | 737 |
When it comes to ISO sensitivity, full frame sensors are the best. However Fujifilms equipped with X-Trans sensors are rated very well for both dynamic range and ISO. This is not the case with the X-T200 which has a classic quad Bayer sensor.
The RF-mounted Canon RP wins over APS-C cameras in ISO sensitivity, but it ranks behind all Micro 4/3s on dynamic range criteria!
Dxomark gives a better ISO score to RP than to R. Here is a list of some cameras, sorted by ISO score.
| Brand | Model | Sensor | DR | ISO |
| Sony | A7 III | Full frame | 14.7 | 3730 |
| Sony | A7 R II | Full frame | 13.9 | 3434 |
| Sony | A7C | Full frame | 14.7 | 3407 |
| Nikon | Z6 | Full frame | 14.3 | 3299 |
| Canon | RP | Full frame | 11.9 | 2978 |
| Canon | R | Full frame | 13.5 | 2742 |
| Sony | A7 II | Full frame | 13.6 | 2449 |
| Sony | A6600 | APS-C | 13.4 | 1497 |
| Sony | A6400 | APS-C | 13.6 | 1431 |
| Sony | A6000 | APS-C | 13.1 | 1347 |
| Sony | A5100 | APS-C | 12.7 | 1347 |
| Canon | M6 | APS-C | 12.6 | 1317 |
| Olympus | E-M1 II | Micro 4/3 | 12.8 | 1312 |
| Olympus | E-M10 II | Micro 4/3 | 12.5 | 842 |
| Sony | RX10 III | 1" | 12.6 | 472 |
| Sony | RX100 VII | 1" | 12.4 | 418 |
When a full frame camera is used in APS-C mode, with a full frame or APS-C lens, the dynamic range remains about the same, but the ISO sensitivity is halved.
Note that the dynamic range difference between sensors tends to decrease when increasing ISO. The dynamic range of RP drops significantly less than others from ISO 400 and it ranks much better then.
The ISO score is actually the more important factor to consider of the two.
Source Photons Stop Photos. Compare the evolution of the dynamic range as a function of the ISO sensitivity.
See also : Canon, Fuji, Sony, Micro 4/3, choose a system.
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