25 cameras with the best dynamic range

Posted by Haje Jan Kamps

Following from my post about dynamic range in cameras a few days ago, I did some further research… I give you: The 25 cameras with the best dynamic range!

Interestingly, it seems as if Nikon is generally doing quite a bit better than Canon, and that a camera launched almost 5 years ago is actually one of the ones with the very best dynamic ranges out there - And it’s not the brand you’d think, either!

Oh, and interestingly, there’s been a serious shift in the number of photographers shooting in raw - more about that in the end of this article.

$ earned from this advert will be invested in beer

The list…

1 - FujiFilm Finepix S5 Pro (13.5 ev)
2 - FujiFilm Finepix S3 Pro (13.5 ev)
3 - Nikon D90 (12.5 ev)
4 - Sony Alpha 900 (12.3 ev)
5 - Nikon D3 (12.2 ev)
6 - Nikon D700 (12.2 ev)
7 - Nikon D300 (12 ev)
8 - Canon EOS 1Ds mk III (12 ev)
9 - Canon EOS 1D mk III (11.7 ev)
10 - Pentax K10D (11.6 ev)
11 - Sony Alpha 350 (11.5 ev)
12 - Nikon D200 (11.5 ev)
13 - Nikon D40x (11.5 ev)
14 - Canon EOS 50D (11.4 ev)
15 - Konica Minolta DYNAX 5D (11.4 ev)
16 - Nikon D60 (11.4 ev)
17 - Canon EOS 1DS mk II (11.3 ev)
18 - Leica M8 (11.3 ev)
19 - Canon EOS 40D (11.3 ev)
20 - Sony Alpha 100 (11.2 ev)
21 - Samsung GX20 (11.2 ev)
22 - Nikon D80 (11.2 ev)
23 - Canon EOS 1D mk2 N (11.2 ev)
24 - Canon EOS 5D (11.1 ev)
25 - Canon EOS 1D mk2 (11.1 ev)

A huge thanks to DXOmark for the figures - check out their site for lots of more interesting uber-geekery about digital camera sensors and suchlike!

Update: Sorry, I had the D200 in there twice - the top one should have been the D300 instead. Fixed now - thanks for the heads-up!

Did you like this post? Stay in touch!

If you liked this post, why not stay in touch with Photocritic going forward?

I'm on Flickr and Twitter, or you could add my RSS feed to your favourite feed reader. Or, if you don't fancy doing any of that, drop us a comment below; you can be anonymous if you want to, but if you add a link to your blog or similar, I'll promise I'll come have a look!

Money made from this advert will be invested in beer.
Posted in: All articles, News • 28 Nov '08

Insights, suggestions and comments

By Neil Creek on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

Thanks for this list, it’s an aspect of the cameras’ function that’s far more interesting to me than megapixels. I would love to see where the new 5D MkII fits into this list, with the new sensor design. I’d also be curious to know how many of these use the 14bit process, and if there’s any true effect on the dynamic range afforded by the greater bit-depth.

By cheguevara on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

WOW. MY pentax is NO 10, IT’S great!

By Stefan on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

I see that you have the D200 listed twice.
I also assume that one of them should be the D300.
But which of them has the higher rating?

By Chuvi on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

7 - Nikon D200 (12 ev)
12 - Nikon D200 (11.5 ev)

Mmmmm? Nikon D200 should be first - 12 ev + 11.5 ev = 23.5 ev!

By carlo on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

Someone knows were i can find a similar list for film?

By Bjorn Bjork on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

Why Nikon D200 2 times? Canon 1 Ds MkII (16ev) Canon 40D checked some cameras and not automatic focus incorrectly works for one. And why in the list there is no 5D MkII (21ev) it should be in this list the first under the price and quality

By Tibor on November 28th, 2008 (permalink)

It’s true, the Fuji S5 is the best, I had one, I can testify.

By ricky on November 29th, 2008 (permalink)

carlo, heres the link> http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/eng/DxOMark-Sensor

d90 is 3rd for the best dynamic range
and it ranked 5th overall (image quality output of sensor).

better than those other canon high-end dslr and some nikon.

wow, really good value for money huh?

By ricky on November 29th, 2008 (permalink)

sorry carlo, im sorry. its just a link for digital slr. not for film.

By Trond on November 29th, 2008 (permalink)

nice list, but Im very curious about where 5d mk2 would end up. Im currently using a D200 and have been drooling over the 5d mk2 for a long long time now, but I need a few more arguments to go ahead and spend alot of hard earned money on it ;)

By yani on November 30th, 2008 (permalink)

Great list, makes me want to get that D90 more than ever now…

By Christian on January 11th, 2009 (permalink)

Hello,

I have a Fuji Finepix S5. It beats everything.
I have borrowed a Nikon D200 from a fried and between the cameras there are some worlds.
The Fuji is slower and has a horrible menu but the pictures are quite teriffic. I am still amaze how sensitive is the camera concerning tinie difference in light.

I was a proud owner of a Pentax K10D but comparing with the Fuji it’s like comparing a Canon Ixus with a DSLR.
Nevertheless it is your creativity and eye that will make the difference.

By ryan on February 25th, 2009 (permalink)

I HIGHLY DOUBT the K10D on this list is accurate. I have owned mine for 2 years, and shot many many shots. They must have concluded this list based upon the manufacturers list, not real world conditions. Don’t get me wrong I love my pentax, but this list inaccurate.

By sharaff on March 3rd, 2009 (permalink)

ye, i did see about the fuji’s dynamic range beats most of the cameras. i have yet to see how the d700 works, most of the time i keep it disabled. due to the type of shooting i do.

 

Share your wisdom



Current Poll

By the end of the month, will you own an iPhone?
View Results

My recent Flickr favourites

©ashley suzanne taylorWalt Disney Concert Hall 2Caressed by the Sun IIIPale LifeBorage flower"Between the lights and the shadows, a woman sits"End of Day (II)Midsummer!Hair Trim (87/365)Rocas ValleThe Netherlands, insidePaint the town Pink.D3X_8223-samHave a good day!DSC_4102Bending The Laws of Gravity
See all my Flickr favourites here

My recent Flickr uploads

near Swingate, ENG, United KingdomWarmenhuizen, North Holland, NetherlandsKorrewegwijk, Groningen, Netherlandsnear Ladegårdshuse, Roskilde, Denmarknear Hornstrup, Vejle, DenmarkVejleHolmenkollen, Oslo, NorwayRogaland reflected in an Arai
See my Flickr galleries here

Photocritic on Twitter...

  • Jul 3 tweet: http://bit.ly/v7PfR was nominated to become a Twitter tee - feel free to vote it down if you think it's lame! :) (link)
  • Jul 2 tweet: "We shot 50,000 pix, printed 8,000 of them and shot another 1,800 pictures" - http://is.gd/1lTrX (YouTube video / stop motion animation) (link)
  • Jul 2 tweet: I failed to notice that I now have over 3,000 followers! I'll do my best not to disappoint, stay tuned for Photocritic updates soon. (link)
  • Jul 2 tweet: The Human Printer 'prints' photographs in CMYK using felt-tip markers. Bonkers, but very cool: http://is.gd/1li3D (link)
  • Jul 2 tweet: I love abstract buildings, strong colours and great lighting, this has it all: http://is.gd/1lh9a (link)
  • Jul 1 tweet: This dude wrote a profile of me which makes me sound like a rock star: http://is.gd/1kK0Y Awesome stuff. (link)
  • follow @photocritic on Twitter!

My book

macrocover.jpg
... is now available from »Amazon.com and »Amazon.co.uk, too!

About

This site is all about learning more about photography, from the incredibly insightful (rarely) to the dreadfully mundane (also, hopefully rarely) via just about everything in between.

If this website seems a little whimsical and random, then that's because the author of this blog, who for the occasion is confusing himself by writing about himself in the third person, is slightly whimsical and random himself.

Enjoy!

- Haje