FINALLY a good DxOMark rating system review

[astroNikon]

The D3x is a great camera body; the BODY and sub-systems are fabulous,even by today's standards. The wide-area AF system is more-advanced than the dumbed-down one used in any of the later Nikon models, with a 4-position AF area switch, two autofocusing modes C and S, and an uncanny ability to focus right out to the very edges of the APS-C frame. But the sensor is very poor above ISO 250. The camera in fact only goes up to 800 ISO natively; the 1600 and 3200 figures are unofficially supported "Hi-" values, and are not actually ISO-compliant, but part of the "expanded" ISO range..

I wondered why the d3x Overall Score was lower than a bunch of Crop cameras, but had a good ISO low light score. There's so much that goes into the Overall it's hard without diving into each specific camera testing details to understand it.

 

[Braineack]

That why I click measurements and actually look at the charts...

with all Nikons breaching 14EV at ISO100 while new Canons are still stuck at 11.8EV, they will always take a hit right off the bat.

there is such a gap in the DR between 50 and 1600 ISO between the D750 and 5Dmiii it's not even funny.

 

[Derrel]

The D3x is optimized for dynamic range at lower ISO values, and rich color. It shoots great images at lower ISO levels, but when it was made, it took a TON of engineering effort in the electronics of the camera to wring that much performance out of the light-sensitive part, the "sensel". The entire "sensor" involves additional components beyond just the light-sensitive sensel. The "sensel" is what Sony manufactured. For an interesting bit of fun, compare the performance of the Sony A900 and A850 against the Nikon D3x; all three cameras used the same, Sony-made sensel, but Nikon sunk thousands of dollars more money into the electronics of the D3x. The color rendering performance of the A900 is not very good above 400 ISO; the D3x, while not a real High-ISO speed demon camera body, is still pretty decent at ISO 1600. In daylight, not low-light, it is VERY usable at ISO from 1,000 to 1,600, with very low visible noise in most sizes of images.

Nikon D3X versus Sony Alpha 900 - Side by side camera comparison - DxOMark

NEWER sensors are even better.

One of the biggest issues for Canon is that they can NOT use on-chip analog to digital conversion methods, and Sony and Toshiba can, and do. The Sony and Toshiba-made sensors offer on-chip ADC routines, which is an advantage...kind of like being fuel-injected, while Canon limps along with carburetors...

Sony and Toshiba have made huuuuuuuuuuge finincial investments into chip fabrication; Canon is still using older, now outdated, sensor fabrication technology. Canon has other business divisions to run, like the office machines division, while Nikon is the last remaining purely imaging company, and Sony is a VENDOR that has invested hundreds of millions of yen in state-of-the-art sensor fabrication equipment for their OWN use, as well as to sell to other camera makers. The main difference in the Sony EXMOOR generation sensors is the ability to "lift the shadows" without a ton of pattern noise showing up. This is what Fred Miranda's 5D-II vs Nikon D800 head-to-head comparison shows, and what Tony Northrup's Canon 5D-III vs Nikon D810 video comparison both raved about.

 

[Overread]

It wouldn't surprise me if Sony were to keep ploughing money into the sensor design with a long term goal of getting both Canon and Nikon buying from them. If they did that they could almost step back and just focus purely upon sensor design. Why bother fighting for a slice of the DSLR pie when you can just supply the core component to the two with the biggest slice.

 

[goodguy]

Cricket's not a sport. Don't be ridiculous.

What is it then, baseball was derived from cricket

And who said baseball is sports, I believe baseball is based on a bunch of guys spitting, scratching their crotch walking to few bases and I even think there is a bat swinging somewhere there but I might be wrong.

 

[gsgary]

It wouldn't surprise me if Sony were to keep ploughing money into the sensor design with a long term goal of getting both Canon and Nikon buying from them. If they did that they could almost step back and just focus purely upon sensor design. Why bother fighting for a slice of the DSLR pie when you can just supply the core component to the two with the biggest slice.

They should not give up with the A7 one of the best cameras for a long time

 

[JTPhotography]

The Sony lens selection problem makes the Canon weak sensor problem look small.

 

[Overread]

And Sony has to invest lots to get their lens line-up built up. Why fight over that when they can carve a niche and then let the big names just buy sensors from them.

That said Sony oculd push for bodies then let Sigma do the work for getting more lens variety on the market

 

[gsgary]

The Sony lens selection problem makes the Canon weak sensor problem look small.

I don't have a problem with lenses on my A7 and have no problem with my Canon gear

 

[gsgary]

The Sony lens selection problem makes the Canon weak sensor problem look small.

Check dxo A7r is match for D800e if not better at half the price

 

[JTPhotography]

You have a serious comprehension problem. You keep responding to things I haven't said. Again......

Fact, nikon sensors are better than canon sensors.

Fact, nikon and canon lens selection is far superior to Sony.

 

[goodguy]

I wouldnt give up my lenses no matter, what.
If I had to move away from Nikon I would go to Canon just so I will continue to enjoy such a large selection of good fast glass.
Just cant see myself going with anything less then constant f2.8 zoom lenses, its a must for me.

 

[gsgary]

You have a serious comprehension problem. You keep responding to things I haven't said. Again......

Fact, nikon sensors are better than canon sensors.

Fact, nikon and canon lens selection is far superior to Sony.

I only use 35,28 and 50mm on the A7 so it not a problem and I have a fantastic sensor, I know how good Canon lenses are I had 300f2.8 down to 50mm

 

[astroNikon]

I like my 2.8s and 300/4. I wish Nikon would make a mirrorless that would take my existing lenses including the screw focusing AF-D lenses.

 

[Braineack]

I like my 2.8s and 300/4. I wish Nikon would make a mirrorless that would take my existing lenses including the screw focusing AF-D lenses.

whoa. let's not give them good ideas...