DxOMark reviews for digital cameras and lenses

Nikon’s new Coolpix P330 is a classy ‘compact camera’. It’s very average when it comes to mundane things like size and weight but it performs better than many much more expensive cameras and has a list of features that covers pretty much everything you might need.

This is the third and final part in our series on selecting the best lenses for your Nikon D600, looking at the performance of standard lenses, primes and zooms.

This is the second part in our three-part series on selecting the best lenses for your Nikon D600, concentrating on wide-angle and telephoto lenses.

Following on from our series of selecting the best lenses for the Nikon D800 with its potential for massively detailed images from the 36Mpix sensor, we’ve now turned our attention to that camera’s younger sibling, the 24Mpix D600.

It seems that every passing month brings a new compact camera to the market, featuring a large sensor and the promise of higher image quality than its peers. However, while the sensor is often the star of the show, the lens is just as important and can make or break the performance of the camera. The Nikon Coolpix A is one of this new breed of large sensor compact cameras, and just a few years ago it would have seemed a most unlikely proposition. However, as technology has improved, costs have come down and it is now possible to fit large sensors in small cameras at a reasonable cost, but this does mean the lenses have to improve in tandem or they risk damaging the great work done by the sensor engineers.

Announced only in February this year alongside the Sony made Zeiss branded 50mm f/1.4 ZA SSM, the 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II lens is an upgrade to the original silver finish model introduced in 2009. This new lens is said to boast up to 4x increase in AF operation and an improved optical performance (not to mention a new white exterior). Read on to see how well it performs in our labs.

When zoom lenses were first beginning to be viable alternatives to a bagful of prime lenses back in the 1980’s there were two focal length ranges that were dominant, 35-70 and 70-200: the ‘standard zoom’ and the ‘tele zoom’. Well this ‘old’ approach seems to be back, Panasonic’s 35-100 for their Lumix range exactly matches the 70-200 range while their 12-35 that we reviewed recently fills the ‘standard’ slot.

Launched in February 2011, the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC APO OS HSM is a trans-standard zoom lens aimed at APS-C camera users. On these APS-C models, the crop factor of the sensor (1.5x on Nikon and 1.6x on Canon) makes it comparable to the 70-200mm focal length on a full frame camera, but arguably with an even more versatile length as they reach a little longer (225mm on Nikon and 240mm on Canon). Featuring a raft of specification acronyms, it promises high performance in a well-priced package, but does the reality live up to the billing?

Replacing the 650D the 700D becomes the new flagship DSLR in their ‘EOS for Beginners’ range. Continuing to feature a 18-megapixel APS-C ‘Hybrid CMOS’ sensor, 100 - 25,600 ISO range, 5fps burst shooting and 9-point AF the new model is almost identical however. Costing $1099 it’s up against stiff competition, with rivals such as the Nikon D5200 and Sony Alpha 58 packing more resolution for less money.

Most manufacturers have a lens that gets bundled with their cameras to make a ‘Kit’, and Nikon is no exception, but when its full frame cameras are beginning to be accessible to the consumer market, the kit lens needs both coverage and quality to be an appropriate partner to the likes of a Nikon D600.

Sony seems to have a liking for doing things differently to other makers: hybrid cameras with bigger sensors, compact cameras with serious, professional attitude and single lens reflex cameras with fixed, translucent mirrors. Its new SLT Alpha 58 camera shows just how good a strategy this is, close to the quality of their Alpha 77 at half the price!

Launched in July 2012, the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR is the latest in a line of cameras from Fuji, featuring an EXRCMOS sensor. Aimed at the upper end of the compact camera market, it offers features suitable for more advanced users and a lens focal range that is the equivalent of a 25-500mm lens in 35mm camera terms.  So is this camera all things to all people?

Nikon’s flagship medium range telephoto lens the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II offers a versatile focal range, great features and top-class optical quality. Costing $2,400 it’s an expensive option however, and notably with cheaper alternatives like the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DGH APO HSM II and Nikon’s latest f/4 version, the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR now on the market, is this top-of-the-range lens worth the extra money?

Launched in February 2012 the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is a ‘fast’ standard zoom available in Nikon, Sony and Canon lens mounts. On full frame DSLRs its wide-angle through to short telephoto focal range is ideal for general use photography, and featuring Tamron’s VC image stabilisation system, as well as a fixed f/2.8 maximum aperture, its low-light credentials are pretty hot, too.

A battle rages in the hybrid camera sector between the Sony NEX Range with their APS-C sensors and the Micro Four-Thirds cameras. With interchangeable lenses for each the quality is not necessarily fixed when you buy your camera, you can upgrade the optics. In this first look at Sony E mount lenses, we are looking at their most recent additions, but we will look at others too, let us know which are most important to you.

The last in our four-part series on choosing the best lenses for your Canon EOS 5D Mk III concentrates on wide-angle zooms and primes. Mounted on the 22.3 Mpix EOS 5D Mk III, we’ve tested 23 different models covering moderately wide- to ultra-wide angle lenses ranging from 35mm to 12mm. Read on to see which of these perform best on the EOS 5D Mk III

There are only a small proportion of photographers who can really justify buying a lens that costs the same as a small car, but if you really need a 400mm f2.8 lens then the chances are that you are going to get yourself one. To stick with the motoring analogy: Canon’s EF 400mm f2.8L IS II USM is not at all like a small car, it is rather more like a Formula 1 Racing car.

The third of our four-part series on choosing the best lenses for your Canon EOS 5D Mk III concentrates on fixed focal length telephotos and super- zooms up to 300mm. Mounted to the 22.3 Mpix EOS 5D Mk III, we’ve assessed 26 different models covering various budgets from so-called ‘kit’ lenses to high-end telephotos. Read on to see which of those perform optimally and those that, if you’re in the process of buying perhaps, are best avoided.

DxO Optics Pro v8.1.5 now offers support for the Nikon D7100 expert DSLR. DxO Optics Pro v8.1.5 integrates many powerful tools for processing RAW and JPEG images, including the best tool for automatically adjusting contrast and light, along with precise color management. Its unrivaled performance and intuitive interface provide a quick and smooth workflow.

Introduced in 2007 alongside the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and Nikon’s first full-frame DSLR – the 12-megapixel Nikon D3 – this lens was a first of its kind and set new standards for image quality for ultra-wide angle lenses. How does this lens perform on demanding high-resolution bodies, such as the 36-MPix Nikon D800? DxOMark has the answer.

In this final section of the Nikon D800 lens test review, we’ll be looking at the wide-angle lenses. For clarity, we are classing any lens with a focal length up to 35mm as wide-angle. Within this we have broken lenses down into the ultra-wides with focal lengths below 21mm, wide-angle between 21mm and 35mm and zoom wide-angles with a focal length up to 35mm.

This is the second part of the Canon EOS 5D Mk III and lens feature, where we’ll be looking at how the camera performs with standard, fixed focal length lenses and zooms. We’ve measured 35 different models in combination with the 22.3 Mpix EOS 5D Mk III, to see which of those lenses are the most suited to the sensor in terms of image quality using our DxOMark Score.

For shooting high quality landscape, architectural or interior photos, a “fast” wide-angle prime is a must. They offer significantly improved optical performance over many zooms that, while versatile, often suffer distortion and edge softness at wide focal lengths and maximum apertures. Let’s take a closer look at the Carl Zeiss 25mm f/2 wide-angle prime for Nikon and Canon lens mounts to see what it has to offer.

The Micro 4:3 market is full of technology, each new generation apparently having some new enhancement, with a new, more superlative name. Panasonic is no different, but this new Lumix G VARIO 14-42 f3.5-5.6 II Asph. Mega OIS carries neither the ‘Power Zoom’, or the ‘Power O.I.S’; there are aspheric elements but no ED glass. Without all the latest refinements is it worth having at all? Yes, it is: well priced and punches above its weight.

The second in our series of selecting the best-quality lenses for your camera concentrates on one of the most highly-anticipated cameras of our time, the successor to the hugely popular EOS 5D Mark II. But by the time it was announced, in early March, it’s probably fair to say Nikon had taken fair amount of interest away by announcing the 36M-Pix D800 and D800E models the month before. Be that as it may, there’s no denying the 22.3 M-Pix EOS 5D Mark III is a remarkably capable camera, and a formidable rival to the Nikon.

Sony’s annual update to the NEX range has so far failed to deliver the expected high-end replacement to the NEX-7. However, Sony has added the promising NEX-6 and refrevshed the popular, entry-level NEX-F3 with this new sleek looking model. Read on to see how well it performed in our labs.

Launched in March 2013 the $1097 Coolpix A is Nikon’s first compact camera with an APC-S sensor and features the same 16.2-megapixel DX sensor from Nikon’s D7000 DSLR but with its optical low-pass filter removed. Utilizing a fixed NIKKOR 18.5mm f/2.8 prime lens (equivalent to 28mm in 35mm terms) the Nikon Coolpix A has the right ingredients for great image quality so let’s see how it performs.       

In the compact camera market manufacturers will go a long way to make their product stand out: Carl Zeiss or Leica lenses for instance offer a certain cachet. The Samsung EX2F has several features that make you want to look closer; it has a Schneider Kreuznach lens, with an f1.4 aperture. It has built in WiFi to help you share or back-up your pictures and it is housed in a chassis of magnesium alloy. Are these things enough in this very tough market sector?

Although the new Nikon D7100 looks fairly similar to its predecessor (the popular Nikon D7000), Nikon has made some significant changes under the hood that belie the surface similarity. The D7100 not only includes a higher-resolution CMOS sensor, but even more significantly, the company chose to use a sensor without an anti-alias filter for the first time on a non-full-frame DSLR. While this should enable better sharpness and resolution, it may also result in more moiré patterns in some images.

In this third section of the Nikon D800 review, we’ll be looking at the telephoto lenses. These are models with a focal range of 70-200mm or 70-300mm and we have also included the super-zoom or “all-in-one” lenses with focal ranges from 28-300mm.

As the boom in hybrid mirrorless cameras continues and some have questioned the future of the entry-level DSLRs, can the launch of the smallest and lightest DSLR to date revitalize this market? We preview the key specifications of the new super small Canon 100D (Rebel SL1) and take a look at the new EOS 700D (Rebel T5i) and updated EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM ‘kit’ lens at the same time.

Sony is often quoted as having aspirations to rival Nikon and Canon but, since taking over the SLR business of Konica Minolta, has so far shown only a handful of pro-grade lenses. The SAL500F40G is one such lens, more popularly known as the 500mm f/4.0DG SSM, and with a price tag of $13,000 it’s aimed squarely at professionals and well-heeled enthusiasts. We’ve had the opportunity to assess the new lens at our lab in Seattle, please read on to see how the new Sony performs and if it has what it takes to compete with the current Canon and Nikon duopoly.

The Micro 4:3 market is maturing nicely: there are products available now to suit a wide range of needs. Up to now the upper end of this sector consisted entirely of fixed focal length lenses, but the Panasonic LUMIX G X Vario 12-35mm f2.8 ASPH. Power O.I.S changes all that. This is the first ‘standard’ zoom lens that DxO Mark has tested that really competes with fixed lenses on this format.

After years of unadventurous, unexciting “slow” speed zooms “fast”, high-quality primes are experiencing a comeback thanks to the popularity of full-frame DSLRs and the merging of video capture. The moderately wide 35mm focal length has seen numerous new versions from most lens makers over the last two years or so, including this ultra-high speed offering from Sigma. Read on to see how well this lens fares on the highest resolution DSLR currently available.

Announced at Photokina 2012 the new Leica M digital rangefinder camera is available for pre-order and expected to ship soon. Although the 4^th rangefinder in the M range to feature a full frame sensor, Leica have changed from the previously used Truesense 18Mp CCD to a CMOSIS 24Mp CMOS model. With new features added too expectations are running high, so lets get under the hood and see what it has to offer.

In this second part of the Nikon D800 and lenses review, we’re looking at the standard focal lengths. Within this group, there is a very wide range available. When searching for a standard lens, you have the option of both prime and zoom, depending on what suits your needs best. To help make it easy to select the right lens, we’ll look at the 50mm primes, 85mm primes, macro lenses and finally the standard focal range zooms.

Announced in 2012, the Nikon D800 is the current undisputed king of DxOMark, with results that eclipse every other camera from all other manufacturers. However, with so much resolution on tap, the question is, which lenses should you use to make the best of what you’ve got? The DxOMark labs have tested 61 different lenses on the D800 to bring you an unparalleled resource of which lenses are best and which should be avoided. To make it easy to follow, we have broken the reviews down into sections so you can concentrate on the lenses that are important to you. This first section will give you an overview of the D800. We will follow this with a review of the standard focal length lenses, then the telephoto lenses and super-zooms and finally there will be a wide-angle review.

Launched in September 2012 the Fujifilm XF1 is a fixed lens compact aimed at advanced enthusiasts after a pocket-sized second camera for holidays and photo day trips. Featuring customizable function buttons, creative exposure modes and a manual barrel zoom lens with a 25-100mm equivalent focal length, there’s plenty of control for serious photographers to sink their teeth into. What’s more with a 2/3-inch 12-megapixel EXR-CMOS Sensor at its heart we’re optimistic the $499 Fujifilm XF1 will deliver on picture quality, too.

Leica enthusiasts are getting excited as the revered German manufacturer looks set to ship their new M Type 240 digital rangefinder very soon. Featuring a brand new 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, the latest model in the M Series departs from the CCD sensor technology Leica have previously used. So as we await the new, let’s look back at the Sensor Scores for the M9, M9-P and M-E Type 220 using that CCD Sensor, to get us in the mood.

Launched at the Focus on Imaging UK photographic show on 4^th March 2013 the strap line “The palm sized maestro” introduces the new flagship Nikon compact - the Coolpix A. The first Coolpix camera to feature a large APS-C sensor the Coolpix A boasts a 16.2-megapixel resolution together with a fixed NIKKOR 18.5mm f/2.8 lens - equivalent to 28mm in 35mm terms. According to Nikon the Coolpix A has been developed in response to the demands of street photographers looking for a light, portable camera with great image quality. With a $1099.95 list price it could be quite a niche market however so let’s see what the Coolpix A promises.

For many people an introduction to photography is through a compact camera: usually, these days, one with a zoom lens covering medium-wide through to short telephoto. The next step is often an SLR and the “standard” zoom, covering the same range. The quality of this “standard” zoom can be the difference between great results and disappointment, so the choice is important. This Sigma 17-70 f2.8-70 f2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM C Canon is both good and versatile, no disappointment here.

Announced this January at CES 2013, the Pentax MX-1 is Pentax’s first foray into the relatively crowded field of high-end-compact cameras. With a 12-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch backlit CMOS sensor, the Pentax MX-1 competes directly with established high-end compacts like the Canon PowerShot S110, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7, Olympus XZ-2 iHS, and Nikon Coolpix P7700 among others, many of which have already been through multiple updates and iterations.

The Samsung NX20 is a good ‘Hybrid’ APS-C camera, it is a pretty good APS-C camera, and actually it’s not a bad camera by any standards! Unfortunately for the Samsung it is surrounded by other good cameras and needs something special to make it not just a good camera but a successful camera.

Launched in September 2011, the Samsung NX200 marks a significant point in the NX line because it features an all-new APS-C CMOS sensor with 20.3megapixels. Among the hybrid cameras, this is about as big as sensors currently get, so Samsung are aiming at the high ground, a fact confirmed by the premium feel all-metal body – a first in the NX-series.

“Superior Clarity and Nimble Precision: The DX-Format Nikon D7100 embraces the advanced enthusiast with intuitive engineering” - As titles for press releases go, this one from Nikon is quite a mouthful. Announced on 20^th February 2013 and sitting in the mid-range of the Nikon camera line-up, the D7100 bares a strong resemblance to the very popular D7000. However, the similarities are only skin deep as the D7100 internals are heavily modified and Nikon are billing it as their “flagship DX-format” camera.

This is the first in a series of reviews rounding up the Lens Metrics Scores on 35mm primes for Canon, Nikon and Sony. We start by looking at options for Canon EF, and with several own brand and 3rd-party options on the market, there are plenty of choices available. Ranging in price from $320 to $1843, however, it’s tough to decide which one is best for you. So let’s take a closer look at image quality, features and value for money to help you decide.

The high-end Sony RX1 was one of the most eagerly awaited cameras in our labs and while we assessed the camera’s full-frame sensor early in January, we’ve decided to publish the results of the Zeiss-branded Sonnar 2/35 T* lens. Readers will already be aware that it’s fixed, and can’t be purchased separately, but we can test it just as we would any other, albeit on one camera body only. Is this “fast”, moderately wide-angle lens an outstanding performer worthy of the Carl Zeiss name? Read on to find out.

The zoom range 70-200, or thereabout, is one of the real classic lenses, an absolute “must” for sports and photojournalism. The faster the maximum aperture the better, but most important of all it must be a good performer. Tamron’s SP 70-200mm f2.8 Di VC USD has the right specifications and a price tag that is very attractive, especially when you see how good it is.

Launched in January 2013 the Nikon 1 S1 is a new product line in the Nikon 1 Hybrid Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens series. Targeted at advanced through to expert enthusiasts after a lightweight camera for photography daytrips and holidays the Nikon 1 S1 features a clean minimalistic design. Utilizing a smaller sensor and lower resolution than most of the Hybrid competition though how will it fare in the DxOMark Sensor Scores?

This year’s theme for high-end compacts is undoubtedly the switch over from CCD to BSI CMOS sensors, but maker’s are having to work hard to make the cameras attractive to those users who might also be tempted by interchangeable lens based mirror-less models. Olympus’ upgrade to the original XZ-1 sees plenty of promising features including the new 12-Mpix BSI CMOS chip, but how well does it fair in our exhaustive tests?

Even though smartphones have eroded the sales of digital compacts at the lower-end of the market, the high-end models using relatively large 1/1.7-inch type sensors continue to be popular. The DMC-LX7 is Panasonic’s compact “expert”’ model aimed at amateurs and advanced users alike, and replaces the previous iteration, the highly regarded DMC-LX5. This new iteration might represent a serious challenge to both the Canon PowerShot G15 and the Nikon Coolpix P7700.

The Elite edition of DxO Optics Pro 8 to support three Leica cameras with telemetric viewfinders: the M-E, the M9, and the M9-P. Three other cameras complete the list of equipment supported by both the Standard and Elite editions of this new version: the Nikon D5200, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200, and the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.

Released just a month after being announced at CES 2013 alongside a new lower-end sibling (the Nikon 1 S1), the new Nikon 1 J3 now takes its place as the midrange model in Nikon’s lineup of interchangeable lens compact cameras, with a list price of $599.95 (with a 10-30mm kit lens). The J3 is an update to the Nikon 1 J2, which came out only five months prior to the announcement of the J3 and S1 and had been the camera maker’s lower-end offering.

Hybrid is a word used both positively and negatively, quite appropriate for the photographic industry. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 wears this badge: "Hybrid", a mix of system and compact. It has a range of lenses spanning 7mm to 300mm (equivalent to 14mm up to 600mm in full frame 35mm) and a body that is not much bigger than a compact camera. Should it wear it with pride? Yes, it should…

With the vagaries of photographing wildlife, the flexibility of a telephoto zoom would appear to be an attractive solution. However, image quality is often a compromise at the maximum aperture and longest focal length, typically the most crucial settings.  We’ve pulled some lens data from our database and put together a round up of popular zoom lenses over the years (and made some comparisons with high performance primes). Read on to find out which models have the best image quality.

With a DxOMark score of 14.6 on a full frame EOS 5D Mk II, dropping to 11 on a EOS 7D, the EF100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM has homogenous sharpness across the focal range, good resolution in the centre and low chromatic aberration. On the downside, the lens has some vignetting at maximum aperture and low resolution in the corners, however on an APS-C body those particular effects are minimized. While interesting and still listed as current on the Canon site, this lens is no longer available new, but can be found secondhand.

One of the single most versatile lenses for wildlife Canon’s EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM scores reasonably well on a full-frame camera with a DxOMark score of 15.4, however on APS-C EOS 7D that also drops to 11. Like other zooms, vignetting and edge sharpness are limitations (though less so with crop cameras) however the resolution is acceptable centrally through out the focal range, albeit tailing off at the desired 300mm setting. A whopping $2,600 price tag may put off all but the well heeled.

The Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG APO OS HSM is interesting for its longer focal lengths, equivalent to a 180-600mm on a Nikon DX body (and slightly more on a Canon APS-C). On a full-frame camera, it achieved a respectable DxOMark score of 15.8 though it dropped to just 11 on a Nikon D7000 (a slightly higher than on a D300s). Highpoints, apart from the extra reach, include consistent resolution across the image field (the Acutance map above shows the lens at 400mm), as well as good control of chromatic aberration, while the disadvantage of vignetting at maximum aperture is really only an issue for FF bodies. While not as pricey as some, $1,000 is still a sizeable figure given the performance at 400mm.

Another intriguing offering in our database is the Canon EF70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM. It’s pricey at $1,270 but appealing as an ultra compact (if still relatively heavy at 720g) model, thanks to the adoption of the firm’s innovative Diffractive Optics (DO) technology. Although only introduced in 2004, the resolution at maximum focal length is poor accounting for the low DxOMark score of 12.6 when mounted on a Canon EOS 5D Mk II and it’s correspondingly lower still on an EOS 7D (at 10 points).

At around $420, this relatively affordable, compact and lightweight (420g) full-frame zoom with an 11x range and minimum focus distance of 0.49m (19.3in) sounds like an appealing option. As for image quality, it’s a slightly different story. On the one hand, the Tamron has low levels of chromatic aberration but, on the other, the resolution is low from 100mm onwards. Vignetting is also an issue on full-frame cameras at maximum aperture (but that’s common, and easily corrected in post). For the record, the tiny Tamron averaged a DxOMark score of 9.8 on a Sony Alpha 900 and 8 on a 16-Mpix APS-C Alpha 580.

While this practically pocket-sized lens will only appeal to Panasonic and Olympus Micro 3/4 users, with an 35mm equivalent focal length of 200-600mm f/4-5.6, this lens may seem like an attractive option for wildlife photographers. In terms of image quality, the resolution is consistent across the image field while vignetting (lens shading) is well-controlled although the peak resolution is a bit low and acutance at 300mm (600mm equivalent) is, unsurprisingly, lower still. However, the sharpness at 150mm (300mm equivalent) is pretty good. Furthermore, at around $500, the price is relatively accessible.

Our final comparison, for the sake of objectivity, is the $1,400 Pentax smc DA Star 300mm f/44 ED IF SDM. On a Pentax DSLR this lens is the 35mm equivalent to a 450mm f/4 and besides the very good image quality (with a DxO Mark score of 15) it has some nice features including extreme weather resistance, ED glass, internal focusing and an built-in SDM type autofocus motor. In fact, the image quality is close to the Canon 300mm f/2.8 mounted on a EOS 7D.

Announced in September 2012, the Pentax Q10 is the second in the Pentax Q series and lays claim to being the smallest hybrid camera currently available, offering interchangeable lenses in a package barely larger than an advanced compact camera. However, is smaller really better, and how have Pentax progressed since the Pentax Q?

Announced in February 2012, the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 lens Di VC USD is the latest full-frame, fast aperture standard zoom from the Saitama, Japan-based optical firm and is the first of its type to add VC (Vibration Control) image stabilization. Costing $1299 and available in Canon, Nikon and Sony fittings (the latter albeit without VC) and featuring USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) technology, it’s an obvious alternative to the pricier offerings from the top-names. Could this lens be a contender in the IQ stakes? Read on to find out.

The annual CP+, or Camera and Photo Imaging Show, takes place in Japan, the heartland of the photography hardware industry. With new lenses covering wide-angle through to extreme super-telephoto and options for all the different Interchangeable lens mounts and camera systems, this year’s show, seemed to be all about new glass for your cameras in 2013. We pick out and preview 11 lenses that caught our eye.

Introduced in November 2012 as the proposed ‘kit’ lens for the EOS 6D, the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM lens represents an interesting move for Canon – despite two well respected lenses in this category, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM and the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM hopes to offer a compact, lightweight lens suitable for the newly created lightweight, full-frame camera segment. The red L-series band offers the promise of professional performance, but does it live up to the expectations?

Canon were busy in 2012 releasing three wide-angle primes, the EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM, EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 35mm f/2 IS USM, on to the market. The latest launched in November 2012 was the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM as an updated version of the original that dates back to 1990. Featuring Image Stabilization, Canon’s USM Ultrasonic autofocus motor, a ‘fast’ f/2 maximum aperture and wide-angle focal length, it looks a great option for Canon shooters into landscape or architectural photography.

Often in technology new models of existing products are disappointing, being motivated by the possibility of integrating new features which may not be overly useful. So when a manufacturer updates a good piece of kit and comes out with something even better there is much cause for celebration. Nikon’s Coolpix P7700 is just such a piece of equipment, updating its Coolpix P7100 model in some style.

Alongside a successful line of Mirrorless Hybrid cameras Panasonic continue to refresh their lineup of fixed lens Bridge cameras. Launched in July 2012 the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ200 offers a 24x super zoom, 12fps continuous shooting and 1080 60p HD video. Upgraded from its predecessor, the Lumix DMC-FZ150, this latest model also boasts a fixed maximum aperture, higher resolution EVF, greater ISO and shutter speed ranges as well as a new HDR mode.

There is a very particular look available to photographers who have a ‘Super-Wide-angle’ lens in their gadget bag, a ‘look’ that puts a whole new perspective on things. To get it you really need something quite extreme. Nikon do it, Canon do it, indeed most of the camera makers do it, but so do some of the independent lens makers. Of these who does it best? And do you get what you pay for?

Introduced at Photokina in September 2012 alongside three other Micro Four Thirds lenses, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f2.8 Macro lens helps Olympus make good on its promise to deliver a full range of dedicated lenses and accessories for its PEN and O-MD lines of compact mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras.

Announced in September 2012 the Olympus 15mm 1:8.0 body cap lens is a pancake prime lens for the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Costing just $49 and featuring an equivalent 30mm wide-angle focal length, fixed f/8 aperture and manual focus it’s a cheap and quirky alternative. Its tiny proportions also make an intriguing option for photographers looking to work discreetly, travel light and be ready to shoot at a moments notice.  

Focus Numérique, the first French online magazine dedicated to professional and amateur digital photographers and digital imagery, has chosen to use DxOMark measurements so as to offer its readers the most complete and accurate lens test results on the market. This new partnership reinforces DxOMark’s position as the most reliable source of independent information about camera and lens image quality for the media and the most influential websites.

Introduced in February 2012, the EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is the long-awaited update to Canon’s pro-grade standard zoom and replaces the highly regarded EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Designed with the objective of improving image quality and providing greater durability for daily use with digital cameras, it has a completely revised optical design as well as an enhanced mechanical construction. As full-frame lens, it’s compatible with the firm’s full range of DSLRs including 1.6 (APS-C) and older APS-H (1.3x crop) DSLRs making it an attractive choice to a wide of range users. However, at around $2,500 it’s not likely to be a casual purchase.

Announced in February 2012 the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f/1.8 is a ‘fast’ telephoto prime for the Micro Four Thirds Lens mount. With an equivalent 150mm focal length it’s a good option for portraiture or sports and the wide f/1.8 maximum aperture is great for low light, too. Costing $899 it’s an expensive option for serious amateurs or professionals alike, so if it’s a lens you’re considering read on to make sure it delivers the results you desire.

Launched in September 2012, the Tamron SP90mm f/2.8 Di Macro II VC USD lens aims to continue in the same vein as previous Tamron macro lenses by offering very high image quality in a well-priced package that rivals the offerings from the major camera manufacturers. A true macro lens, this model offers full 1:1 lifesize reproduction and includes Tamron’s Vibration Compensation (VC) mechanism to help achieve images free of camera shake even at longer shutter speeds. Also present is their USD, or Ultrasonic Silent Drive, AF motor for fast, quiet AF operation.

Launched in January 2012 the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G prime lens offers a great focal length for portraiture and a wide maximum aperture for low-light photography. Compatible with both Nikon FX and DX lens mounts this latest version of Nikon’s popular short telephoto prime also features a built in autofocus motor making it full functionality on all Nikon DSLR cameras. At $500 it boasts a great price too, so if you’re after a 85mm portrait lens this could be the one for you.

After the introduction of the entry-level 24Mpix D3200 early last year it seemed inevitable that the rest of the firm’s APS-C (DX) range would be refreshed with the same sensor. While the gestation of the new 24Mpix D5200 has taken longer than most people could of reasonably predicted, the sensor is, in fact, a new design and the first from a different vendor for Nikon. We’ve recently put the new camera through our labs, read on to see how the new sensor performs.

DxO Optics Pro v8.1.2 supports the Canon EOS 6D*, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX1*, and the Nikon 1 V2. Since the previous version, nearly 300 new camera/lens combinations have been added to the DxO Optics Modules library, thus surpassing the symbolic milestone of 10,000 available Optics Modules.

Announced this past June alongside the Canon EOS Rebel T4i DSLR camera, the new Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is an ultra-slim, entry-level pancake lens that uses Canon’s Stepping Motor Technology (STM) to enable extra-quiet continuous autofocus, making it well-suited for video shooting.

Launched in July 1999, the Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens has been one of the most popular super telephoto lenses in the Canon range for wildlife and sports photographers alike. As expected for a super telephoto lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture and an Image Stabilizer, it is right at the top of the tree in terms of cost. But does the performance match the price? DxOMark presents the results, including a comparison of the Canon with the Pentax smc DA Star 300mm f/ 4 ED (IF) SDM, a lens also recently tested in our laboratories.

Looking at the specifications for Canon’s new PowerShot SX50 HS may leave you thinking that you have opened the pages of some futuristic fantasy: a compact camera with a zoom lens that covers a range equivalent to 24mm up to 1200mm with a digital zoom doubling this figure! Well specifications don’t take pictures; photographers do, if they have the right camera. Is this the right camera?

Samsung kick off 2013 with a new flagship model in their NX series of mirrorless hybrid cameras, the NX300, alongside a new 45mm f/1.8 prime lens capable of 3D stills and video capture. Featuring a 20.3 megapixel APS-C sensor, articulated touchscreen LCD and Samsung’s SMART CAMERA technology the NX300 continues Samsung’s integration between their digital cameras, smart phone and computer tablets with built in wireless functions for easier image sharing.

Refreshed to include Canon’s latest evolution in autofocus technology, the Stepper Motor, the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-f5.6 IS STM offers ultra quiet continuous autofocus during video capture. With its predecessor the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-f5.6 IS still available and for less money however, if you’re not interested in video capture, which version of this lens should you go for and how does this latest model compare to the competition? Our Canon EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-f5.6 IS STM review has the answers for you.

Peter van den Hamer is a physicist who has been working in the Netherlands as a scientist/architect in various large high-tech and electronics companies for 25 years. In his essay – a successor to a previous article published on Luminous Landscape in early 2011 – Peter explains industry trends (based on over 50 new camera models tested by DxOMark), discusses the impact of sensor size, and provides sample photos to illustrate the impact of sensor defaults on your final images. A great example of an avid reader’s use of pertinent DxOMark data! If you would like to submit an article or essay about image quality for publication, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

A noise benchmark of 187 digital cameras by Peter van den Hamer

DxOMark Camera Sensor is a raw benchmark for camera bodies by DxO Labs. The benchmark is “raw” because it measures image quality using Raw output files. It is also raw as DxO’s data can be used to cook up camera reviews that cover more aspects than image quality.

After almost 25 years, Canon has updated one of its oldest prime lenses with the new Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM.  Adding optical image stabilization and a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor, the new fixed, wide-angle lens is an update to the Canon 24mm f/2.8 wide-angle prime originally released in November of 1988.

CES has once again provided camera manufacturers with a launch pad for their latest round of consumer models. Nikon are no exception and have used the show to debut the latest models in the Nikon 1-Series line-up of interchangeable lens compact cameras. The 1 S1 and J3 feature 10.1- and 14.2-megapixel sensors respectively.

Adding to the 1 NIKKOR lens line-up, two new lenses expand the possibilities of the Nikon 1 system by offering an ultra wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens.  Launched at CES 2013, they both feature Nikon’s VR technology and optics optimised for the Nikon 1-Series cameras.

The new Sony RX1 offers discerning photographers the unique proposition of a full frame CMOS sensor and fixed 35mm f/2 prime lens in a compact shell. Perfect if you’re after great image quality without the bulk, weight and inconvenience of a large DSLR. But how will the RX1 perform in the DxOMark Sensor Scores?

Launched in October 2012, this new lens from Nikon offers a lower cost entry point to the very popular 70-200mm focal length that finds a wide range of uses in everything from sports and wildlife to portraits and social documentary photography. Taking on many of Nikons newest technologies, does the reality match up to the promise?

Canon was the last major maker to embrace the hybrid or ‘mirrorless’ camera market. As a somewhat sober debut, designed for those who are new to photography, the EOS M adopts an 18-megapixel APS-C format in a compact body but boasts a number of advanced features including a 31-point hybrid AF system for stills and video and a touch sensitive 3-inch LCD. While it’s clear this camera doesn’t compete directly with the firm’s DSLRs, how does it stack up against the competition that don’t have the same volume of DSLR sales to protect?

Launched in April 2012, this wide-angle prime lens from Nikon, with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, suggests it may be a great choice for landscape, architectural and reportage photography. A light weight of 330g also ensures it’s easy to travel with and won’t weigh heavily in your bag.

The time has finally come to start testing them just like real cameras!

A telephone that shoots photos using a 41 Mpix sensor, another that produces hand-held panoramas, camera phones that film special moments in Full HD and make sharing photos and videos as easy as sending a text message... No doubt about it, the camera phone has come of age! In its labs, DxOMark tests the image quality of mobile phones according to a testing protocol as rigorous as that used for cameras and lenses, and confirms that certain mobile phones have already surpassed some of the compact cameras we were admiring only months earlier. Without denying the merits of using real cameras, the time has come to take a closer look at these devices… with a photographer’s eye!

Just a few steps from the TF1 tower, in the muted atmosphere of a room painted entirely black, a technician goes about his business amidst stands, lightboxes, color charts, numerous measuring tools, and funny pictures composed of both matte and shiny colored objects. Tomorrow he will cross Paris, following a strict itinerary from Pompidou Centre to the Eiffel Tower before heading back to the lab to take a series of portraits, also very carefully controlled. We are with the publisher of DxOMark, and we have just arrived smack-dab in the middle of testing the camera of a new mobile phone that will soon appear in store windows, and whose initial assessments are already very promising.

DxOMark’s decision to test camera phones is based on a simple observation: more than a billion mobile phones have been sold throughout the world, of which 640 million are smartphones. Just in France alone, 4.5 times more camera phones have sold than digital compacts and 27 times more than DSLRs! Camera phone image quality has become one of the principal choice criteria for buyers. Until now, however, it has never been rigorously evaluated. With its enormous experience of 2,500 camera-lens combinations already tested and more than 200,000 available measurements, French company DxO Labs has launched itself into this vast undertaking of objectively measuring and making comparisons of the image quality between devices that, up until now, were never expected to be players in the field of digital photography.

Adding to its range of image stabilised lenses Canon has brought out this new EF 28mm f2.8. 28mm is a useful focal length and while f2.8 is not very wide, the IS makes this an attractive proposition. Taking into account that this is optically pretty good too and the result is quite promising. Photographers looking for a good all round wide angle for their kit bag could do much worse.

16 years on from its launch the Canon EF 135mm f/2L prime is still going strong and available to buy brand new today. With a wide maximum aperture, useful telephoto focal length and good build quality it offers some attractive features. Costing $1,000 however it’s at the expensive end of the range for a standard telephoto prime. So with newer, fresher and cheaper competition coming on to the market all the time is this old-timer still relevant?

Canon’s EF 135mm f/2.8 Softfocus lens blurs images and reality – on purpose.  With just a flick of the wrist and lens, the 135mm f/2.8 Softfocus allows photographers to have a “softfocus” in their images.  The effect produces a blur and halo throughout the photograph.  But how clear are the lens’ images when you take away the blur? 

The new Sony SLT Alpha 99, Sony’s first full-frame DSLR equivalent in three years, combines the company’s latest and greatest 24.3-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor with its SLT (Single Lens Translucent) technology to deliver impressive image quality combined with fast and continuous autofocus while shooting still images and videos.

Launched in October 2012, the Nikon 1 V2 is a not unexpected update to the Nikon 1 V1, which debuted in September 2011. The Nikon 1 Series cameras are hybrid cameras with interchangeable lenses. In the case of the V1 and V2, they fall at the upper end of the segment, offering more features and a higher performance level than their more consumer oriented brethren, the Nikon 1 J1 and J2.

Sigma’s 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM zoom won praise for its balance of performance and convenience, but it looked bulky after rival Tamron introduced the diminutive 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD. Reducing the size, and weight while updating the optical construction to allow a new minimum focus distance of 35cm, the 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is Sigma’s response. But has the redesign compromised the optical performance, or is it a valuable addition to the range? Read on to discover our verdict.

There is a phrase quoted quite often that when something sounds too good to be true you shouldn’t be too surprised when it isn’t. Nikon’s new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR promises much, but can it deliver? The long list of letters in the name tell us that the lens is Auto Focus, that it is designed for Nikon’s DX sensors, the apertures are not fixed, the optics contain some “Extra-Low Dispersion” glass and that there is vibration reduction built in: Quite a list.

The optical science community has long used Modulation Transfer Function or MTF, to measure and describe the sharpness of a lens. They will continue to do so as it is a great way to characterize the physical performance of a lens, however it’s both rather complex to understand and difficult to communicate how well a lens performs from the perspective of the human visual system. At the end of the day photographs are primarily produced for humans to look at: so DxOMark is introducing the Perceptual MPix measure, a more intuitive way to describe lens and camera perceived sharpness.

Discerning photographers have always understood the quality benefit of buying prime lenses over zooms, The Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM is a great example of why this is worthwhile. This Sigma lens scores higher than any other lens in its focal length, including many that are much more expensive, and is among the highest, for sharpness, of any tested by DxOMark on a Canon body.

Canon’s EF 35mm f2 has been around for quite a while, launched in late 1990, 22 years ago, it predates digital photography as we know it. Does this matter? Apparently not, this small, old, cheap lens continues to be a worthwhile piece of equipment, albeit on a rather basic level, but in this age of super-zoom lenses, this light, compact workhorse is worth looking at. Here are the DxOMark test results, while waiting for those of the new version of the Canon EF 35mm f / 2 IS USM released last November.

Adding a new line to the Canon EOS range, the EOS 6D is a fusion of the EOS 7D and the EOS 5D Mark III, that also includes some trickle down technology from the EOS-1D X. How does the EOS 6D fare against its competitors and more illustrious stable mates? Our tests reveal the answer.

Announced in September 2012 along with the Pentax K-5 II, the Pentax K-5 IIs is an almost identical camera with the exception that its anti-aliasing filter, used on the K-5 II to minimise the unwelcome effect of moiré, has been removed. But does removing the filter impact on the outstanding DxOMark Camera Sensor Ratings achieved by the K-5 II? We dissect the K-5 IIs Camera Sensor Ratings to find out.

Canon’s PowerShot G15 is the latest iteration of the popular G-series compacts aimed at enthusiasts. It packs a number of refinements over its predecessor, not the least being a new f/1.8-2.8 high-speed zoom, larger, high-resolution screen and a smaller, more compact body. It also marks the move from CCD to a Canon made CMOS with a fourfold increase in maximum sensitivity and full HD (1080p) video capture. Will the new Canon show any advance in image quality over the earlier G12? Read on to find out.

Announced in September 2012, the Sony NEX-6 creates a new range in the Sony line-up. It sits between the flagship Sony NEX-7 and the mid-range Sony NEX-5R offering features and performance benefits to beginner and advanced photographers alike. Providing a simplified user-interface than the NEX-7, the NEX-6 is none-the-less fully featured with a high-resolution OLED viewfinder, Full HD video recording and a tilt-adjustable screen for ease of use.

Pentax’s new version of their very accomplished K-5 model manages to retain the top position in the Semi-Pro DSLR category against some very tough competition. Should we be disappointed that it fails to score higher than the K-5? Not really, the K-5 II incorporates a number of technology updates without damaging what was, in the K-5, a very good formula.

Introduced in mid September, the Olympus PEN E-PM2 is the second generation of Olympus’ entry-level Micro Four Thirds hybrid camera. It sports a newly updated design with a useful, fixed grip and a touch-screen interface among other updates, but the big news is that it has inherited the sensor of the much-admired Olympus OM-D E-M5, the current top-of-the-line Micro Four Thirds camera.

With the Pen E-PL5, Olympus updates its range of micro 4:3 compact hybrids with redesigned ergonomics, upgraded electronics, and especially with the integration of the same 16Mpix LiveMos sensor found in the OM-D E-M5. Will it show the same advances in image quality as the flagship camera of its line? Our tests provide the answer.

Canon’s Powershot S110 in an update on its previous Powershot S100, there are some improvements in the styling and user interface and an increase in the maximum ISO, which should be welcome for users working in low light.  However the DxO Mark overall score fails to live up to its predecessor, so are the changes purely cosmetic?

Announced at IFA 2012, Sony’s NEX-5R  is the third version of its very popular NEX-5 camera. This new model features a 16-megapixel APS-C EXMOR sensor composed of photosites that provide autofocusing by phase detection. Has Sony improved the image quality of its latest mid-range compact hybrid? Our tests reveal the answer.

Nikon expands its FX line for mid-range full-format DSLRs with the announcement of the new AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR telephoto — a lens long overdue.

The Nikon D5200 refurbishes the D5100 and moves upmarket by adopting a 24Mpix APS-C sensor and some of the elements that have been the joy of photographers equipped with a D7000: a 39-point autofocus and an exposure meter that incorporates a 2016 pixels RGB sensor and scene recognition.

A wide-angle lens is good, but a stabilized wide-angle is so much better! Such a thing wasn’t customary just a little while ago, but this is something we’re seeing more and more, and Canon is not the last in line in this regard. So the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM will be the first 35mm lens to benefit from optical image stabilization.

The latest in the L series, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM is an ideal transtandard lens for reporting and can also make a good choice for portraiture. Versatile, it can also function as a macro with a reproduction ratio of 0.7x, Canon having worked hard to optimally match up the optical elements.

By replacing two predecessors with the Canon EOS-1D X, its new flagship professional DSLR, Canon hopes to deliver both the top-notch image quality of the studio-oriented Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and the superfast performance of the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV sports shooter. A compromise of sorts between speed and image quality, the 1D X manages to deliver enough improvements to satisfy both markets.

Finally, a Sony full-frame DSLR: the last one was the Alpha 850. But though the new full-format 24Mpix camera shines with all of its new technology and features, it now belongs to the family of cameras with electronic viewfinders instead of with the Alpha 900 and its traditional DSLR viewfinder. With this new positioning, Sony stands out from among the leading lights in this market segment.

The Sony NEX-6 is a well-thought-out compact hybrid that, like the NEX-7, takes into account the needs of the expert amateur, but also considers the needs of beginning photographers as well.

The Nikon 1 J2 retains many of the same characteristics of its older brother, the J1, including its 1", 10-Mpix CMOS sensor. Other than its new 3", 921,000-point screen, the new version of Nikon’s compact hybrid puts particular emphasis on creative modes. How does the Nikon 1 J2’s sensor perform with respect to its predecessor, to its direct competitors, and to expert-level hybrids and compacts? Some answers from DxOMark.

In the Nikon 1 line of digital compacts with interchangeable lenses, the V2 brings some nice new features: shooting at 60 i/s, Full HD video recording in 60p, different modes for slow motion, and … a new 1-inch, 14.2-megapixel, 6400 ISO CMOS sensor that we can hardly wait to test! But while we wait for its appearance on the market, here’s all the skinny on the Nikon 1 V2.

Committed to retaining its sales lead in numerous countries, Canon views its new EOS 650D as a strategically important product. What improvements can we see with respect to its sensor, which Canon claims is new? How does this latest camera in the EOS line compare with its predecessor, the EOS 600D, and with its rivals, the Nikon D3200 and the Sony SLT-A65? The answers lie in our sensor test results for the 650D.

Panasonic is adding its ninth model to its growing Lumix G-series lineup. In July, the Japanese electronics giant announced the Lumix DMC G5 would replace the Lumix DMC G3. Like its predecessor, the G5 taps the increasingly popular mirrorless Micro Four Thirds technology that Panasonic co-developed back in 2008 with its cross-town Tokyo rival Olympus.

The NEX-F3 is one of three Sony mirrorless camera models released in 2012, and it’s the company’s eighth since the launch of the NEX line in 2010. The NEX-F3 borrows heavily from higher-end models, but also taps much of the technology found in its predecessor. So is there any big evolution in sensor quality for the NEX-F3? Or were most of the changes to the camera cosmetic? DxOMark has some answers.

Olympus caused a sensation when it revived the legendary OM line that had enjoyed its heyday in the silver halide era. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 successfully revisits the OM design in terms of its ergonomics and workmanship. Olympus has quite precisely taken advantage of this new family in its line of compact hybrid micro 4:3 cameras to introduce a new 16 Mpix Live MOS sensor. What is this new sensor all about? Does it represent an improvement over current Pen sensors? Does it help the micro 4:3 category to catch up with the APS-C hybrids (with the Sony NEX in the lead)? Our sensor review provides the answers.

Canon’s PowerShot SX50 HS is a bulbous image snapper. Its large size is partly because of its optical zoom, which is the industry’s first to reach 50x. Who needs a telescope when you have a camera with specs like that?  Read DxOMark’s preview to find out more highlights of the PowerShot SX50 HS.   

Fujifilm’s XF1 adopts a retro design that is frequently being employed by many of the top camera manufacturers. But this pocket-sized point-and-shoot is more of a showstopper – its polished leather-like finish demands attention. Does the XF1 have the sexy technical specs to match its killer good looks? Read DxOMark’s preview to get the skinny on the XF1’s most impressive highlights.  

Nikon’s recently released consumer-oriented full-frame sensor DSLR, the D600, has just gone through DxOMark’s image quality evaluation tests. And the verdict is in: the D600 is an affordable camera that places a high premium on image quality, as it ranks just behind the top performing Nikon D800 and Nikon D800E. It is also a significant improvement over the high-end professional flagship DSLRs, the Nikon D3X and the Nikon D4.  Here are the DxOMark test results for the D600.

Canon’s PowerShot S110 continues the growing trend of DSC cameras adopting mobile-like technology. For its part, the S110 includes embedded Wi-Fi technology, making it easy for users to share photos and video. It also enlists a touchscreen LCD screen for photographers to adjust exposure settings, edit, and spruce up an image with filters and effects.

Canon updates the high-end two-year-old PowerShot G12 with the PowerShot G15. The latest addition to the PowerShot G-series slims down in size, but increases in performance: including faster and brighter optics and higher Full HD video resolution. Check out the highlights of the PowerShot G15 in DxOMark’s preview.

On Monday, Canon launched a direct competitor to Nikon’s compact and lightweight full-frame DSLR, the D600, with the EOS 6D. The 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor camera adds a few novelties, including the first Canon DSLR to incorporate built-in wireless and GPS. Check out DxOMark’s preview to get the skinny on the 6D.

Much like the K-5 from whom it borrowed all the technical essentials, the Pentax K-30 comes equipped with a 16-Mpix APS-C CMOS-technology sensor that one assumes is of Sony origin. (This is the same sensor used in the Nikon D7000 and D5100 as well as in the Sony NEX-5R / NEX-5N and SLT-A57.)

Panasonic’s sleek and stylish Lumix DMC-GF5 relies on the Micro Four Thirds technology – a technology that includes a 4:3 ratio sensor, and lacks a mirror box and pentaprism – allowing for the camera’s compact size and airy weight of 267 grams.

The beauty of bokeh – the aesthetic quality of a blur – is often admired by photographers and image enthusiasts alike. Some images with high bokeh resemble hybrid art – one part impressionist painting, one part photographic genius.

These dream-like pictures are largely produced using lenses with really wide apertures, lenses like the Pentax smc DA Star 55mm f/1.4 SDM.

Canon’s EF 100mm f/2 USM dates back to the early 1990s, making it one of the camera maker’s more veteran lenses. But don’t let its age fool you, the lens’ continuing popularity among professional and amateur photographers alike proves a classic never dies.

The Tokina AT-X M35 PRO DX AF 35mm f/2.8 Macro for Canon and Nikon is the Jack of all trades: the lens allows photographers to snap pictures with macro like details by providing life-sized (1:1) reproduction; its 35mm prime standard lens also grants shooters the flexibility of photographing just 14 centimeters, or less than a hands length away from an object; and when mounted on a digital SLR camera, the Tokina 35mm f/2.8 Macro behaves more like a 52mm lens, giving photographers another option for shooting portraits.

Sony’s latest expert compact camera, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, incorporates a 1-inch sensor that is larger than the 1/1.7" and 2/3" sensors of its competitors. Sony has already surprised us over the past few years with its highly efficient CMOS sensors. Will this be the case for the RX100? Our DxOMark tests reveal the answer.

Canon is used to setting trends, not following them. But the popularity of mirrorless camera technology has the world’s leading camera maker playing catch-up in a race that was started nearly a decade ago with Epson’s R-D1.

Bridge cameras often suffer from so-so image quality and cheap finishing touches. How does this premium bridge from Fuji compare to such expert compact cameras as the Canon Powershot S100 or G12? Does it use the same sensor as the Fujifilm X10? What differences in performance can we expect when pitting it against an APS-C hybrid? Here are the DxOMark.com test results for the Fujifilm FinePix X-S1.

The new Nikon D800E ditches the low-pass optical filter found in the D800. The result is a camera that produces images with sharper image quality and a stronger preservation of details. But does this absence of an anti-aliasing filter impact the camera’s sensor in other areas?

With the new 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM, Sigma renews its optical formula while providing a compact version of its trans-standard zoom.

A middle-of-the-line lens, the AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR integrates an ED glass lens and three aspherical lenses, as well as a coating against flare. Its focal-length range extends from wide-angle to traditional lengths for taking portraits. The autofocus is driven by an ultrasonic (SWM) motorized internal focus (IF design). This lens’s lightness (465 grams) is particularly appreciated as a counterweight (so to speak) to the 830 grams of the APS-C reflex trans-standard lens announced at the same time, the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR.

Mounted on an APS-C reflex such as the Nikon D3100, D3200, D5100 or D7000, the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR becomes the equivalent of a 27-300mm: ideal for travel photography for those who don’t want to be burdened with multiple lenses. It offers 16.7x zoom range, along with the latest lens stabilization system from Nikon (VR) to regain 4EV.

Here is a tiny lens that may well enjoy a great career. Compatible with full-frame and APS-C cameras, the new Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 offers an aperture with average focal length of 40mm, while benefitting from ultra-small size: only 130 grams and less than 3 cm deep:

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM (29-216mm in 35mm) has many seductive strong points for photographers and videographers. Here are our first impressions:

Canon’s annual update of its amateur APS-C D-SLR and successor in a long line of cameras (EOS 500D, 550D, 600D), the Canon EOS 650D brings with it a few well-thought-out new features. By contrast, there are no surprises in store about the 18Mpix APS-C sensor that it seems to have inherited from the EOS 600D. Some first impressions in our preview.

A “premium” digital camera, the Sony DSC-RX100 is not lacking in persuasiveness: a larger-than-usual  CMOS sensor; a bright, high-quality wide-angle (f1/8) lens; a more compact size than all other expert APNs on the market; and a weight that is only half that of the Canon PowerShot G1 X. All complemented by the latest Sony image technologies, such as 50p video, rapid burst shooting, integrated HDR, shooting at night without a tripod, and a brand-new “WhiteMagic” display screen. Does this mean that the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 will become the new camera of reference among expert compacts?

The EOS 1D X is the new flagship camera announced at the top of Canon's professional range of DSLRs. It will have the difficult task to replace both the sport-specialized, fast 1D series and the studio-oriented, high resolution 1DS series.

The Sony SLT-Alpha 37 entry-level APS-C replaces the Sony SLT-A35 in Sony's product line, but its design is very comparable to the Sony A33. Just like its predecessor and its bigger brother the Sony SLT A57, the A37 is based on Sony's semi transparent mirror system.

The NEX-F3 succeeds the NEX-C3 while keeping the latter’s 16Mpix APS-C CMOS Exmor sensor, well-known for its qualities of excellent behavior at high sensitivities and in low-light, and for its record-breaking dynamic range.

We are already acquainted with the D3200: apart from a few ergonomic details, it’s the same camera as the compact and lightweight D3100 SLR, though missing the secondary display on its bridge for even greater compactness. The D3200 weighs only 454 grams (without battery or card). Unlike the D3100, the D3200’s lens is off-center for better balance and the highly practical LiveView/video mode activation tab of the D3100 and the D5100 has disappeared in favor of a more ergonomically mundane video recording button. The D3200 comes with a second (dorsal) infrared sensor to complement its front sensor for more practical infrared remote control. The motor selection tab (single-frame, burst, timer, remote control) is gone as well, again replaced by a direct-access button.

The Lumix DMC-GF5 is a new light-weight (225g) and very compact amateur hybrid camera. It features a 12-megapixel sensor, Full HD video recording, a better-designed touchscreen, a new graphical user interface, ultra-rapid AF, etc.

In this review of micro 4/3 wide-angle lenses, we will cover both prime and zoom lenses to give you an good overview of how manufacturers managed to design good-quality lenses in a small form-factor for these focal ranges.

Designed with compactness in mind, micro 4/3 lenses go for the smallest size possible most of the time. But to achieve these dimensions, they sometimes have to compromise on image quality. In this review, we cover a wide range of standard lenses, both prime and zoom, and show that not all lenses are equal in terms of the trade-off between compactness and image quality.

Sony unveiled its 2012 line and introduced the Sony SLT-A57, an updated version of its first digital SLR camera with a video viewfinder and EVF, the SLT-A55.

In the course of the past several weeks, both Canon and Nikon unveiled their professional digital reflex cameras for the next two years to come. With the D4, Nikon has updated a number of points in its pro camera body which cumulatively lead to an entirely new generation of SLR camera.

Here is a new series featuring the results of Pentax prime lenses mounted on the compatible camera with the best resolution thus far, the Pentax K5.  (But as usual, you can consult DxOMark to see the results for these lenses when mounted on other compatible camera bodies, such as the Pentax K7 or Km.)

Three-and-a-half years after the release of the full-frame reflex EOS 5D Mark II, Canon finally unveils its successor, the EOS 5D Mark III, a reflex camera that takes several significant qualitative and functional leaps forward by borrowing the latest must-haves in photo technology from the EOS 7D and the EOS-1D X.

Sigma announced its 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM II lens at the beginning of October 2011. While there’s not much new in terms of its specs compared to the previous version (the Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS —see 18-200mm DxOMark reviews), the publication of its measurement results gives us the chance to take stock of all the Sigma offerings for this lens type.

Not too long ago, people assumed that choosing a micro 4/3 camera was the same thing as choosing a more versatile compact camera. Then the happy owners would start thinking about getting a zoom lens for this small camera and discover that… the zooms were nowhere near as compact as their camera. What they ended up with was not as pocketable as they hoped, but unfortunately, there are scientific optical laws that can’t be changed. The lenses tested here are good examples of just how compact lenses with large focal ranges can be.

After its great success over the past several years in refurbishing its PEN line, Olympus is continuing its quest for innovation by updating other legendary cameras of the past.

Despite its success with its latest high-end camera models (the Nikon D3s and D3x), Nikon had yet to respond to the great success of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, whose superior resolution and numerous features (notably with respect to video) simply outclassed the aging Nikon D700.

The Nikon Nikkor AF-D series

“Nikonists” still highly appreciate the AF-D-series lenses, all of which appeared in 1994. (Nikon usually adds the “D” after the aperture, as in “50mm f/1.4D AF,” rather than “50mm f/1.4 AF-D,” but both refer to the same lenses.)

With 15 MPix on a 14.0 mm x 18.7 mm sensor in an $800 bridge camera intended for the general public, the appearance of the Canon PowerShot G1X was one of the big events at CES 2012.

The Nikon D5100 replaces the D5000 in Nikon’s lineup; it finds its place right below the Nikon D7000, according to Nikon’s marketing the D90 is still positioned between the D5100 and the D7000, however the spec sheet and the performances of the D5100 make this hard to believe.

This is because the D5100 shares the same Sony 16 megapixels sensor as the D7000. The major difference between the two bodies being the AF: 11 points with 3D tracking for the D5100 (presumably the “old” MultiCam 1000 already used on the D90) versus the 39 points with 3D tracking now used on the D7000.

High Tech in a Classic Package: The Hybrid Viewfinder

The X100 has been one of the most anticipated compact cameras. Although it looks like an old rangefinder, it is a very modern device. Its most obvious innovation is its hybrid viewfinder that combines both an optical viewfinder and an electronic one, projecting the information from the electronic viewfinder onto the optical one. And this really works!

Carl Zeiss is one of those almost mythical lens makers. Focusing on quality, its lenses almost always rely on complex optical formulas. Their price reflects this involvement in quality, and logically Zeiss lenses are on the same shelves as the very high-end Canon or Nikon models.

The study of this group of 14 Zeiss lenses is interesting in many aspects. One of the questions arising after such an analysis is more than obvious: is high-end always the best choice?
Zeiss is an interesting case since the company only produces high-end, expensive lenses. This positioning is completely justified by a superb build quality.

The focusing rings are always impressively sharp and precise, and the optical formulas chosen in most cases are quite complex. Many glasses, strong engineering, superb manufacturing—in short, state-of-the-art quality.

The EOS 600D looks much like the EOS 550D, which, however, it does not replace. Both bodies will remain in Canon’s lineup. The 600D utilizes most of the 550D’s hardware features, including its 18-megapixel sensor; it adds an articulated screen, along with the “beginners” functions and creative filters first seen on the EOS 60D. In a way, the EOS 600D results from the fusion of the EOS 550D and the EOS 60D.

The EOS 1100D (Rebel T3) replaces the EOS 1000 as Canon’s entry-level body. It combines a 12-megapixel sensor, Canon’s 9-point AF engine coupled to the 63-zone metering system introduced by the EOS7D, and of course the now-standard Digic 4 image processor. Taken individually, none of these features is really new, but the combination of all these solid elements should prove interesting. Moreover, the EOS 1100D is now gifted with a video recording function… but only 720p, which could be a limitation compared to what competitors propose for a similar price point.

The recently-launched GF2 succeeds the very popular GF1 launched more than a year ago. From the outside, the GF2 looks like a simplified version of the GF1. In the interim, the GF2 acquired a touch screen, and is now able to record full HD movies instead of the 720p footage of the GF1. As for the sensor, however, there is no change. Like the GF1, the GF2 relies on a 4/3 12 megapixels LiveMOS. But the GF2 claims to be able to reach ISO 6400 instead of 3200 for the GF1.

Sony alpha 580 vs Sony alpha 55 vs Canon EOS 60D vs Pentax K5 vs Nikon D7000: K5, D7000 and A580 come first

(This review has been prepared with Focus Numérique, a French photo news website)

Owning a 50mm lens is probably a must for any photographer. These primes are ideal for many good reasons. Mounted on a full-frame body, they provide a neutral field of view. Not a wide-angle, and not yet a telephoto lens, it is said to be close to human vision. On wide sensors, a 50mm lens can be the perfect companion for many different activities, including reportage, portraits, or even landscapes.

Mounted on an APS-C sensor, they become a short 75mm telephoto that is highly suitable for portraits.

High-end bridge sensors: Questions of size and performance

“Travel light.” This was the motto of pocket-sized cameras whose layout and controls were a perfect match to those of much bulkier DSLRs. Moreover, up to a few months ago, buying a DSLR was quite expensive. All this justifies the existence of a market for compact-sized cameras, based on compact sensors, but using reflex-style commands and interfaces.

As with some other newly-launched Nikkor lenses, this brand-new 24-120mm lens features a constant f/4 aperture. This is a very nice improvement over the 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF, as the new lens should be able to gather twice as much light at 120mm than the old one.

The Panasonic GH2 features several improvements over the GH1 and the G2, the most important of which is its sensor. On the GH2, Panasonic has chosen an oversized 18.3 million pixel 4/3 sensor, with an actual output of 16 million pixels.

From the outside, the new Pentax K5 looks exactly the same as the K7. The main differences lie inside: the K5 uses the brand-new 16.3 MP sensor (able to operate between ISO 80 and 12800, extended to 51200), an improved SAFOX 9 AF system, a higher burst speed, and a much better video mode that can record 1080p footage at 25 fps.

The new Sony NEX cameras feature one of Sony's latest APS-C sensors. Our DxOMark measurements show that the NEX sensor seems very similar to the one found in the Sony A450.

Test results support Sony's assertion that this new camera category (mirrorless with interchangable lenses, sometimes referred to "EVIL" for "Electronic Viewfinder with Interchangable Lens") provides "DSLR image quality in a compact camera."

On February 12, 2010, we published the DxOMark ranking and test results for a Canon EOS 550D pre-production model. However, as we always want to make sure that our data reflects the performance of cameras that are actually released on the market and available to consumers, we have since measured a commercial model and can now publish its results.

Launched in September 2009, the Leica M9 is the first full-frame (24x36mm) rangefinder camera provided by the famous German brand. For its top of the line camera, Leica provides a new 18 Mpix CCD sensor. It is important to note that Leica is the only brand that still makes cameras with CCD sensors; all other main full-frame cameras have CMOS sensors.

Nikon and Canon launched their new top-of-the-line cameras for news and sports photography at the end of 2009. The Nikon D3s replaced the NikonD3, and the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV replaces the Canon EOS 1D Mark III.
On the one hand, the Nikon D3s’s sensor specifications remain very close to those of the Nikon D3; on the other hand, Canon replaced the Mark III’s 10 Mpix sensor with a new 15.9 Mpix sensor with the same sensor surface.

The Panasonic DMC GH1 replaces its predecessor, the Panasonic DMC G1. Both are 12 megapixel four-thirds sensors with micro-four-thirds mounts, although the GH1’s is more video-oriented.

At first glance, we would expect both cameras to have similar (if not identical) sensors. Actually, looking at the GH1 manufacturer’s specifications, this is definitely not the case, since the GH1 contains a slightly wider sensor capable of keeping the same diagonal size for different aspect ratios such as 4/3, 3/2, and 16/9. The sensor is natively 14 megapixels, but at most only 12 megapixels can be output in 4/3 aspect ratio (fewer with other aspect ratios), so we chose to evaluate its performance in 4/3 aspect ratio.

The new "advanced compact" category that adds DSLR features (such as RAW output, manual operation, and interchangeable lenses) to classy, compact-style cameras, continues to be populated with new models—e.g., Canon Powershot G11 and S90, Olympus EP1 and EP2, Panasonic GF1, Leica X1, etc.

Sony was the first brand to deliver a very high resolution full-frame camera with the Sony Alpha 900. They now add the Sony Alpha 850. Although this is a new camera, it has the same resolution, the same body, and the same ISP as the Sony Alpha 900. In short, the announced differences seem very slight between these two twins.

With the launch of the Nikon D5000, Nikon captures the top two places on the DxOMark Sensor scale for APS-C sensor format cameras. The Nikon D5000 sensor behaves globally like the Nikon D90’s sensor, with very similar results for Color Depth and Dynamic Range in particular.

Canon adds a new “high resolution” APS-C sensor camera with its new model EOS 500D. For this entry-level camera (in the most competitive category currently), Canon clearly chose to provide the highest resolution available even as pixel size becomes smaller and smaller.

With a DxOMark Sensor score of 89.1 points, the Phase One P65+ takes the lead in the DxOMark Sensor rankings, beating the Nikon D3x by just 1 point.

Dxomark.com adds the Hasseblad H3DII 50 to its database, and its results coincide with those of the previously-analyzed H3DII 39. With a global DxOMark score of 78.2, the H3DII 50 ranks number 8, very close to the H3DII 39, which achieved a score of 75.3.

The DxOMark Sensor scale is based on RAW data measurements and provides comparable metrics only if no RAW-specific processing has been applied.

The dxomark sensor scale is based on RAW data measurements and provides comparable metrics only if no RAW-specific processing has been applied.

The Sony Alpha 700 with its new version 4.0 firmware scored a 66.3 on the DxOMark Sensor scale, putting it in 17th place on the dxomark.com overall ranking, and in 5th place for APS-C cameras. Given its launch date (Sept. 2007), this is a pretty good result.

Dxomark.com RAW sensor data on the Hasselblad H3DII-39 show a performance just slightly above the average results of the medium-format category with an overall score of 75.5

With a DxOMark Sensor score of 77.2 points, the Phase One P45 achieves a remarkable result with respect to its design.

The Leaf Aptus 75s was launched during Photokina 2006. With a DxOMark Sensor score of 77.3, Leaf takes the lead for dxomark.com rankings for medium format cameras (as of February 3, 2009).

As the first commercially-available Micro Four Thirds system camera, the Panasonic DMC G1 was one of the big hits at Photokina 2008.

With a DxOMark Sensor score of 88 points, the Nikon D3X takes the lead for dxomark.com rankings as of January 14, 2009. It shows very good color depth (24.7bits) and max Dynamic Range (13.7bits), with a somewhat lower Low-Light ISO value at about 1990 ISO (all 3 values in “Print” mode).