This section provides a detailed look at the physical and procedural parameters of DxO Mark's image quality testing protocols. The discussion focuses on laboratory conditions and setup, methods, and test-specific tools and software that contribute to ensuring scientific, bias-free data and repeatable results.

DxO Labs has been measuring image quality parameters for a broad range of digital cameras and lenses (DSLRs, compact DSCs, cameraphones) for many years. To ensure that our measurements were accurate, repeatable, and covered the desired broad range of image quality, we developed DxO Analyzer, now the world's leading tool for accurate and reliable image quality performance measurement. Needless to say, all measurements published on the dxomark.com website were performed using DxO Analyzer.

DxO Analyzer includes the following three key elements:

• a dedicated camera testing lab specifically equipped with dedicated test targets, lighting systems, light-boxes, light-meters, telemeters, spectrometers, etc.
• a set of precisely-described and bias-free test protocols for each measurement category which:
  • strictly accounts for all physical parameters that influence measurements
  • ensures repeatability of the measurements
• software that automatically analyzes test target images, performs quality controls, and reports all measurements in graphic and data formats.

To take the measurements we publish on dxomark.com, we perform the following steps:

• adjust test targets, lights, and the selected camera
• shoot a set of images of the target at different camera settings
• process the target images with DxO Analyzer (machine vision algorithms enable automatic processing)
• evaluate the data and graphs reported through the DxO Analyzer interface

Read more about DxO Analyzer.

All dxomark.com measurements are performed on cameras that are bought or rented from a reseller’s store. It is DxO Labs’ policy to test and publish results for only publicly-available versions of each camera, rather than for cameras lent by the manufacturer or for pre-series models.

To eliminate setup bias, settings, instrument calibration, light levels, cleanliness (including that of the camera), and all other parameters are checked and rechecked before each camera is tested to ensure that all cameras are tested under exactly the same conditions.

Finally, each measurement is validated by at least two technicians who take their measurements on different days to minimize the risk of manipulation errors.