DxO Labs' camera and lens tests lets the company design software that compensates for their shortcomings. Here's a look at the company's test of the new Canon 5D Mark III.
Stephen Shankland
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
DxO Labs technician Michael Guillon takes a series of photos to test how well the Canon 5D Mark III captures color at a variety of ISO sensitivity settings. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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Nicolas Touchard at DxO Labs
Nicolas Touchard, DxO Labs' vice president of marketing, describes the company's testing procedures for the Canon 5D Mark III in front of him.
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Exposure testing at DxO Labs
At this moment in dynamic-range testing, the Canon 5D Mark III is set to take bracketed exposures at ISO 102,400 of a ring of spots of varying brightness. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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Sharpness testing for Canon 5D Mark II
Canon's 5D Mark III is perched on a tripod in front of a chessboard pattern used to test its image sensor's ability to capture sharp images. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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Color test of 5D Mark II
A Canon EOS 5D Mark III stands before a chart that features one of the few splashes of color in this DxO Labs testing facility. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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Test results: Nikon D800 wins
Here's what it's all about: results. Overall, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III edges out its predecessor, but the Nikon D800 remains the unquestioned king of the hill when it comes to performance shooting raw images. For details, check CNET's story on the 5D Mark III test results.
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DxO Labs' dead leaves chart
DxO Labs has proposed this "dead leaves" test to check cameras' abilities with the low-contrast, irregular patterns that are common in nature. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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MTF test pattern at DxO Labs
The Canon 5D Mark III sits before a chart to test the camera and lens MTF (modulation transfer function), a gauge of sharpness. The camera can be moved up and down and forward and backward.
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Sharpness calibration at DxO Labs
DxO Labs technician Michael Guillon examines test data that reveals where a camera has its sharpest focus. For details see CNET's behind-the-scenes look at DxO Labs' testing and some views that contradict digital photography conventional wisdom.
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Sharpness calibration at DxO Labs
Nicolas Touchard, DxO Labs' vice president of marketing, watches technician Michael Guillon perform calculations to figure out where the Canon 5D Mark III and its 50mm lens achieves its sharpest focus.
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5D Mark II exposure test
DxO Labs technician Michael Guillon checks how well the Canon EOS 5D Mark III can handle capture an image with spots of widely varying brightness.
