Canon EOS Cameras: DxO Marks

DxO Marks are the sensor max. values for color depth (in bit), dynamic range (in EV) and high image quality low light performance (ISO) measured by DxO Labs during tests. Here are some explanatory quotes:

• "Color Depth or Color Sensitivity indicates both the breadth of the color spectrum and the degree of fine separation between colors that a camera can distinguish."
• Dynamic Range indicates "[...] the greatest possible amplitude between light and dark details a given sensor can record."
• "Low-Light ISO indicates the highest ISO sensitivity to which your camera can be set while maintaining a high quality, low-noise image (based on a Signal-to-Noise-Ratio [SNR] of 30dB, a dynamic range of 9EVs and a color depth of 18bits)."
  Read: An ISO value that will allow for an enjoyable - almost non-existing - noise level. Higher values might still be usefull, but will result in clearly recognizable noise and missing details. From my own experience the value for the EOS 5D Mark II pretty much fits it, although you can shoot up to ISO 3200 without a real worry. Same for the EOS 350D, that I used to set to ISO 800 at max. for efficiency reasons, while accepting some noise. The values for the 300D seem a bit high though, I think to remember the clearly recognizable noise already started at ISO 400 with that camera. But all that depends on your taste, some people are less and some are more sensitive there.

For all three values the higher is the better. Check the DxO Labs link above for more details. As usual, take the given values with a grain of salt. There are always minor flaws within tests as well as within production series (just for an example compare the measured values for the 550D preproduction (22.0 bit, 11.6 EV, 807 ISO) and production samples (see listing). But after all the values are still worth to mention and to use as a general guideline, especially the low-light ISO value. Also don't stop here. Check the linked reviews at the end of each line for test footage.

Also see Notes on Test References for further readings about DxO testing standards.