Canon Kills Nikon for High ISO Performance

The 5D Mark III: the new high ISO champion.

Which brand's cameras are better at high ISOs: Canon or Nikon? Well, the answer to that question, at least in regards to full frame cameras, has changed with the latest generation of new models.

For pretty much as long as both Canon and Nikon were making dSLRs, Canon held a major advantage in the high ISO/low light performance area, blowing away pretty much all of the competition, hands-down. Result: Canon's already established lead among serious shooters became all the more seemingly insurmountable.

Then came 22007 and the Nikon D3 which, at the cost of resolution, took high ISO performance to new heights. Want to shoot ISO 6400 and not really have to think about it? Well, the D3 was the only option. This, partnered with fast Nikkor primes not only helped Nikon catch Canon, but far surpass any of its cameras for low-light shooting. In the following years, Nikon would essentially stuff a D3 sensor into a D300 body, call it the D700, and sell it for half as much as a D3 and then refine the sensor to make it even better, stick it in a D3 body, and call it the D3s. In comparison, it hardly looked if Canon was trying to do anything.

Well, come 2012, Nikon's 5-year reign is most assuredly over as Canon's new, 22Mp 5D Mark III bests the 36Mp Nikon D800 at high ISO (not unexpected) but also kills the 16Mp D4 (which is a bit of a surprise).

Sorry Nikonians, your company is behind the curve, for now as, guaranteed, Nikon is working its hardest to try and catch up (and surpass) Canon once again. Oh, in case you considered it, don't go switching systems yet as cameras (no matter how expensive) are disposable but lenses aren't.

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