The Sony a9 might be the most hotly anticipated camera in quite some time, as it’s the first time a mirrorless camera has taken such direct aim at the flagship DSLR bodies. While a lot of the excitement has been about its shooting speed and autofocus capabilities, another important characteristic is dynamic range, which you can now see measured and compared to those other bodies. 

Photons to Photos put together this great chart showing the dynamic range at varying ISO settings of the new Sony a9, Nikon D5, and the Canon 1D X Mark II. Sony’s sensors are generally lauded for their dynamic range, so it’s good to see how their latest model compares. Check out this chart comparing the three cameras (the a9 appears with and without the electronic shutter). Click to enlarge the chart.

There appear to be a few important takeaways. At ISO 100, the a9 and 1D X Mark II are essentially equal, with the D5 trailing noticeably. The a9 holds the advantage from about ISO 640 to ISO 3200, when the D5 overtakes it slightly, but for all intents and purposes, the three cameras are essentially neck and neck as one moves into high-ISO territory. Further good news is that there appears to be little-to-no penalty for using the electronic shutter. 

On the other hand, the a9 does show a definite drop in dynamic range from the a7R II, as you can see here:

So, while it’s not Sony’s best in terms of dynamic range, it does compete handily with the giants of the DSLR world, which is of course exactly what Sony set out to do. Time will tell if other specs can keep up in real world usage.

To see the full interactive chart, click here.

[via Photo Rumors]