DxOMark Published Canon EOS R Sensor Review: 89 Points

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DxOMark completed their full in-depth review for 30.3MP sensor inside the Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless camera. And the Canon EOS R achieves an outstanding overall score of 89 points, with a combination of 24.5 bits color depth, 13.5 EV dynamic range, and 2742 ISO low-light score.

Canon EOS R Key Features:

  • 30.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • UHD 4K30 Video; C-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 5655 AF Points
  • 3.69m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.15″ 2.1m-Dot Swivel Touchscreen LCD
  • Expanded ISO 50-102400, 8 fps Shooting
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, SD UHS-II Card Slot
  • Multi-Function Bar, Dual Pixel RAW

Compare the Canon EOS R to the not-too-dissimilar sensors of the Sony A7 III and the Nikon Z6.

At its base sensitivity of ISO 100, the Canon EOS R has a very good dynamic range of 13.5 EV. However, the BSI sensors in the Nikon Z 6 and Sony A7 III are wider still, with around a 1 EV advantage. At ISO 200, their advantage is eroded to a difference of no more than 0.4 EV, as seen in the relatively flat slope to ISO 400 in the chart below. Although practically negligible, this may be consequential in some situations when using software later on to try to correct exposure errors, especially when lifting shadows.

DxOMark from Conclusion:

Although we’ve not directly compared the two Canon 30MP full-frame CMOS sensors side-by-side in this review, it’s not surprising that the results for the EOS R are very close to that of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. Both appear to use a similar sensor, with some of the differences likely attributable to the increased number of AF points available in the EOS R.

While not possessing the low noise levels of the Nikon Z 6 and Sony A7 III, which have slightly lower pixel density and BSI architecture in their favor, the EOS R’s sensor is one of Canon’s best. It comes very close to the one used in the pro-level EOS 1Dx Mark II, particularly in its low light, high ISO capabilities.

With a low noise floor, the dynamic range of the Canon 30MP sensor greatly improves over its predecessors. The EOS R is much more capable of handling high-contrast scenes, thus allowing a photographer faced with protecting highlights at capture to lift shadows in post-processing without incurring some of the noise penalties.

With its first model in a new system, Canon has equipped the EOS R with one of its best sensors—and that, together with some very interesting lenses, signals that it’s taking “mirrorless” very seriously.

Canon EOS R: $2,299 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama

$200 off on Canon EOS R with 24-105mm Lens: $3,199 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama

You can read the full review at DxOMark.