The sensor table from Chipworks.
Chipworks (Click here) published a must read article with the title: “Nikon vs Sony“. They analyzed the sensor-relationship between the two camera makers. I hope people will now believe me when I say the Nikon D800 uses a Sony sensor. Of course Nikon may have tweaked the image quality with their Expeed processor and other tech details. But the RAW sensor is from Sony. As I told you before a new Sony FF SLT camera is expected to be launched in 2013. There are two prototypes now. One with 36MP (same D800s ensor) and one with 50+ MP sensor.
More A99 versus Nikon FF comparisons:
A99 versus Nikon D800 on dpreview forum. Another Nikon vs A99 comparison in China (actually very interesting). And Quesabesde updated their Nikon D600 and A99 comparison. The Nikon D600 still is a tiny bit sharper.
As you know the A99 is now shipping and here are some links to check the price and in Stock status:
A99 body Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Wex UK, Wex Germany, Sonystore DE–UK–FR–IT–ES–NL–SE–FI–CH and more links at Alphacameradeals.
A99 with kit lens links Alphacameradeals.
31 Responses
The D3200 is not using the A77 sensor?
Yeah, was wondering about the same thing.
I had heard Aptina, but that’s a Renesas part number.
D3200 is a Sony sensor. They just ‘forgot’ about it.
Looks to me like they are pretty clearly saying the D3200 isn’t a Sony sensor
The part number of D3200’s sensor does not belong to Sony’s. That part number belongs to Renesas. But who care?
@Kyle – if you are reading the article, then you care
@sgoldswo – i am not saying that Nikon didn’t do some kind of value-add, but the sensor tests out EXACTLY where the Sony Sensor tests out (given an ISO variance from the SLT). If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, IT IS A DUCK!
The D3X is not mentioned in the Chipworks article?
The D3x is a Sony sensor, they just ‘forgot’ about it.
Concerning Quesabesde comparison of Nikon D600 and A99: to my eyes the corks near monkey look sharper for A99 (text “Monfort-Davidsen”, “en la propiedad”). Is the focus shifted again, but now in the other direction? 😉
http://images.quesabesde.com/camaras_digitales/noticias/sonya99_vs_nikond600_nikon_raw.jpg
http://images.quesabesde.com/camaras_digitales/noticias/sonya99_vs_nikond600_sony_raw.jpg
Yup – I’m with you on that one – the focus point of the a99 shot is now IN FRONT of that of the D600 shot….. FFS cant they get it right?
Why exactly are they using apertures that give such narrow DOF??? Why not do the test at f/11+ – surely that will lessen the effects of any slight focus variation & possibly any sample variation between the lenses making the test much farer….
Pretty darn simple & obvious from the start in my mind.
Candy bowl looks a bit better in the A99 shot too, which indeed hints at a focus point slightly closer to the camera.
And?
Most CPUs are atmel based in all cameras, but we don’t care, do we?
I think there’s only one shutter supplier for all cameras. Do we care?
And the list goes on…
What’s do special about the sensor?
Who wrote the design specification? Who developed it?
Who made the masks for production?
In which factory is it produced?
In what way does this change the outcome of the camera?
/E
So you don’t care. And? Who cares about that?
I agree with the other commentator. If you want to SLAM articles as being irrelevant, you are free to do so.
They are just not irrelevant to all of us.
Personally I like a sensor in D3S a lot. It is still ranked 1st in Dxomark for ISO performance. No camera can dethrone it from the ISO performance, even though it is three years old now.
That it, if you find a 0.12 EV difference (compared to D600) for a single data point interesting, knowing that the measuring error is set at 0.33 EV.
If high-ISO is your only criterion, then your comment is dead-on. The other two criteria for dxo are number of colors and exposure depth. In those two, the D3s clearly shows its age. There is also a combined score that falls with cameras WAAAAY cheaper than D3x, now.
If you can still make good money or enjoy good pictures with D3s, then that is terrific!
“If you can still make good money or enjoy good pictures with D3s, then that is terrific!”
Whare have you been? Lots of photographer in National Geography are still using D3S. Those pictures are still awesome.
Sooooo, you are agreeing with me and just cannot bring yourself to say so?
Good for NIKON and their users that they use the chip from a vendor who has the best offer at given time.
I think what we need to understand that is that by a Top Camera manufacturer ( and others) opting to use the Sony sensor that should push both manufactures and others to a price feature level not seen before, this would mimic exactly what transpired in the PC/laptop/Tablet market when everyone and their dog settled more on Intel as the main processor, I’m not discounting the great processors made by other manufactures today but I think we can agree that the end result is that we have devices that cost less and where manufacturers have to be on their toes to compete, we win right?
Yes, you also said that D3200 use Sony sensor. I’m wondering why Sony users very difficult accept that Nikon is capable to design sensor with same performance as Sony.
Well yes, I’m surprised by that fact. But I think it is not so much difficult do design APS-C/FF sensor for a company like NIKON. But it requires a lot of tech to actually make one with good yield. I do no see major improvement in CMOS chips in the last four years or so. I guess there is very little to improve (with CMOS tech.).
It’s difficult to have improvements with Bayer type sensors which are for current generation at around 55% of quantum efficiency. Sensors 4 years ago was mostly at 35% QE. Only major gain would be with 3 layer sensors or something like that.
Because this shows that Nikon isn’t building better sensors than Sony. I’m sorry that we missed that emphasis.
Gosh I’m trying to remember where I read an article on sensor improvement. It demonstrated (with DxO) that the new version of a Canon camera that has some focussing pixels on the chip actually performs somewhat more poorly than the last gen. Canon has used the same method to create good pixels – I think with microlenses, but Sony went another way by creating shallower pixel wells. As a result, Sony’s chips in the D800 and Sony A99 (Nikon D600) are scoring 96 and 95 respectively – far exceeding Canon’s efforts. Does anyone else remember the article? If not, inspection of DxO results my support my assertions.
At any rate, Sony sure has found a way to improve their Bayer offerings – but they might be encountering diminishing returns with that strategy in the next while. The next strategy to realign the pixels might find further improvements, which could be followed by a shift to a foveon-like chip in the future.
What RAW converter did the Chinese used? It looks crap!
Want a quality RAW conversion(not speed) for Sony? Try DXO or Photo Ninja…
I’m VERY INTERESTED in the 50 megapixel sensor – and assume it’ll produce high quality (not just detailed) results. Of course, by HQ results I mean that there’ll be good dynamic range and low/no noise at lower isos. If Sony can also get reasonable mid iso performance, then they’ll be providing a helluva challenge to MF camera manufacturers – which might foreshadow the end of that segment (keeping in mind that other components, like lenses, have to be improved). Looks like 2013 will be an exciting year!
I too am more interested in MP than HighISO. Personally a 36mp FF would have sold me on day one, but 24mp… I still with the A900 and NEX7 for now.
50mp would be sweet if its clean between 100-800. Can’t imagine that would be an issue.
I’m not sure that the move to 50mp will really challenge the medium format manufacturers such as Hasselblad, Phase One and Leaf as the lure of medium format appears to be more about the lack of distortion at short focal lengths and the far greater depth of field and thus subject isolation that can be achieved whilst still running smallish apertures.
That said, I would absolutely love to see one of the Canikony triumvirate entry the medium format fray with a 50-80mp body and basic prime line-up. Sony seem to be fixed on bolstering their success within the mirrorless market and also re-establishing themselves the FF market share that Minolta once had, but if Nikon were to release one then it could be yet another great opportunity for Sony’s sensor fab division. A small market, but quite a lucrative one none-the-less.