Color depth refers to the number of unique colors that a sensor can faithfully capture. Cameras with better color depth will demonstrate smoother transitions from one color to the next, and avoid "banding" in areas with subtle shading. (Blue skies are an example of where you might see color banding.)
More color depth is generally better, but you'll struggle to notice a difference between two cameras with less than 1 bit of difference. Color depth above 22 bits is considered excellent.
Want to learn more? Head over to our full glossary entry on color depth
Color depth test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A77 test data on DxO Mark MX-1 test data on DxO MarkMaximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.
Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.
You can learn more at our glossary entry.
Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A77 test data on DxO Mark MX-1 test data on DxO MarkCameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.
Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.
Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A77 test data on DxO Mark MX-1 test data on DxO MarkCameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.
Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable
Very fast top frame rate; full-time phase-detect autofocus; Full 60p HD video; Excellent kit lens; Very good high-resolution sensor.
Heavy; EVF appears dim when used in bright light; AF tracking in Movie mode was unreliable in our testing.
Good image quality for a compact camera in its class; Sharp, bright f/1.8-2.5 lens with 4x optical zoom; Cool retro-styled design with brass top and bottom plates; Tilting LCD; Exposure compensation dial; Speedy and accurate autofocus; Full HD video recording.
Image detail starts dropping off noticeably above ISO 800, and noise becomes problematic at ISO 3200 and beyond; Sluggish cycle times and burst performance; Issues with purple fringing in some shooting scenarios; Heavier and larger than other cameras in its class.
