The latest mirrorless cameras - which one offers highest DR?

[Ricku]

I am thinking about picking up a mirrorless body for my off road landscape photography, because of their smaller size and weight.

But which of the latest mirrorless camera systems offers the highest DR? I know that none of them are as good as the D800 when it comes to pushing shadows, but are there any mirrorless that is at least better than the 5D3?

Or should I keep waiting? It looks like Sony has a full frame NEX around the corner.

[Eli]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

[Ricku]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

Yes, only DR. I got the rest covered with my 5D3.
Improved DR at base ISO is the one important thing Canon has failed to deliver since 2008.

The RX1 is great, but it has a fixed lens that is too long for my work.

[Hillsilly]

Sony are rumoured to be bringing out a FF NEX mirrorless camera in September.  It should be pretty good.

[elflord]

I am thinking about picking up a mirrorless body for my off road landscape photography, because of their smaller size and weight.

But which of the latest mirrorless camera systems offers the highest DR? I know that none of them are as good as the D800 when it comes to pushing shadows, but are there any mirrorless that is at least better than the 5D3?

Or should I keep waiting? It looks like Sony has a full frame NEX around the corner.

dxo mark -> cameras -> camera sensor ratings.

Click the "Dynamic range" tab. All the cameras on the list below (and several below them) beat the 5DIII on the dynamic range test. Anything that has a Sony sensor inside should perform pretty well here.

The Sony models perform very well but if I were making this purchase I'd take the available lenses into account -- micro 4/3 models have a more mature lens system. The latest generation olympus cameras (EP5, EPL5, OM-D,  E-PM2) and the Panasonic GH3 are candidates (that is, they do better than the 5DIII for dynamic range at base ISO)

• Sony RX1
• Nikon Coolpix A
• Ricoh GR
• Sony NEX 7
• Sony NEX 5R
• Sony NEX 6
• Pentax K-01
• Samsung NX20
• Sony NEX 5N

[Ricku]

Sony are rumoured to be bringing out a FF NEX mirrorless camera in September.  It should be pretty good.

Yup! Thats what I've been told. I hope it is true. If it has the same exmor-sensor that the D800 has, or perhaps an improved version, it will be a very nice camera. I just hope they manage to make it at least as small as the Leica M.

I am thinking about picking up a mirrorless body for my off road landscape photography, because of their smaller size and weight.

But which of the latest mirrorless camera systems offers the highest DR? I know that none of them are as good as the D800 when it comes to pushing shadows, but are there any mirrorless that is at least better than the 5D3?

Or should I keep waiting? It looks like Sony has a full frame NEX around the corner.

dxo mark -> cameras -> camera sensor ratings.

Click the "Dynamic range" tab. All the cameras on the list below (and several below them) beat the 5DIII on the dynamic range test. Anything that has a Sony sensor inside should perform pretty well here.

The Sony models perform very well but if I were making this purchase I'd take the available lenses into account -- micro 4/3 models have a more mature lens system. The latest generation olympus cameras (EP5, EPL5, OM-D,  E-PM2) and the Panasonic GH3 are candidates (that is, they do better than the 5DIII for dynamic range at base ISO)

• Sony RX1
• Nikon Coolpix A
• Ricoh GR
• Sony NEX 7
• Sony NEX 5R
• Sony NEX 6
• Pentax K-01
• Samsung NX20
• Sony NEX 5N

Thanks man! That is exactly what I have been looking for.

I knew about DxO before, but kinda forgot about them. 

[Dylan777]

It looks like Sony has a full frame NEX around the corner.

I'll take one with 14 or 16mm prime f2.8. I hope they could keep the body size as RX1

I recently pickup RX100 II. IQ is quite amazing for 1" sensor. I can almost say it out perform EOS-M. Not to mention the size is very pocketable. Sony been kicking "As" with compact cameras lately.

The only reason I'm still shooting with 5D III is be able to track moving subject(my kids). Otherwise, I don't give a dam how good Canon lenses are. Zeiss lenses on Sony are just fine for an ave Joe's like me.

Just make it better, smaller and faster...I'm all in for that.

[sdsr]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

Yes, only DR. I got the rest covered with my 5D3.
Improved DR at base ISO is the one important thing Canon has failed to deliver since 2008.

The RX1 is great, but it has a fixed lens that is too long for my work.

Since the RX1's lens is too long for your work, then no, you're not just interested in DR - you need a system with good wide lenses (unless you plan to attach your Canon lenses, which rather defeats the point of getting a small camera).  The best there is M43, where the wide end includes the much-lauded Panasonic 7-14mm, Olympus 9-18 mm, Olympus 12mm and Panasonic 14mm (all x2 for FF equiv.)

The OM-D's Sony sensor has very good dynamic range; I've not compared it directly with my 5D or 5DIII, but I can say that it doesn't seem to have the 5DIII's banding problem (but then neither does the 6D).  That said, Olympus is supposedly announcing an even higher end OM-D in September; perhaps its sensor will be even better than the current OM-D's (the EP5's may be too, for all I know).  Olympus and Sony are collaborating in various ways - Sony is getting Olympus's remarkably IBIS system, and in exchange Olympus is getting improved Sony sensors, so there may be further improvements before too long.

Of course, if you're very patient, the results of this development - assuming they ever show up - will make even the D800 look obsolete:

http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/158209-organic-photo-sensor-dumps-silicon-promises-to-shatter-cmos-imaging-limits

With luck such a sensor will end up in Panasonic M43 bodies....

[drjlo]

Sony are rumoured to be bringing out a FF NEX mirrorless camera in September.  It should be pretty good.

Unfortunately it's rumored to be $3K body-only, with lens $1.5K range, so we're looking at a $4500 camera. Oh well, at least Sony appears to be innovating, something sorely missing from CaNikon 

[Aglet]

Pentax K-01 or any of the recent Fuji X series will kick butt for low ISO DR.

[Eli]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

Yes, only DR. I got the rest covered with my 5D3.
Improved DR at base ISO is the one important thing Canon has failed to deliver since 2008.

The RX1 is great, but it has a fixed lens that is too long for my work.

Since the RX1's lens is too long for your work, then no, you're not just interested in DR

Exactly, you just contradicted yourself Ricku. It may help if you listed what else you were looking for in the camera, eg a wider angle lens.

[Ricku]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

Yes, only DR. I got the rest covered with my 5D3.
Improved DR at base ISO is the one important thing Canon has failed to deliver since 2008.

The RX1 is great, but it has a fixed lens that is too long for my work.

Since the RX1's lens is too long for your work, then no, you're not just interested in DR

Exactly, you just contradicted yourself Ricku. It may help if you listed what else you were looking for in the camera, eg a wider angle lens.

Well not really. When I said that I was looking for a mirrorless with good DR, I meant a camera with interchangable lens system. I thought that was kinda obvious. I mean, theres probably zero landscape shooters who would be satisfied with a fixed lens.

But back to topic.

[Eli]

You just want DR? No other factors?
Then Sony's rx1 is best mirrorless with highest DR, probably better than the 5d mkiii as well.

Yes, only DR. I got the rest covered with my 5D3.
Improved DR at base ISO is the one important thing Canon has failed to deliver since 2008.

The RX1 is great, but it has a fixed lens that is too long for my work.

Since the RX1's lens is too long for your work, then no, you're not just interested in DR

Exactly, you just contradicted yourself Ricku. It may help if you listed what else you were looking for in the camera, eg a wider angle lens.

Well not really. When I said that I was looking for a mirrorless with good DR, I meant a camera with interchangable lens system. I thought that was kinda obvious. I mean, theres probably zero landscape shooters who would be satisfied with a fixed lens.

But back to topic.

"But which of the latest mirrorless camera systems offers the highest DR?"
- "You just want DR? No other factors?"
"Yes, only DR."

Mirrorless doesn't always mean interchangeable lenses.

And who knows, maybe you could've been a 35mm fov landscape photographer, that's why I asked if there were any other factors you were after.
Sort've like when people say "HAI GAIZ what's the BEST camera I can get".. without stating what they shoot, what features they're after, their budget, etc.

[NormanBates]

If you want DR on a small and light package with wide FoV and a sharp image, and care about price too, then you're probably looking for a NEX7 or NEX-5R with the sigma 19mm f/2.8. Surprisingly powerful little combo.

[rumorzmonger]

Mirrorless doesn't always mean interchangeable lenses.

It does to most people, certainly in this context.

"Mirrorless" was a description coined for interchangeable-lens digital cameras that used an electronic viewfinder instead of a traditional reflex-type viewfinder. 

If not, then we've had "mirrorless" cameras since Fox-Talbot...