Earlier today, DXOMark issued an apology. The popular sensor testing company revised its controversially low score for the Canon 1D X Mark III, admitting
This is what happens when there is a secret formula for scoring a product. This has embarrassed DXO before, and there are likely many other lower profile cases that have never been corrected.
At least they've had the guts to admit it, but it does make you wonder about how they concoct it in the first place! Even more reason to doubt the 'score' (as opposed perhaps to the review).
As Mt Spokane has said while I've typed this (!) : not a surprise when you have a secret recipe that no-one else can audit in the first place.
Missed by many, I am sure (DXOMARK probably launched this deliberately to be hidden by the other Canon news): "Please Note: A previous version of this review, published June 19, 2020, contained erroneous test data that affected the scoring. This new version of the review contains the correct data and scores. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused Canon and our readers."
They have not issued a new report, just changed some words and the numbers...
The new Canon EOS-D1 X Mark III sensor achieves an overall DXOMARK score of 83, which puts it 67th place overall in our database of full-frame and MF sensors (but in 47th place among full-frames).
I guess even the Wizard of Oz pulls the wrong lever every once in a while.
Whatever, DXOMARK is the height of comparing specs on paper while totally ignoring real world performance. It's nice to look at, but I wouldn't put a ton of weight into it. It's a small part of the larger picture of how a camera actually performs.
I am not an expert in how to interpret DxO scores. Does anyone know why the 1DX3 would score less than the 1DX2 (83 vs 88)? And even lower than the a9ii (93) and a7RIV (99)? I don't see how this makes sense.
www.canonrumors.com
Well at least they did it quicker and more publicly this time. Though I don't believe a word they say about the excuse.