Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Here we compare the Sony NEX-5R with the Sony NEX-5R, Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Fuji X-M1.
JPEG signal to noise ratio
Here we can see that the Sony 5T has performed very well, and as expected, extremely similarly to its predecessor, the 5R with which it shares a sensor and processor. It appears to have improved slightly at the very top end of the sensitivity run. It beats all of the other cameras on test for most sensitivity settings, although it does drop at ISO 1600 to be taken over by the Olympus and Fuji briefly, before returning to the top of the chart for the rest of the sensitivity run.
Raw (after conversion to TIFF) signal to noise ratio
In terms of raw files, the 5T is beaten by its rivals, the Olympus E-PL5 and Fuji X-M1 at every sensitivity setting, falling some way behind the Olympus. It does offer a broader range of sensitivity settings than both of the other cameras, offering ISO 100 at lowest end, for instance. Again, as expected, the camera performs very similarly to the 5R. A lower performance here than the other cameras may indicate that you have greater scope to control noise in post production.
JPEG dynamic range
The NEX 5T puts in a consistent performance across the sensitivity range, but it is beaten at almost every setting by the Olympus PEN E-PL5, just taking over at the very top end of the run (25,600). It scores significantly higher than the Fuji X-M1 though, and even appears to beat its predecessor, the 5T, even though the sensor is the same.
Raw (after conversion to TIFF) dynamic range
Here we can see that again in terms of raw files, the 5T is beaten by its rivals, the Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Fuji X-M1 at every sensitivity. It is very closely matched to the 5R, as is to be expected. A lower performance here may indicate that there is scope to bring out better colours in post production, with raw format colours being more accurate, if not necessarily as pleasing to the eye as the JPEGs.
