Maximum 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.
D4S test data on DxO Mark NX300 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
Stylish "retro modern" design in two color schemes; attractive 3.3-inch AMOLED tilting touchscreen; new APS-C CMOS sensor with on-chip phase detection AF; better image quality, particularly in low light at high ISOs; faster all-around performance; improved Wi-Fi connectivity.
Camera feels more plasticky than expected when you pick it up; slower shot-to-speeds compared to rivals; poor buffer depth with raw files; aggressive anti-noise processing destroys detail in high ISO shots; display smudges easily and is rather dim; no EVF support.
Excellent, tank-like build quality; First-rate ergonomics a pro would expect; Superb performance with confident autofocus; Great image quality; Big, bright viewfinder with 100% coverage; Excellent battery life; Doubles as a powerful video capture tool
Fairly minor upgrade over the D4; Image quality improvements apply only to JPEG; XQD card format isn't broadly accepted; Consumer-friendly default JPEG processing may turn off some pros; Body is large and hefty (but that's normal for pro gear)
