Benchmarks don't always tell the whole story of a gadget or device, but they can be quite handy as support for those gut instincts and intuitions people have while using a device. And in the case of the Nikon D800, whose sensor DxOMark called the best ever after benchmarking it, it will need all the support it can get in its inevitable comparison against the Canon 5D MKIII.
DxOMark says that the D800 sensor has top notch color depth, dynamic range, and low-light handling, placing third, first, and third against all other cameras, respectively. It even bested the Nikon D4 and Canon 5D MKII The benchmark company also says that the sensor has a price-to-quality ratio that's unmatched. But how long it will hold this title remains to be seen.
You see, DxOMark has yet to benchmark the 5D MKIII or the 1DX, meaning that the real best sensor could still be lurking in the waters of untested cameras. Still though, these raw performance specs should not be taken lightly: they put the D800 a class comparable to many medium format cameras. That's pretty awesome. [DxOMark via PetaPixel]