Canon EOS 80D has greatly improved RAW dynamic range (new sensor design)

Canon EOS 80D at a glance:

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 6 Image Processor
• 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
• Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
• 45-Point All Cross-Type AF System
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF
• Expanded ISO 25600, Up to 7 fps Shooting
• Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC
• RGB+IR 7560-Pixel Metering Sensor

DPReview posted the results of their tests on the Canon Canon EOS 80D‘s dynamic range.

The article is pretty interesting, and understandable also by non-engineers.

Previous Canon sensors have conducted the analogue to digital conversion step away from the sensor, an approach that contributed noise that limited dynamic range at low ISO settings (while still allowing the excellent high ISO performance that Canon’s CMOS chips built a reputation with). The sensors in the EOS 80D and EOS-1D X Mark II appear to have an on-chip ADC design that conducts the conversion within the sensor, shortening the electronic path and preventing this noise building up.

The results of exposure latitude and ISO invariance are striking. It was already known that Canon had a new sensor design (maybe also on the Rebel T6s, Rebel T6i and EOS M3 but I am not sure), now we have test results that confirm the new sensor design, and the better performance that this design delivers. The reason: