Noise is an integral attribute of camera sensor performance and
understanding it has been essential to establish a reliable and
objective DxOMark Sensor Score. This section discusses the
nature of the three principal kinds of noise: photonic, thermal
or electronic, and pixel response non-uniformity (PRNU), and
explains how shape of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) curves relates
to three metrics of DxOMark—dynamic range (low illumination),
SNR (mid-tones), and color sensitivity (highlights).“Know your
enemy.” —Sun Tzu, The Art of War (6th century BCE) Serious
photographers often find themselves battling with noise. They
visit websites, read manuals, and consult with one another about
the best ways to fight noise in shadows, in mid-tones, and in
highlights. Although mastering specific techniques is crucial to
success, it can also be very useful to have a greater technical
understanding of what noise is, and what its principal causes
are. With DxOMark, we shed light on some metrics that are
derived from noise charac