There is not a lot of difference between the Nikon D810 and D800E. Essentially the D810 is a mild upgrade, and features, amongst other things, a new sensor.But that didn’t stop the folks over at DxOMark, an independent image quality measurement database, from reviewing and contrasting the D810 – and the results are now in: The D810 sensor is on top of the leader board.

According to Nikon the 36-megapixel sensor is different (and superior) to that of the D800E, which boasts the same pixel count but has now been dethroned from DxOMark’s top position in the database.

DxOMark complimented the other additions Nikon adopted for the mid-term release, such as no optical low pass filter, the EXPEED 4 level processor (also featured in the D4s), the lower native ISO (ISO 64) and a redesigned mirror-box and shutter assembly – all of which improved the sensor rating.

It didn’t exactly blow the D800E sensor out of the water, which is impressive in it’s own right. But reviewer Kevin Carter suspects that many of attracted to the D800 model will be ‘sorely tempted’ by the newest model.

‘We could hardly expect a major-breakthrough in a mid-term update like this but it is nonetheless an excellent result,’ DxOMark reviewer, Kevin Carter wrote. ‘Landscape and Architecture and Interior photographers will welcome the new lower native ISO (now ISO 64) and with it the slight increase in dynamic range.’

Nikon has five cameras in the top 10 of DxOMark’s camera sensor ratings, with the D800e coming in at second on the D800 coming in at fourth. The Sony A7R stepped in-between the D800 models and came in at third. Sony currently has four sensors in the top 10, with the Phase One IQ180 filling in the final gap.