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When to use a certain ISO?
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Hi!
My camera’s ISO goes from auto to 1600.I know that when your shouting dusk scenes you go to ISO-100. In what other situations would you use the other value ISO’s? Can you have auto everything else and then change the ISO? Will it work alongside the flash to improve the lighting / pic?Fi
Hi Fiona,
For sports outside on dull days I set it to 400 and sometimes even higher to make sure I get a shutter speed of at least 400 so there is no blur in the pictures.
As Eeyore says it helps boost your shutter speed, for night shots if you are using
“Auto” the camera will select a high ISO but this can be overridden and a low ISO
is prefereable at night as “noise” (a grainy effect) will be much more noticeable in
night shots, always use a tripod at night then the slower shutter speed wont matter
so much. You should be ok using ISO up to 800 it really is personal preference you
might feel the noise generated at 800 is too much, my understanding of ISO is it
makes the sensor more sensitive to light hence a faster shutter speed gets the result,
play around with your settings and see how it changes the look of a shot, this can be
easily done in the comfort of your own home and costs nothing :)A camera is essential a box that gathers light with the intention of producing an image.
You need to understand 3 key concepts that influence how a camera manages light.
1. Aperture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture
2. Shutter Speed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_speed
3. ISO
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-features/advanced-settings/iso.php
To understand exposure is to understand how these 3 concepts work in conjunction with one another.
http://photographyjam.com/articles/29/camera-basics-shutter-speed-aperture-and-iso
It’s worth figuring this stuff out… because it makes everything so much easier.
J
I’d suggest turning off the automatic ISO so that you have control over when you use it and not the camera deciding.
If you’re shooting in a low light situation and you find that you’re unable to hold the camera steady enough for a
sharp shot, then increase the ISO up by 1 at first. This will have the effect of doubling the shutter speed (if your in Aperture Priority mode
for example).If you’re using a 50mm lens at ISO 100 and find that the shutter speed is 1/30, you’ll probably struggle to hold it steady.
Ideally you need the shutter to be at 1/50 or faster, essentially its 1 divided by whatever your focal length is.Increasing ISO to 200 will double your shutter speed to 1/60 which should be fast enough to use.
Of course increasing it too much will cause digital noise. You should be ok up to ISO800 though.
Anyhow, take off the automatic ISO and play with the setting. You should always shoot in ISO 100 unless there is
a reason not to. You’ll soon get familiar with it :)There is a book that is often recommended for these types of questions: “Understanding Exposure” by Bryan Peterson.
I would highly recommend it too, I wish I had read it when I started, it would have vastly accelerated my learning on iso, shutterspeed and aperture.Martin
Hi everybody
Thank you so much for this it has been all written down! NFL thanks for those links very helpful.
Fiona,
I would also recommend the book Martin recommended. I started photography last year and found this book brilliant (and this site too). First time I read it I really didn’t understand it, but I played plenty with the camera and re read the book and it made much more sense. This site is very good too for helping and explaining. Post plenty of pics and the members will advise you were your going right or wrong. You will find the feedback here is very honest, but I found that to really help.
Its a great hobby, I love it :)
Janine
Hi Genie
I have dropped the book’s name on hubby as a mother’s day present so hopefully he will get it for me!!
I would normally be the type of person who would not dream about turning on a machine without reading the manual but I am quickly finding out the working with a camera is the total opposite, you point shot then read in the manual what you should have done :D
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