A few days ago I photographed an old barn around 7a.m.( dawn) or maybe the light was a bit brighter but somewhat cloudy, with my ISO Set on Automatic ISO, A Priority. When I put them on my computer the averabe ISO readings were 400, 250, 300 which is not useable material from this camera. So, I went back the next morning, same place, same time, same lighting conditions and reshot exactly the same way except I used A Priority with my ISO set at 100. I just adjusted my camera settings accordingly. The photographs were beautiful, with no high ISO's. So I am thinking that in less than bright lighting conditons, Automatic is not the best choice. Am I right? Which way do most of you go? Do you use automatic or do you always choose your ISO setting according to how much light you have to work with? Thanks.Hope you don't think I am real dumb for asking this question.
Strictly my opinion mind you, but Automatic is NEVER the best option for ISO (or anything else for that matter). When you allow the camera's brain to override your brain you will never be sure of the outcome. The camera cannot read your mind and doesn't know how you want the scene rendered. As painful as it may be at first, switching to manual settings will greatly increase your knowledge and, in time, assure you much higher quality images. Sorry for preaching.
Now, for your specific question. If you're shooting landscapes and using a tripod I would leave the ISO set at 100 for 95% of the time, changing it only as specific artistic needs arise. Keep in mind I shoot a D2X, which is pretty noisy when compared to Canons, et al. If I were shooting wildlife, birds, etc. I would bump the ISO to 400 or even higher depending on circumstances and your camera's noise limitations.
I couldn't agree more with Bill. The only mode I shoot on is full manual, like Bill mentioned once you get over the learning curve you will have far better control of your images. ISO is especially important to be in control of, because if you use a high ISO where you don't need to you will end up with noise issues.
Nothing wrong with Av mode in changing conditions or when you're moving a lot though (like wildlife or sports shooting perhaps). But for landscape type, I'll third the sentiment that manual is the way to go. You can then pick your combination of shutter/aperture/ISO to give you the exposure time and DOF that you want. Especially in dimly lit conditions.
I'm so anal (Is that a word we can use here? ) about controlling DOF and shutter speed to control the effects I want that you would think I'd like auto ISO so I could always achieve the combo I wanted. But nothing could be further from the truth. First step for me with a new camera is determining the quality parameters of the ISO settings- maybe better to say that I determine what is the fastest ISO the camera can use while meeting my quality standards. Knowing that my top ISO for a given model might be only 400 or 320, even if the dial goes all the way up to 3200. If I have to go over my own limits in low light, I do so with a clear view of the compromise I'm making just to get the shot.
In the field, especially for static subjects like landscape, there's only one thing automatic about my camera. Any time the shutter speeds get close to my hand-holding limits a tripod automatically appears under my camera.
I agree with his advice regarding on tripod - then, I always use the lowest ISO setting possible (well, not the lowest on the D300, actually, I use ISO 200 which is the sensor's native ISO, instead of a "Lo" mode). For the landscape shooter, the discussion ends here, and auto ISO is never what you want to use.
But, never say never (except for the first never if you say "never say never", actually). For indoor sports, for example, or instances where lighting can change fast, but you want a fixed aperture/shutter speed combination (e.g. to freeze motion with a defined shutter speed while having a defined aperture for sharpness or DoF reasons), auto ISO can actually be quite useful. This is probably not what members here experience too often, but it's still good to know.
Jackie, I learned alot by reading "Understand Exposure" its a book I happened across at Barnes and Nobles. I spent about 3-4 hours on my porch swing with my camera on a tripod during the mid-day sun on a saturday and gave my camera a very hefty workout. That small amount of time I spent shooting the same picture under 100 different settings really gave me the beginning blocks I think in photography. I still do that exercise quickly on the porch almost every other day just to keep my memory refreshed, since I forget things quickly
Another thing I would add, to echo Hank's comments, is that the best ISO for a camera is also a bit body dependent. I used ISO 100 probably 95% of the time on my Canon 20D, with 200 being most of the remaining shots. I never liked 400 on the body and regard 800 as unusable, even for family shots.
On the other hand, my 5D is completely satisfactory at 400. 800 is usable, but 1600 is reserved for my family shots.
You'll have to test your camera, to be sure of what happens and how acceptable the results are for your purpose.
As a general rule, I'd use the lowest ISO available that allows you to get the shot, staying out of custom settings options.
Perhaps a little film thoughts should be mentioned. Pro's use to use (and those still shooting film, still do) the slowest film ASA(ISO) rating possible when they wanted certain results like fine grain, saturated images, and a perceived sharpness, like Velvia which was rated at 50 ASA (though many shot it on a different setting!). They only shot 800 ASA if it was the only way to get a useable image (unless they had a certain "look" they were trying to achieve). If they were going to be in low light, then they would switch to a faster film (higher ASA) in order to maintain their settings (depending on the result they wanted). There was no auto ASA film! The film could not possible know what time of day you were shooting, or how cloudy it was, or if you were in a cave doing natural light exposures, etc. regardless of the Kodak instamatic film advertisements of one film for all occassions - that was 800 ASA! The modern digital camera is no different in that respect (even though it actually does know the time of day!!). You must be the judge of the outcome. Everything said by the others I ditto!
Hoping no one razes me for the over-simplified film explanation and I hope it made a little sense!
No razz here Troup. It's a good comparison. I only move up the ISO scale as a compromise, though I have to observe that in my experience 400 ISO digital is way better than I ever got with 400 ISO film, and in fact compares quite favorably with 100 ISO film. I feel free enough to move about the lower end of my ISO scale that for manual shooting and the mental gymnastics of shifting the shutter speed/f-stop scale to manage DOF, I simply shift my ISO up to 400 when I screw in a polarizer to account for the 2-stop light loss. This allows me to continue working with the more familiar/usual 100 ISO scale. Hope that makes sense, because it's really handy not to keep trying to add a filter factor into my peabrain calculations.
I use ISO 100 in 90% of my pictures because this give the best pictures with my camera. I'm also making 99% of my pictures with full manual. Just try it and get experienced with, then it is not difficult anymore. And if you wnat to go back for one or more pictures that is always possible. But you have to practice a lot. I'm still trying things and most of them fail, but if you get a keeper it is a real keeper and you're proud to yourself (more then with an automatic picture, at least I'm).
Discussion
11 repliesStrictly my opinion mind you, but Automatic is NEVER the best option for ISO (or anything else for that matter). When you allow the camera's brain to override your brain you will never be sure of the outcome. The camera cannot read your mind and doesn't know how you want the scene rendered. As painful as it may be at first, switching to manual settings will greatly increase your knowledge and, in time, assure you much higher quality images. Sorry for preaching.
Now, for your specific question. If you're shooting landscapes and using a tripod I would leave the ISO set at 100 for 95% of the time, changing it only as specific artistic needs arise. Keep in mind I shoot a D2X, which is pretty noisy when compared to Canons, et al. If I were shooting wildlife, birds, etc. I would bump the ISO to 400 or even higher depending on circumstances and your camera's noise limitations.
In the field, especially for static subjects like landscape, there's only one thing automatic about my camera. Any time the shutter speeds get close to my hand-holding limits a tripod automatically appears under my camera.
I agree with his advice regarding on tripod - then, I always use the lowest ISO setting possible (well, not the lowest on the D300, actually, I use ISO 200 which is the sensor's native ISO, instead of a "Lo" mode). For the landscape shooter, the discussion ends here, and auto ISO is never what you want to use.
But, never say never (except for the first never if you say "never say never", actually). For indoor sports, for example, or instances where lighting can change fast, but you want a fixed aperture/shutter speed combination (e.g. to freeze motion with a defined shutter speed while having a defined aperture for sharpness or DoF reasons), auto ISO can actually be quite useful. This is probably not what members here experience too often, but it's still good to know.
BG
Another thing I would add, to echo Hank's comments, is that the best ISO for a camera is also a bit body dependent. I used ISO 100 probably 95% of the time on my Canon 20D, with 200 being most of the remaining shots. I never liked 400 on the body and regard 800 as unusable, even for family shots.
On the other hand, my 5D is completely satisfactory at 400. 800 is usable, but 1600 is reserved for my family shots.
You'll have to test your camera, to be sure of what happens and how acceptable the results are for your purpose.
As a general rule, I'd use the lowest ISO available that allows you to get the shot, staying out of custom settings options.
Hoping no one razes me for the over-simplified film explanation and I hope it made a little sense!
Troup Nightingale
I use ISO 100 in 90% of my pictures because this give the best pictures with my camera. I'm also making 99% of my pictures with full manual. Just try it and get experienced with, then it is not difficult anymore. And if you wnat to go back for one or more pictures that is always possible. But you have to practice a lot. I'm still trying things and most of them fail, but if you get a keeper it is a real keeper and you're proud to yourself (more then with an automatic picture, at least I'm).
Good luck.