ISO settings

[Mystery57]

When using my 550d since returning recently to the hobby, I primarily use one of either Sports Mode, AV mode or Automatic.

I have left the ISO setting on Auto in the settings menus.

Is this a good thing to do (most photos are outdoor daylight ones, or Macro shots) or is there a more all round fixed ISO speed which is recommended.

 

[sep9001]

If using out door and it is bright i would stick it on 100 if it is available on the camera.

 

[sheridant]

auto iso is usually horrid - I've found it often goes for far too grainy an iso when not needed.

For a recently modern slr - 400 is a good alround starting point - agree outside in the day slide it down to 100, and indoors in week light max out at 1600 unless you have a pro - camera

once at 1600 play with shutter speed and aperture to get the right result

 

[Photodiva]

I avoid auto iso. Where you can select the iso, choose a low iso where the light is bright, learning to judge how much to increase it depending on the level of available light. That way, if you are using AV mode, you should watch to see whether the shutter speed is appropriately suitable. If its too low, up the ISO further.

 

[scottthehat]

alot of users of canons hate auto iso but on nikons its the nuts.

 

[gblades]

I use auto ISO with a long lens and the canon in P mode. Auto ISO is limited to 800 but the camera will increase it first to keep a good shutter speed and then decrease the shutter speed as required after that. It only works though as at 500mm the camera prefers 1/500 which is a good shutter speed for some wildlife. You do have to limit it though otherwise it will try to go too high and you will get lots of noise.

 

[shaylou]

When using my 550d since returning recently to the hobby, I primarily use one of either Sports Mode, AV mode or Automatic.

I have left the ISO setting on Auto in the settings menus.

Is this a good thing to do (most photos are outdoor daylight ones, or Macro shots) or is there a more all round fixed ISO speed which is recommended.

I didn't read the other comments so please forgive me if this is repeating.

I would not suggest leaving the iso in auto,

This practice will teach you nothing about exposure or controlling your camera. My camera stays in manual mode for the most part but that's not to say that aperture and shutter priority modes do not have there usefulness because they really do, specially shutter priority. It can save you valuable time.

 

[ernesto]

But if you already know about exposure and controlling you camera then auto ISO is great. It is actually great even if you don't as not everyone wants to learn to the same level.

The fact that I am happy with my camera up to 3200 means I can leave the camera to it. But maybe that is because I am a 99% Aperture priority person who has set a minimum shutter speed so ISO only goes up when it has to (i.e. when I would have had to increase it anyway)
If for some reason I need to take specific control I will just change back from Auto. Just because I use Auto most of the time doesn't mean I can't use a set ISO when required.

 

[chphotos]

+ 1

 

[rjbell]

I shoot in auto iso too with a limit set at iso 3200. I Then usually shoot in amnual to have full control of shutter speed and aperture depending on focal length. Newer models auto iso setting takes your focal length into consideration automatically which sounds great.

 

[Scarecrow]

As ISO is largely responsible for the amount of noise that you see in an image, I never use auto ISO but will instead opt for the lowest I can get away with commensurate with achieving the required shutter and aperture settings. In brightly lit situations this invariably means I will be shooting at 100 ISO. In dull conditions I will push this to 200 or 400. In very dim conditions I will just crank it up to whatever is required, and if that means images becoming noisy, I just accept that.

 

[Mystery57]

Brilliant everyone - I had a feeling even as a newbie, that Auto is not relly the best way and I had thought some pictures were overly grainy, so will now be taking on board your comments.

Thanks to all.

 

[rjbell]

As ISO is largely responsible for the amount of noise that you see in an image, I never use auto ISO but will instead opt for the lowest I can get away with commensurate with achieving the required shutter and aperture settings. In brightly lit situations this invariably means I will be shooting at 100 ISO. In dull conditions I will push this to 200 or 400. In very dim conditions I will just crank it up to whatever is required, and if that means images becoming noisy, I just accept that.

That exactly what auto iso does. Set the shutter speed and aperture as low as you can get away with, like your already doing, then it sets the iso automatically for you as low as possible. I'm doing the exact same thing as you without the faff of changing the iso myself constantly.

 

[boyfalldown]

You are negating the most of the advantages of shooting manually if you use auto iso though. The camera is still making exposure decisions for you. You'd be better using AV and setting a minimum shutter speed


Set (either auto or manually) to the lowest sensible.

 

[rjbell]

You are negating the most of the advantages of shooting manually if you use auto iso though. The camera is still making exposure decisions for you. You'd be better using AV and setting a minimum shutter speed


Set (either auto or manually) to the lowest sensible.

I would have to disagree. Setting AV you are still leaving the camera to make exposure decisions but has no idea what you are shooting or does not take into account my focal length (i know some models do) to give a accurate shutter speed. It's no different to setting AV or S priority whichever why you look at it you are setting 2 of the 3 parameters and letting the camera set the 3rd, but out of the 3 options, this gives you the most control.

 

[boyfalldown]

Setting AV you are still leaving the camera to make exposure decisions but has no idea what you are shooting to give a accurate shutter speed. It's no different to setting AV or S priority whicever why you look at it you are setting 2 of the 3 parameters and letting the camera set the 3rd.

I didn't say AV didn't leave the camera making less decisions........but you can (atleast on Nikon) set a min shutter speed before A mode raises the ISO. Doing this surely allows the camera to make a better decision then asking it to make decisions by changing ISO alone?

 

[Suvv]

Auto ISO can also select an ISO rating in-between the normal steps, i.e. it can select 245 or 550, a bit like using 1/3 stops for your shutter speed.
As with all settings for the camera you need to understand what they do, why they do it and when and then just use whatever settings are best for a particular shot(s).

 

[redhed17]

In most cameras Auto ISO will kick in if the shutter goes below 1/60th second, which may be fine if you have a 18-55mm lens at 55mm, but what if you're at 18mm? You may be able to hold the camera at 1/20th sec, but the camera would up the ISO to give at least 1/60th, which could raise the ISO from 100 to 320 when it probably didn't need to. :shrug:

Now most cameras are pretty good at the lower ISO values, but that could be ISO 1600 to 5000 which could push the image quality over the edge on most cameras. And that is if they can even go up that high.

Most of the new cameras you can set the max ISO to be used. Some can set the shutter speed at which the Auto ISO kicks in. And a few of the newer camera you can set the max ISO, but also have the shutter speed at which the Auto ISO kicks in match the focal length of the lens, though the setting can be biased to come in earlier or later.


The rule of thumb is that the minimum shutter should be a reciprocal of the focal length, so if you have 70-200mm lens at 200mm, then you should aim for a minimum 1/200th sec shutter to hand old. Now some people say you should factor in the crop factor and add 50%. And then you also have to factor in any stabilisation which may allow you to hand hold at slower speeds than the reciprocal of the focal length. The only way to know what your limits of hand holding at various focal lengths, with or without stabilisation, is to test.

Even though some of these cameras are amazing at high ISO levels, the aim should always be to get the lowest possible imho.

There may be occasions when you don't have the time change the ISO of course, in and out of shadowy side streets and open squares on holiday for example, but to rely on the Auto ISO when you have the time to change it, especially when it is not an 'intelligent' ISO, is lazy imho. :shrug:

Each to there own though.

 

[rjbell]

I didn't say AV didn't leave the camera making less decisions........but you can (atleast on Nikon) set a min shutter speed before A mode raises the ISO. Doing this surely allows the camera to make a better decision then asking it to make decisions by changing ISO alone?

No i know you didn't, i'm just saying its no difference using auto iso than AV or S priority but with less control. Yes i know you can set min shutter speeds with Av priority but this doesn't help when they don't know what you are shooting and to change this would mean delving into the menu. The camera will always choose the lowest iso it can get away with as would you but without the faff.

 

[rjbell]

In most cameras Auto ISO will kick in if the shutter goes below 1/60th second, which may be fine if you have a 18-55mm lens at 55mm, but what if you're at 18mm? You may be able to hold the camera at 1/20th sec, but the camera would up the ISO to give at least 1/60th, which could raise the ISO from 100 to 320 when it probably didn't need to. :shrug:

Now most cameras are pretty good at the lower ISO values, but that could be ISO 1600 to 5000 which could push the image quality over the edge on most cameras. And that is if they can even go up that high.

Most of the new cameras you can set the max ISO to be used. Some can set the shutter speed at which the Auto ISO kicks in. And a few of the newer camera you can set the max ISO, but also have the shutter speed at which the Auto ISO kicks in match the focal length of the lens, though the setting can be biased to come in earlier or later.


The rule of thumb is that the minimum shutter should be a reciprocal of the focal length, so if you have 70-200mm lens at 200mm, then you should aim for a minimum 1/200th sec shutter to hand old. Now some people say you should factor in the crop factor and add 50%. And then you also have to factor in any stabilisation which may allow you to hand hold at slower speeds than the reciprocal of the focal length. The only way to know what your limits of hand holding at various focal lengths, with or without stabilisation, is to test.

Even though some of these cameras are amazing at high ISO levels, the aim should always be to get the lowest possible imho.

There may be occasions when you don't have the time change the ISO of course, in and out of shadowy side streets and open squares on holiday for example, but to rely on the Auto ISO when you have the time to change it, especially when it is not an 'intelligent' ISO, is lazy imho. :shrug:

Each to there own though.

You have just argued my case for using auto iso in manual mode and not AV or S priority.

Its as lazy as shooting AV or S.

 

[boyfalldown]

No i know you didn't, i'm just saying its no difference using auto iso than AV or S priority but with less control. Yes i know you can set min shutter speeds with Av priority but this doesn't help when they don't know what you are shooting and to change this would mean delving into the menu. The camera will always choose the lowest iso it can get away with as would you but without the faff.

I guess it just comes from expectations. To my mind the real reasons for shooting in manual is either you need consistency, or you're shooting something you know the camera will make the 'wrong' choice. ie A studio shoot, or a difficult scene. Interesting to see it being used a different way though

 

[rjbell]

I guess it just comes from expectations. To my mind the real reasons for shooting in manual is either you need consistency, or you're shooting something you know the camera will make the 'wrong' choice. ie A studio shoot, or a difficult scene. Interesting to see it being used a different way though

Yes its always a time for full manual control like you say. I never shot film so maybe i look at it a little differently. AV is fine outside with good light but when its choosing lower shutter speeds i like to have a bit more control with it. I'm usually shooting my boy who doesn't sit still much but when he does i can set f/2.8 1/60 or something, but if he quickly jumps up on the move i can bump up the shutter speed quickly without having to adjust the iso too.

 

[ernesto]

And I am pretty sure all the cameras I have owned go for lowest possible ISO in any given situation anyway. I have never had a camera that say chooses ISO 800 when either your shutter or aperture are not at the end of their range.
They tend to up the ISO as a last resort which is what I would be doing if selecting it manually.

 

[rjbell]

And I am pretty sure all the cameras I have owned go for lowest possible ISO in any given situation anyway. I have never had a camera that say chooses ISO 800 when either your shutter or aperture are not at the end of their range.
They tend to up the ISO as a last resort which is what I would be doing if selecting it manually.

Exactly!

 

[scottthehat]

i use manaul with auto iso that way i get the shutter speed i need and the apature i want the camera sorts the iso and does a top job.

 

[rjbell]

i use manaul with auto iso that way i get the shutter speed i need and the apature i want the camera sorts the iso and does a top job.

Glad i'm not alone.

 

[Mystical Sound]

^ ditto, auto iso with manual settings, but restricting the iso not to go beyond what I feel is "usable" for that lens/camera combination.

however i do use s or a priority when im lazy or cant get my settings right

 

[gad-westy]

The way I see it is that manual plus auto iso just gives you an extra exposure mode at your disposal. You still have the traditional A, S and M but M+auto iso gives you a new set of options that will suit many circumstances. One example, where it was great recently. I was using a Sigma 50-500 at a rally a while ago. The lens was soft wide open so I wanted to leave it at F/8. I was panning a lot of shots so I also wanted a shutter speed of 1/100 or something like that. Most of the day I'd have been fine with manual but in the afternoon, the cloud started to break up and sun was coming in and out. If I was better I could probably have kept up with it by juggling ISO but I'm not! Auto ISO plus M mode was perfect for those conditions. I use if for a lot of other stuff too but sometimes that's just laziness rather than born of necessity.

 

[shaylou]

As ISO is largely responsible for the amount of noise that you see in an image, I never use auto ISO but will instead opt for the lowest I can get away with commensurate with achieving the required shutter and aperture settings. In brightly lit situations this invariably means I will be shooting at 100 ISO. In dull conditions I will push this to 200 or 400. In very dim conditions I will just crank it up to whatever is required, and if that means images becoming noisy, I just accept that.

I am with you all the way up to very dull conditions part and just excepting noise. The amount of executable noise is personal Preferences. My preference is to slow the shutter before raising the iso.

 

[shaylou]

You are negating the most of the advantages of shooting manually if you use auto iso though. The camera is still making exposure decisions for you. You'd be better using AV and setting a minimum shutter speed

Set (either auto or manually) to the lowest sensible.

+one

 

[shaylou]

That exactly what auto iso does. Set the shutter speed and aperture as low as you can get away with, like your already doing, then it sets the iso automatically for you as low as possible. I'm doing the exact same thing as you without the faff of changing the iso myself constantly.

Not exactly,

I think we can all agree that Most photographers try to keep the iso at the lowest possible setting in every situation. So in shutter or aperture modes you are forced to make an adjustment if your exposure will not support the lighting conditions, whereas in auto iso the camera is just going to crank up the iso to what ever it needs. There is a big difference.....

 

[shaylou]

Yes its always a time for full manual control like you say. I never shot film so maybe i look at it a little differently. AV is fine outside with good light but when its choosing lower shutter speeds i like to have a bit more control with it. I'm usually shooting my boy who doesn't sit still much but when he does i can set f/2.8 1/60 or something, but if he quickly jumps up on the move i can bump up the shutter speed quickly without having to adjust the iso too.

I'm starting to think auto mode might be in order here....

 

[shaylou]

And I am pretty sure all the cameras I have owned go for lowest possible ISO in any given situation anyway. I have never had a camera that say chooses ISO 800 when either your shutter or aperture are not at the end of their range.
They tend to up the ISO as a last resort which is what I would be doing if selecting it manually.

You just said what everyone else was thinking. Rofl...

 

[gad-westy]

Not exactly,

I think we can all agree that Most photographers try to keep the iso at the lowest possible setting in every situation. So in shutter or aperture modes you are forced to make an adjustment if your exposure will not support the lighting conditions, whereas in auto iso the camera is just going to crank up the iso to what ever it needs. There is a big difference.....

But you have exactly the same feedback as if you were in A or S or whatever other mode. You know what ISO the camera is selecting so if it becomes concerning you make a compromise somewhere else if need be.

I'm truly amazed that somebody cannot see the benefit of shooting this way on occasion. From a creative exposure point of view, the interest is nearly always in the aperture and/or shutter speed. I've never approached a scene and though, hmmm this would look great at iso 800. So sometimes I let the camera choose the appropriate iso for the other two sides of the exposure triangle I've chosen. In changeable light, it is perfect.

 

[gad-westy]

I'm starting to think auto mode might be in order here....

?? So instead of giving the camera control of one element of the exposure triangle, it might as well have all three?

 

[gad-westy]

You are negating the most of the advantages of shooting manually if you use auto iso though. The camera is still making exposure decisions for you. You'd be better using AV and setting a minimum shutter speed


Set (either auto or manually) to the lowest sensible.

You can still use full traditional manual. Manual plus auto iso is just another tool in the box. Sometimes you might want a specific aperture and a specific shutter speed but want the camera to juggle the exposure for you, maybe because light is quite variable. To the best of my knowledge, there isn't another option for shooting this way.

 

[gad-westy]

In most cameras Auto ISO will kick in if the shutter goes below 1/60th second, which may be fine if you have a 18-55mm lens at 55mm, but what if you're at 18mm? You may be able to hold the camera at 1/20th sec, but the camera would up the ISO to give at least 1/60th, which could raise the ISO from 100 to 320 when it probably didn't need to. :shrug:

On every recent DSLR I've used (including your D300S) and in fact most CSC's you can adjust the minimum shutter speed that you wish to use. Infact it gets even better than that as a few recent cameras will also vary the minimum shutter speed depending on what focal length you're shooting at. Pretty nifty.

 

[rjbell]

Not exactly,

I think we can all agree that Most photographers try to keep the iso at the lowest possible setting in every situation. So in shutter or aperture modes you are forced to make an adjustment if your exposure will not support the lighting conditions, whereas in auto iso the camera is just going to crank up the iso to what ever it needs. There is a big difference.....

You are forced anyway, except you have to waste time change iso. Then letting the camera decide what shutter speed to use without knowing how steady your arm is, what you are shooting, and except for a very few cameras it's not taking into account your focal length either. Only you know the slowest shutter speed you can get away with for a given subject and focal length not your camera, well at least you should know anyway.

 

[redhed17]

Infact it gets even better than that as a few recent cameras will also vary the minimum shutter speed depending on what focal length you're shooting at. Pretty nifty.

Isn't that what I said? :shrug:

And a few of the newer cameras you can set the max ISO, but also have the shutter speed at which the Auto ISO kicks in match the focal length of the lens, though the setting can be biased to come in earlier or later.

 

[gad-westy]

Oops, missed that bit. My apologies.