ISO settings

[DisneySuiteFreak]

You are thinking graduated ND filter. It will also not work on a portrait b/c the top of the person will be at a different exposure than the bottom part and the top part is likely in the sky area as well. I believe that there are specialty filters that have a sharp curve instead of a line, but I believe they are expensive. Yes, the shutter cannot go any faster than that with the pop up. I do not know about your flash, but it likely has a mode called high speed sync that allows faster shutter speeds to be used. As for lens, I suggest carrying the 50mm with you. It is small, much better for portraits, and will not cast a shadow.

Thanks!

 

[Bstanley]

So I took my new toy to work last Monday and took a few quick snaps of co-workers to show off. Since I'm still getting used to being 'in charge' of the settings I didn't reset the ISO to something more appropriate to the office lighting but left it set at 1600 (1/800, f1.8 Aperture Priority - hooray for RAW). The following is one of the results (resized to roughly 800 x 500). No Pulitzer prize - but as I looked at it in ACR I was bowled over by the very low noise it had. I am very glad I became convinced to buy a DSLR.

 

[annnewjerz]

Generally speaking, noise is much less apparent at a high ISO during properly exposed pictures than in photos that are underexposed or have a lot of shadow. In my experience with my D90 (which is very good with minimal noise at high ISOs), a picture in good lighting at ISO 1600 looks much different than one taken on a ride like Pirates at ISO 1600---if that makes any sense.

I'm sure someone can come along and explain better why it is that this happens, but for now I hope you enjoy having a camera that can produce usable results at ISO 1600 in comparison to a point & shoot at ISO 400.

 

[mrodgers]

I always wonder what folks on the photo forums are complaining about when they say stuff like they hate all the noise at ISO 800 with any dSLR, the cheap ones or the expensive ones. I look at those photos and am amazed how the ISO 800 shots are so much less noisy than mine are at ISO 100.

That photo in the OP looks great to me. I have more noise at ISO100 than that does at 1600. And the photo snobs on the photo forums would be barking their heads off about the unacceptable noise (that I can't see) in that image.

Can't wait to get my first dSLR. I've been convinced for a long time, just can't afford it. Going to Disneyworld instead of buying a camera..

 

[wenrob]

I always wonder what folks on the photo forums are complaining about when they say stuff like they hate all the noise at ISO 800 with any dSLR, the cheap ones or the expensive ones. I look at those photos and am amazed how the ISO 800 shots are so much less noisy than mine are at ISO 100.

That photo in the OP looks great to me. I have more noise at ISO100 than that does at 1600. And the photo snobs on the photo forums would be barking their heads off about the unacceptable noise (that I can't see) in that image.

Can't wait to get my first dSLR. I've been convinced for a long time, just can't afford it. Going to Disneyworld instead of buying a camera..

Well what happens is we "photo snobs" get pickier and pickier the more we know. Those of us who are in deep are learning more and striving for better with every shot. It's not necessarily that we're snobby we just know there is better and are working toward that.

That said I'm a happy camper with my ISO at 800. As Ann pointed out a properly exposed photo is going to show less then one that is badly exposed or "brought up." I have shots at ISO 1600 exposed to the right and brought down that knock the socks off of those that are shot at ISO 800 and under exposed. While nice equipment makes a huge difference, proper technique goes a long way in getting things there.

All of this to say to the OP being to use high ISO rocks doesn't it? And you've obviously done a good job with your exposure too!

 

[Bstanley]

you've obviously done a good job with your exposure

Well - so far at least I'm not so good at setting things up optimally ahead of time - but I have been good at leaving the camera in a mode that can cover for me.

a picture in good lighting at ISO 1600 looks much different than one taken on a ride like Pirates at ISO 1600

Ahh, Pity.

I don't know how people could afford all the 'learning' shots in the days of film. I'm taking tons of pictures and deleting most of them - not all because they are bad, just because I was experimenting and the picture wasn't meant to be saved.

 

[PinkSugar]

Hi guys, I am looking for some great shots of Park face characters that I can print and frame and hang in my Daughters bedroom, I have a few of my own but I still need a Sleeping Beauty (Aurora) and Tink and the New Princess Tiana
If you have any great shots you wouldn't mind me using Please post them or PM me

Thanks a bunch

 

[Quicklabs]

I wouldn't go over 8x10 if you use this one.

 

[ILuvCrush]

Princess Tiana.....

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I was shooting inside a church this week for my wife's pinning ceremony. I kept in in "A" mode with an ISO of around 600. However, when I went through some pictures today, I was looking at some settings of the nicer ones and noticed the ISO was at 6400 (Hi 1.0)

I did a few practice shots this morning in my kitchen with the lights off at ISO 1000 and it still did the same thing (6400) by itself. Without changing any settings, I turned and shot out the window and the ISO went back to 1000.

The camera is the Nikon D5000 and I was using the Kit lenses.

When using it in "A" mode, there isn't an AUTO setting for ISO so I thought what you set it at, is what you get. Am I wrong?

Her graduation is tonight and I can really use any suggestions.

Thanks guys!

-Rob

 

[VVFF]

I was shooting inside a church this week for my wife's pinning ceremony. I kept in in "A" mode with an ISO of around 600. However, when I went through some pictures today, I was looking at some settings of the nicer ones and noticed the ISO was at 6400 (Hi 1.0)

I did a few practice shots this morning in my kitchen with the lights off at ISO 1000 and it still did the same thing (6400) by itself. Without changing any settings, I turned and shot out the window and the ISO went back to 1000.

The camera is the Nikon D5000 and I was using the Kit lenses.

When using it in "A" mode, there isn't an AUTO setting for ISO so I thought what you set it at, is what you get. Am I wrong?

Her graduation is tonight and I can really use any suggestions.

Thanks guys!

-Rob

Pretty sure on pretty much any camera I've ever used Auto = it will pick ISO.

Perhaps you should use P/Program if you want to pick and hold the iso setting.

 

[zackiedawg]

If by A mode you mean aperture priority mode, that seems a little odd as there is usually the option to select ISO ranging from Auto to any manually set number. It sounds like somehow you were still in Auto ISO. Or possibly, could you have been in the mode that allows you to set the ISO floor or ceiling - thinking you were setting the ISO? That also might explain it, as that mode will use the ISO you set as the bottom (or top, depending on mode) ISO, and go up or down from that point.

AFAIK, on all cameras I've used, a manually chosen ISO stays as you set it, at all times...which should be valid in P (program), A (Av), S (Tv), or M (manual) modes.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Sorry, just to clarify, I was in aperture mode.

I left my manual at work in my locker last night, of coarse when I really need it, but I'm going to look it up online in a few. It sounds like somehow this is an ISO floor setting but I don't have a clue.

As a side note, I was really impressed with some of the pictures at 6400. As long as there weren't really dark areas, the noise wasn't all that bad at all.

 

[VVFF]

Sorry, just to clarify, I was in aperture mode.

I left my manual at work in my locker last night, of coarse when I really need it, but I'm going to look it up online in a few. It sounds like somehow this is an ISO floor setting but I don't have a clue.

As a side note, I was really impressed with some of the pictures at 6400. As long as there weren't really dark areas, the noise wasn't all that bad at all.

Sounds like a "safety shift" like feature one Canons. Except I think safety shift on Canons only will modify aperture and shutter speed when light conditions drastically change. Look for a mode like this in your manual.

 

[Steve's Girl]

Most Nikons have an auto ISO feature. The camera will automatically change the ISO for you. This is a menu item that can be turned off. Check your manual. I think the default setting is auto ISO on.

 

[disneyboy2003]

If by A mode you mean aperture priority mode, that seems a little odd as there is usually the option to select ISO ranging from Auto to any manually set number. It sounds like somehow you were still in Auto ISO. Or possibly, could you have been in the mode that allows you to set the ISO floor or ceiling - thinking you were setting the ISO? That also might explain it, as that mode will use the ISO you set as the bottom (or top, depending on mode) ISO, and go up or down from that point.

AFAIK, on all cameras I've used, a manually chosen ISO stays as you set it, at all times...which should be valid in P (program), A (Av), S (Tv), or M (manual) modes.

Yes, zackiedawg is right. Page 149 of your manual (link) shows you how to set the Auto ISO feature on your camera, called ISO Sensitivity Auto Control, where the camera will automatically select the optimum ISO if good exposure can't be achieved with your current settings. You can set the minimum ISO and the maximum ISO.

If you don't like this Auto ISO feature, you can actually turn it off.

Hope that helps.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Thanks for the input, I guess I just needed to be told I'm not nuts.

For the D5000 the menu to go to is

Shooting Menu- ISO sensitivity settings

ISO auto control-on
Max Sensitivity - XXX


It's amazing what these cameras can do isn't it?

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Not sure if I should start another thread but if I don't trust myself with the ISO settings, would it make sense to just leave my ISO at something low like 200 and just have the AUTO ISO pick it for me?

 

[zackiedawg]

If you're not too confident with controlling the ISO yourself, then using the auto ISO feature can be useful. Two ways - one would be just to leave the camera on auto ISO all the time...but I wouldn't recommend that mode so much. Your 'auto ISO control' would be the way to go - set your ISO to the minimum setting (if 200 is your lowest, use that), and set the ceiling to something you would consider reasonably good detail and low noise (that's up to what you feel is good - high ISO is quite good on these new cameras, but some people are hypersensitive about noise while others can accept a little - choose something maybe like ISO1600 or so as a ceiling). That should allow the camera to choose an ISO within a safe range that you would be confident in getting good results with, without going too high in the ISO range. If you did need ISo3200-12800 or so, you could always just manually select it if needed.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Thanks again. I got some very good compliments on my pictures from the pinning ceremony the other night and I'm hoping to do better tonight for the full graduation.

Looking back, I wouldn't have any decent shots if I still shot in JPG and if that auto feature wasn't on. Even with a smart camera, post processing is awesome!