Photo sharing: High ISO

[fractal]

12,800 and pushed a half-stop in Lightroom.

Let me outta here... by Groucho Dis, on Flickr

ISO 25,600:

Festival of the Lion King, crowd of lions by Groucho Dis, on Flickr

I have a few good 51,200 shots but nothing online that I could quickly find.

wow

 

[kmclark]

I love the picture examples on this thread and the others. Knowing what can be done at High ISO's. etc. But for us NOOBS, can we list the ISO, Aperture and Shutterspeed for the settings. I am trying to get a handle on everything as far as settings go so I can have a better idea while I am experimenting before I take my trip in October. I am mostly interested in night/dark shot info. I know for dark and night shots you need a low #/big aperture, but not sure how that goes along with high/low shutter speed and high/low ISO. I have been reading and playing a lot with settings but just when I think I have it figured out I experiment and the results are not what I expect. It may be because I haven't bought a new lens yet. I only have the kit lens so far although I have a pretty good handle on fireworks. But most articles address photographing moving articles at night and not photographing while the camera is moving as being on a ride like Peter Pan or SM.

Side note: I am trying to find the photo that someone posted of the initial tunnel in Space Mountain. I know that I saw it, just can't find it now.

 

[havoc315]

I love the picture examples on this thread and the others. Knowing what can be done at High ISO's. etc. But for us NOOBS, can we list the ISO, Aperture and Shutterspeed for the settings. I am trying to get a handle on everything as far as settings go so I can have a better idea while I am experimenting before I take my trip in October. I am mostly interested in night/dark shot info. I know for dark and night shots you need a low #/big aperture, but not sure how that goes along with high/low shutter speed and high/low ISO. I have been reading and playing a lot with settings but just when I think I have it figured out I experiment and the results are not what I expect. It may be because I haven't bought a new lens yet. I only have the kit lens so far although I have a pretty good handle on fireworks. But most articles address photographing moving articles at night and not photographing while the camera is moving as being on a ride like Peter Pan or SM.

Side note: I am trying to find the photo that someone posted of the initial tunnel in Space Mountain. I know that I saw it, just can't find it now.

For dark rides, you need a large aperture (small number). Then you want the fastest shutter speed and lowest ISO that you can get away with.

Remember, shutter speed freezes movement --- But a faster shutter speed also lets in less light. So it would be great to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/10 to get lots of light, but you'll get an image totally blurred by motion and camera shake.

Though it partially also depends on your focal length, you will want to keep your shutter speed at between 1/50 and 1/100.

ISO... lower ISO is cleaner and better than high ISO. But you will need high ISO.

And you really won't get many decent shots with the kit lens in dark rides. You will need a lens with a wider aperture.

Pirates of the Caribbean by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

[havoc315]

rainy-1.jpg by Havoc315, on Flickr

ISO 12800

 

[photo_chick]

For dark rides, you need a large aperture (small number). Then you want the fastest shutter speed and lowest ISO that you can get away with.

Remember, shutter speed freezes movement --- But a faster shutter speed also lets in less light. So it would be great to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/10 to get lots of light, but you'll get an image totally blurred by motion and camera shake.

Though it partially also depends on your focal length, you will want to keep your shutter speed at between 1/50 and 1/100.

ISO... lower ISO is cleaner and better than high ISO. But you will need high ISO.

And you really won't get many decent shots with the kit lens in dark rides. You will need a lens with a wider aperture.

Pirates of the Caribbean by Havoc315, on Flickr

Gonna challenge that statement just slightly. It's possible to get dark ride shots with some cameras and a kit lens thanks to advances in ISO performance. A fast prime is still a better option, IMO, for dark ride shooting but you can't just rule out a kit lens with some cameras. Just to be clear... I'm not saying in any way, shape or form that you need this camera or that camera. Or even that you can use a kit lens on every camera or that you can get every shot. I'm just saying that you can no longer say a kit lens won't get anything decent because it's not an accurate statement any longer.

These were shot with a 6D and 24-105 f/4 which is the kit lens for the 6D. Many entry level kit lenses go to f/3.5 on the wide end and as high ISO performance improvements filter down to the lower end models we're going to see more cameras that are able to pull some dark ride shots off with just a kit lens.

ISO 12800 f/4 1/60

ISO 12800 f/4 1/50

ISO 25600 f/4 1/50

 

[k5jm]

Taken with my Canon 6D and a couple of different lenses

With Rokinon 8mm ƒ/8.0 ISO 6400 1/25
IMG_3674 by k5jmh, on Flickr

Canon 80-200 ƒ/2.8 ISO 12800 1/40
Untitled by k5jmh, on Flickr

Canon 24-105mm ƒ/8.0 12800 1/80
IMG_2096 by k5jmh, on Flickr

Canon 50mm ƒ/1.8 3200 1/2500
IMG_8910 by k5jmh, on Flickr

EF17-40mm ƒ/4.0 1/10 3200
IMG_4438 by k5jmh, on Flickr

 

[photo_chick]

ISO 12800, f/1.4 and 1/60

ISO 12800, f/1.4 and 1/80

12800, f/1.4 and 1/80

 

[HPS3]

Sony A7
1/160-f5.6-10,000

Rosie by Harry Shields, on Flickr

Fuji X-E2
1/125-f4-6400

Back of the Bus by Harry Shields, on Flickr

I think any new crop or FF looks great at 6400 if the image is not underexposed.

 

[photo_chick]

I think any new crop or FF looks great at 6400 if the image is not underexposed.

This is why I haven't been positing anything less than 12800 from my 6D. ISO 6400 on it looks better than ISO 1600 on my 50D did. The images are so clean it seems kill the spirit of embracing high ISO and the noise that comes with it.

 

[k5jm]

This is why I haven't been positing anything less than 12800 from my 6D. ISO 6400 on it looks better than ISO 1600 on my 50D did. The images are so clean it seems kill the spirit of embracing high ISO and the noise that comes with it.

I have found the same on my 6D. AMAZING low light performance, even before any post-processing.

 

[havoc315]

I think any new crop or FF looks great at 6400 if the image is not underexposed.

That's really the key --- If the image is underexposed, or heavily shadowed.... On my A99, noise can be poor even around 6400. But if properly exposed, especially if it's not a shadowy image, then 12800+ looks just fine.

From a recent event I shot...
ISO 12,800 --- Unfortunately, I shot jpeg. Would look better if I processed the RAW myself, but the noise is pretty well controlled:





But if underexposed, such as this shot... noise becomes a much bigger issue:

 

[fractal]

I think any new crop or FF looks great at 6400 if the image is not underexposed.

That's really the key --- If the image is underexposed, or heavily shadowed.... On my A99, noise can be poor even around 6400. But if properly exposed, especially if it's not a shadowy image, then 12800+ looks just fine.

That is a big challenge for me when I'm shooting indoor sports. I need to shoot at 1/200sec or faster but am always struggling with the ISO levels. Will a slightly underexposed shoot @ ISO1600 not look better (IQ) than a slightly overexposed shot @ ISO3200?

 

[havoc315]

That is a big challenge for me when I'm shooting indoor sports. I need to shoot at 1/200sec or faster but am always struggling with the ISO levels. Will a slightly underexposed shoot @ ISO1600 not look better (IQ) than a slightly overexposed shot @ ISO3200?

In my experience, you're better off with the over exposed shot. When you bring down the exposure in post production, you'll also be bringing down the noise.
But if you increase the exposure in post, you will be greatly adding to the noise.
Lightroom/RAW may be great for adjusting exposure -- but any time you need to lift shadows, even in a low ISO pic, you will generate a lot of noise.

I'm not an expert, but that's what I've been finding.

On the A99, you can set your auto-ISO range. I believe the default is 100-6400. But at first, I was slightly disappointed in the 6400 (mostly because I was overly pixel peeping), so I changed it to 100-3200. Then as I got to know the camera, I actually switched it to 100-12800. I still try to be conscious of the ISO being selected... I'll manipulate A&S to lower the ISO, but I'd rather have the leeway for the higher ISO and correct exposure.

 

[photo_chick]

That is a big challenge for me when I'm shooting indoor sports. I need to shoot at 1/200sec or faster but am always struggling with the ISO levels. Will a slightly underexposed shoot @ ISO1600 not look better (IQ) than a slightly overexposed shot @ ISO3200?

I always ETTR when possible. Bringing down the exposure a tiny but in post can eliminate a lot of shadow noise.

 

[zackiedawg]

Was just at Disney last week, and finally had a chance to try out the new A6000 and SEL35mm F1.8 OSS lens at Disney...including dark ride and high ISO which is always a part of my shooting there. Here are some of the high ISO shots I took...these are all shot as JPGs and not post processed, other than the one shot I brought up two stops:

ISO8,000:

ISO12,800:

ISO12,800, boosted 2 stops in post to approx. 51,200:

ISO12,800:

 

[fractal]

Very nice Justin. ^^^

I wish I had the SEL 35mm 1.8 on my last trip to WDW. I had to make due with the SEL 50mm 1.8 and the Sigma 19mm & 30mm 2.8's.


I'm impressed with the Jpeg's from the A6000.

 

[Groucho]

Here's a combination that you don't see every day... a LensBaby dark ride shot. ISO 8,000, unknown aperture (probably 2.0, what I usually use with it), 1/60th, 50mm focal length (normal Lensbaby focal length.)

Lensbaby Sistine by Groucho Dis, on Flickr

 

[photo_chick]

Groucho which Lensbaby are you using? Do you attempt to focus or do you just aim and hope for the best? I've got the Spark and while I'm pretty adept at manually focusing I don't know that I could come close to nailing the focus on a moving ride with it.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Groucho which Lensbaby are you using? Do you attempt to focus or do you just aim and hope for the best? I've got the Spark and while I'm pretty adept at manually focusing I don't know that I could come close to nailing the focus on a moving ride with it.

And there ain't much time when you're passing that shot either.

 

[Groucho]

Groucho which Lensbaby are you using? Do you attempt to focus or do you just aim and hope for the best? I've got the Spark and while I'm pretty adept at manually focusing I don't know that I could come close to nailing the focus on a moving ride with it.

Hi Danielle - mine is the Composer. I haven't used the Spark but from what I can see it's probably a lot harder to get a shot out of it. When I bought it, the Composer seemed like the best option for actually getting a decent shot out of the LensBaby design - you set the focus and the angle of the lens and it stays there. It's still really hard and you need a lot of luck, though.

If you're on a tripod using it, then live view is the only way to go IMHO. For shooting hand-held, I have an advantage is that my focus screen is a Canon EC-S cut down to fit my camera. This screen is optimized for manual focus - things pop in and out of focus more clearly than in any stock screen - and it's consistent across the whole frame, which is very important for the LensBaby as the focal point can be anywhere, not just in the center. This works a lot better than the split-prism aftermarket focusing screens I had been using, where anything outside of the center was pretty vague.