Making changes to the camera ISO can improve the quality of pictures.
There is probably no more basic setting in photography. The ISO, an abbreviation for International Organization for Standards, is the current system for measuring a digital camera’s sensitivity to light.
Back in the days of old, and film, this sensitivity was referred to as the film’s ASA, or American Standards Association.
No matter how you define the numbers the principle is the same. A low number means a low sensitivity to light while higher numbers mean greater sensitivity, or faster, light gathering capabilities. Using the right ISO can be the difference between a good shot and a picture quickly deleted before anyone sees it.
- Set the ISO as Low as You Can Go This phrase sums up the whole issue of selecting sensitivity in one phrase. Because digital noise, or grain in the old days of film, increases with the higher levels of sensitivity it is important to find the lowest ISO that gives the photographer the proper shutter speed and aperture for the picture.
- Experiment with the Camera Settings The best way to find the lowest ISO is to start with a setting a notch or two below what you think is proper for the light conditions encountered in the setting. Take a peak and see what shutter speeds and apertures the camera’s automatic exposure controls will generate. If they are too slow, move the ISO up a notch, and try again.
- Don’t go Fully Automatic Many cameras will adjust up the ISO as part of the fully automatic functions. This can also apply to some situational settings such as sunset, action or nighttime. In this case the photographer has given up the option of choosing the proper ISO for the end photo.
- Know the Camera The amount of noise, the small off color bits rendered in the picture, will vary from camera model to camera model. Some newer models take acceptable quality pictures at ISO’s much higher than the older makes of even the high end camera product lines. By knowing what the camera model being used is capable of the photographer can judge what ISO settings produce acceptable results.
- Sometimes a Little Noise is Unavoidable Some types of photography require a high level of sensitivity from the film or electronic sensor. Shots of sporting events with fast action such as auto racing are going to require a fast ISO and the noise in the shot will have to either be tolerated, or cleaned up in post production. Another situation requiring the use of a high ISO would be low light areas where flash photography is not allowed.
The copyright of the article Mastering Camera ISO in Digital Photography is owned by Keith Norman. Permission to republish Mastering Camera ISO in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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