What good is ISO1600?

[JoshD]

Got a SD800 to replace my SD700 and all the reviews I have read online pretty much say to avoid the ISO1600 or ISO High settings, the pictures turn out like crap.

What are they good for? Super fast action? Low light? All I know is the shots I used to take with my SD700 in that mode did turn out somewhat grainy looking.

I also saw some advice that said when shooting outside with decent light to good light keep the ISO as low as possible. Is this pretty much true?

Thanks

[livin4lax09]

Yes, the higher the ISO, the more digital noise you will have. With small point and shoot cameras, they can not handle high ISOs very well. Many DSLR users use high ISOs for low light stuff, like sports under the lights or in poorly lit gyms. And yes, you want to keep the ISO as low as possible for the best image with the smoothest colors.

[Canon_Bob]

This image was shot at ISO 3200 with my Canon 1Ds Mark II. As you can see, the high end DSLRs hold up quite well at extreme ISO. Word from some of my professional friends who already have a 1D Mark III is that the high ISO images are nearly noise free! It really all depends on the camera. I shoot at ISO 1000 all the time with the 1DsMII, but rarely over ISO 400 with my XTi.

[almo]

This is why I love Canon. This is a full frame image with NO post processing except for size. Also a 100% crop to show the close up detale. Needless to say, with this camera, I never fear high ISOs. I prefer lower sensitivities of course, but I do not hesitate to spin that dial when I need too.

Canon D60, ISO 1000...

[livin4lax09]

it also depends on the exposure. the two shots that were posted are both very bright. a dark shot at ISO 1600 or 3200 will have pretty bad noise.

[almo]

it also depends on the exposure. the two shots that were posted are both very bright. a dark shot at ISO 1600 or 3200 will have pretty bad noise.

Well sure, but it's all about knowing how to use high ISO. I use it to get those extra few stops in a fairly well lit situation where 100-400 just doesn't get me the shutter speeds I need at the aperture I want. However even in lower light settings the noise and types of noise produced by Canon DSLRs at higher ISOs is better than anyone else has to offer.

Here is a low light example. Yes there is some loss of detail in the shadows, but just look at the quality of the noise. Very film like compared to other DSLRs. Again, no post work except for size.

[Canon_Bob]

it also depends on the exposure. the two shots that were posted are both very bright. a dark shot at ISO 1600 or 3200 will have pretty bad noise.

Not true. The Cardinal was shot at last light. It appears bright because the camera compensated to acheive proper exposure. It took that shot as I was packing it up for the day, and to just prove a point about high-iso. The camera has everything to do with how well it's handled. the 1DsMII used to be the top dog at high ISO. Now it's the 1D MIII.

BTW - The cardinal image has no PP other than cropping. That's how it came out of the camera (other than crop).

[deckcadet]

I think what brent means isn't that the situation was dark, but that if the image is underexposed the noise will be significantly more pronounced, which is entirely correct.

[livin4lax09]

yeah Harrison got it right. it doesn't matter how dark the actual situation is, it's the exposure of the image that determines how much noise you see at a particular ISO.

[DEvianT]

yeah Harrison got it right. it doesn't matter how dark the actual situation is, it's the exposure of the image that determines how much noise you see at a particular ISO.

It's several things. The key ones being signal to noise ratio of the sensor I.E. Good image signal vs. bad electrical noise. Also the strength of signal and the time the signal is applied.

In practical terms it means if you photograph a dimly lit scene on a sensor with a poor signal to noise ratio for a long exposure then your shot will probably suffer very bad noise in shadows and darker areas but be passable in lighter areas. A high ISO shot in good light on a fast exposure will probably look ok.

[drg]

Josh,

I think in your camera, the ISO 1600 setting is a marketing tool as much as a meaningful option.

There's a lot of good information in some of these posts, but they have little to do with your SD800 other than what to avoid. The high ISO in the small cameras until recently has let them take a picture of some type that isn't completely blurred under difficult lighting.

High ISO quality images are about post processing. Even the high end sensors that produce low noise imagery are from a result of both better on sensor noise control of the amplification and from the image processor 'knowing' what kind of noise is produced and removing it before the data is ever written to memory.

Here's a post about 1600 ISO I started a few months back. This is but one example of what 1600 ISO can be in a P/S. It starts as camera specific but we all ramble down memory lane about what to use 1600 ISO setting for and how it can work in various setting.

How we once shot at 1600 ISO!

Perhaps this will give you another idea or two to think about.

Happy shooting!

[yogestee]

Josh,,,never be affraid to shoot at a high ISO setting to get the shot..Running out of shutter speeds or apertures in not an excuse for not getting the shot..Bump up the ISO setting so atleast you get a reasonable shutter speed to avoid camera shake..The same rule goes for aperture to get the desired DOF..

When I was shooting film I would often push TriX 400 ISO to 1600 ISO or 3200 ISO and push process especially when shooting theatre or sports in low light..The results were often grainy but with careful development very acceptable..The same goes when shooting digital,,careful post processing will give acceptable results..It is a case of experimentation..

Canon noise control is some of the best in the business especially their DSLRs..

Here is an image shot at 1600ISO 50thsec hand held..Canon 350D/Sigma 18-200mm 3.5-6.3..I cleaned up the noise a tad using Photoshop CS2

My point here is if I wasn't able or confident to use 1600ISO I wouldn't have got the shot..Flash in this situation would have been a definite no-no..

Jurgen
Australia