Photography Tip - Digital Photography tip
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ISO - Light & Quality
Author: Sharon Elrod
Article:
The ability to change ISO on digital cameras provides the
professional (and amateur, if he knows enough about technology)
photographer opportunity to create quality images virtually
anywhere and anytime.
In a nutshell, ISO technology replaced the old ASA on cameras
requiring film. With our older models, we had to change film
with different ASA if we wanted a different speed of film. Now,
our digital cameras allow us to change ISO on a settings menu
with a turn of the dial. No change of film is required, and
images are saved on the memory card regardless of ISO setting.
Digital cameras use image sensors instead of film, and ISO
(International Standards Organization) simply denotes how
sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present. If
the ISO is set at a high level, for example, the image sensors
are more sensitive and pictures can be taken in relatively
little light. On the other hand, lower ISO settings are used
when more light is available.
Most digital cameras today have an 'ISO Auto' mode, which simply
put, means the camera will select a higher or lower ISO,
depending on available light. For the amateur's needs for ease
of use and quality pictures, the auto mode works well most if
not all the time. However the professional photographer will
need to learn to manually select ISO for quality pictures.
If you are not depending on 'ISO Auto' mode, the light meter on
the camera tells you when you need to change the ISO. If there
is not enough light for good exposure, you have a choice of
either using the flash mode or changing the ISO. Using flash may
be the best choice for good exposure. On the other hand, if you
are in a museum or facility that does not allow flash
photography, you always have the option of selecting the next
higher ISO setting and a faster shutter speed. Adjusting ISO
usually requires an adjustment in shutter speed and aperture.
If you have more light than you need and are in danger of
bleaching out the photo, lowering the ISO will lower the image
sensors and exposure is more likely to result in good quality.
Again, depending upon what you want to capture in the photo, you
may also need to adjust shutter speed and f-stop (aperture).
Our message in this discussion is that understanding ISO and
developing the ability to adjust it depending upon the scene
you're shooting is another valuable tool in your camera bag.
Appropriately adjusting ISO to circumstances of light equals
good quality pictures.
About the author:
Commercial, Advertising & Lifestyle Photography are part of Mandarich Photography which is a division of Mandarich Media
Group
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