D90 low iso settings

Hi .. I have just upgraded from a D3100 to a D90 on my D3100 I would use iso 100. mainly shooting landscapes at sunrise and sunset. on the D90 I have iso 200 and then the iso low options, should I just shoot at 200 or use the iso low function? Im after good saturation and no grain
thanks in advance

Re: D 90 low iso settings

I would stick to the default of iso 200 in most cases. But we should let some current D90 users weigh in.

Re: D 90 low iso settings

I came from the 3100 as well, to the d300 and it has the same thing. According to my sources (the D300 guide) it is best not to go to L mode as it will introduce noise.
Don't ask me how, it just does.

Re: D 90 low iso settings

Lo ISO does not add noise, in fact the opposite, but it loses contrast.

High ISO shifts the data up, and the noise comes up with it, more visible.

Low ISO (lower than the base ISO) shifts the data down, and the noise goes lower, but so do the high values. The histogram shown to us is adjusted, but LO 1 loses half the dynamic range (contrast). Probably the opposite of what you want at sunrise and sunset.

Manuals for models later than D90 say:

D300:
LO 0.3–LO 1
The settings [LO 0.3] through [LO 1] correspond to ISO sensitivities 0.3–
1 EV below ISO 200 (ISO 160–100 equivalent). Use for larger apertures
when lighting is bright. Contrast is slightly lower than normal; in most
cases, ISO sensitivities of ISO 200 or above are recommended. (this one is a ISO 200 camera model)

Re: D 90 low iso settings

Lo ISO does not add noise, in fact the opposite, but it loses contrast.

Ok that makes more sense. I knew it did something.

Re: D 90 low iso settings

I used the lowest ISO setting possible for some ferris wheel photos a couple of years ago although the info doesn't show up in my EXIF data. For this type of photo, it didn't bother me. I never tried it for any other type of photo with my D90.

Last year I used my D600 for some waterfalls shots, and since I didn't have an ND filter to slow down my shutter speed, I opted to use the lowest ISO on that camera which was equal to ISO 50. No problems with it there either although I never used it regularly on either camera. It was just for these two special occasions.

Lowest ISO possible on D90 (equivalent to ISO 100):


2012 Ferris Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr

Re: D 90 low iso settings

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ISO 200, particularly in lower level sunrise/sunset situations.

I use ISO 200 almost all the time...

pedroj said:

I use ISO 200 almost all the time...

Click to expand...

I get adventurous sometimes, and bump it up to 800.:courage: