ISO...How Far

[Stangman98]

I'm really surprised at all the trepidation towards high ISO settings. I can't even count the number of great shots would otherwise be colored smears had I topped out at 800. With CS-6 and LR-4, noise isn't much of an issue any longer. Besides, isn't this why we pay big bucks for our cameras?

My buddy asked me to shoot his band last month at a club downtown using only ambient light. And while I won't be able to make a giant poster with them, they're still viable images.

D7000; 85mm; f-1.8; ISO-6400

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While I like the photos...viable photos are not an option for me. I need photos that will go up to 11x17' and larger. Big night track photos sell

You just illustrated my whole point perfectly! I rest my case!

I think you and I disagree Jack

 

[Dave_W]

While I like the photos...viable photos are not an option for me. I need photos that will go up to 11x17' and larger. Big night track photos sell

While I understand the desire to achieve the lowest possible ISO how do you get around the lack of ambient light? I mean, there are times in which you cannot use a flash and the light is the light, so you leave the shutter open and risk a smeary photo or you crank the ISO up and deal with the noise or you walk away and let the moment slip by. Maybe I'm getting old but I hate to see a great moment dissipate into thin air.

 

[Stangman98]

While I understand the desire to achieve the lowest possible ISO how do you get around the lack of ambient light? I mean, there are times in which you cannot use a flash and the light is the light, so you leave the shutter open and risk a smeary photo or you crank the ISO up and deal with the noise or you walk away and let the moment slip by. Maybe I'm getting old but I hate to see a great moment dissipate into thin air.

I understand completely. There are times that I have had to walk away because of the light and I hate doing that

 

[kanteen]

my brother's D3s ISO 3200 is better than my D200 iso 800 - people with camera that have High iso very lucky

 

[Geoffc]

I'm really surprised at all the trepidation towards high ISO settings. I can't even count the number of great shots would otherwise be colored smears had I topped out at 800. With CS-6 and LR-4, noise isn't much of an issue any longer.

I read this the other day and today I tried an ISO 1600 photo that I took recently that I thought was fit for deletion. I ran it through a recently acquired version CS5 and used the RAW settings to remove the awful noise. After that and a bit of lightening and sharpening I had a nice picture. This will now alter where I'm prepared to go with ISO. Previously 800 was my limit but I might see what 3200 looks like after processing.

Thanks for the prompt.

 

[Pierro]

I dont really shoot at 3200 , mainly 1600 if needed - birds in flight and such for real fast SS, but i shot a 3200 just for the hell of it and the D300 handled it brilliantly.

Much less noise than ISO 800 on the D2x