The so-called "native" ISO of Nikon cameras

DW_

Senior Member
I love reading books on photography and in my readings I keep coming across this notion of a "native" ISO. I believe in the past Nikon's native (or lowest?) ISO was 200, while Cannon's native ISO was 100. This seems to have changed now as all the newer Nikon's are ISO 100. However, it almost seems that my D7000 photos at ISO 200 have been color profile and clarity than when I'm shooting in ISO 100. I have a feeling this may simply be psychosomatic on my part but there does seem to be something slightly different between the two settings. Has anyone else noticed better looking photos at 200 vs. 100? Or it this all in my mind?
 

fotojack

Senior Member
It's all in your mind. :)

My D200 has a native ISO of 100, and there are times I wish it had ISO 50. My D40 has a native ISO of 200, and I have no complaints with it. It's sensor is newer than the D200, too.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
Since you would gain a higher shutter speed at ISO200 as opposed to 100, the difference in your shots could be a reduction of camera shake. The sharper image naturally looks better. Just a thought.
 

Eye-level

Banned
ISO doesn't matter until you are metering something!

Native ISO is just the sweet spot rating of your sensor probably based upon sunlight sunny 16...
 
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Eye-level

Banned
Your thoughts may have some merit DW...we've all heard of and seen the great high ISO lowlight performance of the D7000...perhaps the engineers sacrificed some of the low ISO quality in order to gain on the other end...
 

DW_

Senior Member
Your thoughts may have some merit DW...we've all heard of and seen the great high ISO lowlight performance of the D7000...perhaps the engineers sacrificed some of the low ISO quality in order to gain on the other end...
That's sorta what I was thinking. I'm sure the pressure was on for them to get an ISO = 100 but they kept the sweet spot of 200 buried in the mix. But then again, maybe it's like Spinal Tap's amp that goes to 11, maybe ISO numbers are meaningful only relative to each other and not from body to body?.....or not. :rolleyes:
 

Eye-level

Banned
Well if I put a 50 1.8E on my F2 and a 50 1.8 on my FE and load them both with the same Kodak 200 gold and set them both at the same aperture and same shutter speed guess what? I'll get the same exact photograph...identical...Now suppose I take my D5000 with a 50 1.8 E and your D7000 with a 50 1.8 E and set them at the same aperture and same shutter speed and ISO 200 guess what? I would wager you see a slightly different photograph...(but maybe not...at least to the naked eye ;) )...bodies don't matter sensor design does...native ISO is a very important deal!
 
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DW_

Senior Member
I love the internet and the bulk of the people who make it what it is today. I wrote Bill Cliff and asked some questions about his charts and the subject of native ISO, below is his reply.----

Dave,

The ISO listed on the Sensor Characteristics Chart is confusing and I have been meaning to change how that is reported.
That value has more to do with metering and is used to help compute Quantum Efficiency (provide Gain is also known). The [email protected] value is the highest ISO that you can use and still achieve a PDR of at least 6.5
This is a little like DxOMark "Sports ISO"
PDR stands for "Photographic Dynamic Range"'

You can read about it at my site. A good place to start is here:

http://home.comcast.net/~NikonD70/GeneralTopics/Sensors_&_Raw/Sensor_Analysis_Primer/Engineering_and_Photographic_Dynamic_Range.htm

PDR is quite similar to DxOMark "Landscape Dynamic Range"
As for "native" ISO, I define that as the highest ISO that corresponds to the lowest gain (or read noise) for the sensor.In the case of the D7000 it is ISO 100. It's not always the lowest numbered ISO.

For example is is ISO 160 for the D300

Read Noise in ADUs versus ISO


Regards,

Bill
P.S. - You might find playing with the interactive charts interesting.
 

batongblomma

New member
if the native ISO is 100 then its also 200, 400.
that it is native means it does not need to recalculate the image to capture it.

if the native iso 200 t would also be 400 (& maybe 800 depending of the camera nad the sensor) but not 100.
same goes that if the native iso is 160 it will also be 320 & 640. but not for instance 100 or 200.

for photo you generally does not notice this too much. its more with video you might have problems with loss due to bitrate.

hope it was helpful
 
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