Skyegospel wrote:.

Sorry for posting this - I tried searching for an answer as I guessit has been asked many times but the search function wasn't working..

With ISO settings, is it as simple as this: Always use the lowestnumber ISO that you can? Or is there wany reasons that I should everuse a higher ISO if I have the option?.

Well, as a general rule - yes, always use the lowest ISO available. You will get the lowest amount of noise, best details etc....

BUT - sometimes you may want effects, that can force you to up your ISO - or the situation simply requires it. Always pay close attention to your shutter times; I far rather want a bit of noise in an ISO 800 photo, than a shaky og blurred subject..

Just trying to understand this (for example, nice sunny day, any ISOwill let me shoot at a high enough shutter speed - do I ALWAYS go tolowest (ISO 100 for me)?.

Yes..

And no, the question isn't that stupid - fx. if you shoot JPEG with a Konica Minolta dSLR, the ISO 200 is actually less noisy than the ISO 100.  Kind of a surprise... .

Http://www.fotostart.dk << tutorials, guides etc...

All compact digital cameras will deliver a better picture at the lower ISO settings..

Mine is set at 100 ISO, come rain or shine, because that is the setting at which I get the best quality..

Higher ISO settings create what is called digital noise, kind of like the grain which was either the friend or foe with film..

If you really need to get that shot at a party, you may have to let the camera use it's higher ISO settings and accept a low quality picture but if you shoot outside, you will always be better off with the lower ISO settings..

Even for night shots, use of a tripod or support on a wall or so, combined with slow shutter speed, will yield a better picture than a higher ISO with image stabilization...

An example of preferring high ISO is a shot of a fountain when you want the water to look streaky & out of focus to give the feeling of motion. High ISO will allow you to use a longer exposure time..

Such occasions are rare...

Dave Martin wrote:.

An example of preferring high ISO is a shot of a fountain when youwant the water to look streaky & out of focus to give the feeling ofmotion. High ISO will allow you to use a longer exposure time..

Such occasions are rare..

I think you have that the wrong way round. You will want a long exposure time and thus can probably use a low ISO. However if you wanted good depth of field for series of waterfalls in shade you may have to up the ISO to use say f8 or f11 at 1/25th..

Another rare example of using a higher ISO - the Nikon D80 has marginally better highlight dynamic range at ISO 200 than 100. Since that is also the lowest speed for my D50 I tend to leave them both on ISO 200. The noise difference is unnoticeable for ordinary shots and it might just save a highlight that might otherwise be blown..

Chris Elliott.

*Nikon* D Eighty + Fifty - Other equipment in Profile.

Http://PlacidoD.Zenfolio.com/..

It usually is best to stick with the lowest ISO number. That is the number at which the sensor operates without amplification. It should have the lowest noise and highest photo quality at that number. However, lights get dim and one still wants to take a picture. Going from ISO 100 to ISO 200 is like going from F 5.6 to F4, or 1/100 second to a 1/50 exposure. Each of these things lets in twice the amount of light (one stop).

This was taken at ISO 3200 because of the low light and to get a grainy film look..

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Have fun and play with the settings. Once you get a better idea of what your camera will do, you will do better...

Oh man, you are so correct. I'm a dunce...

Many thanks to you all for your very helpful advice - that's why I love these forums so much!.

I am going to get a lot of time to experiment with settings and so on now - I had previously been borrowing my Mum's 300d on and off but never seemed to find time to play around properly while I had it, but my 400d is slowly making it's way to me in the mail! Growing excitement (though according to online tracking it has now spent 2 days sitting hundreds of miles away marked as 'not due for delivery' which is a little worrying!).

Thanks again...