What is ISO?

This is probably the dumbest question but what is it? On my camera i can change it between 100 - 3200 but i dont really see the difference when i change it?
 
It's how sensitive your sensor is to light.

Try it at night and you'll notice the difference.

The disadvantage to having a high ISO is that the higher it is, the more noise you'll get in ur image.

Try to stay under 800.
 
So for eg, the its dark and you have ur lens wide open (or need it to be at f8 for sufficient depth of field, and your shutter is set to 1/50 or 1/60, how are you going to expose properly if you cant change the shutter and aperture anymore and you dont have other light available. You raise the ISO but at the cost of getting more noise in your picture.
 
Alright ill probably just keep it on auto for now lol Or would that be a big mistake?

You pretty much dont want anything on auto on DSLR, especially when using it for video purposes.

Get the exposure you want through eyeing it, using automatic modes and then inputting that data in manual or using a light meter... However, you get your exposure info, feed that into manual mode and then shoot.

Btw, i think for you to manipulate your settings to get the same exposure you desire AND the look you want, it might be helpful to learn about stops.

For example, you know youll have the exposure you want by having ur camera 1/60, f8 ISO 200. But say u cant change the shutter speed bc u want the film look but do want a shallower dof and want to open ur lens to f5.6. Can you automatically, tell how much less light you'll need on set or how much to raise ur ISO to get the same exposure as before?
 
Hate to hijack this thread, but are gain and iso the same thing??

If you get into a lot of technical differences between film and digital and ISO and gain and ASA, there are some nuances there.

But they are essentially the same thing. Raising the iso or gain, can raise your exposure but both come at the cost of having more noise in ur image.
 
You pretty much dont want anything on auto on DSLR, especially when using it for video purposes.

This. On any camera. Auto settings will change as the camera evaluates the scene. Impossible to maintain consistent images with auto settings.

There are extremely rare exceptions I suppose, but as a general rule, manual everything.
 
In the film days it was how big the light receptive particles on the film were. The bigger they are, the more light they capture, but the bigger they are, the more visible they are. This was "grain" and can be aesthetically pleasing. The term was ported over to DSLR to be used for what is really "gain".
 
-redacted-

If you get into a lot of technical differences between film and digital and ISO and gain and ASA, there are some nuances there.

But they are essentially the same thing. Raising the iso or gain, can raise your exposure but both come at the cost of having more noise in ur image.

Oh go ahead. Be pedantic. Otherwise u just have lazy ppl like me who give just enuf info as needed and cant be bothered to teach any further.

:lol::)
 
Oh go ahead. Be pedantic. Otherwise u just have lazy ppl like me who give just enuf info as needed and cant be bothered to teach any further.

:lol::)

Okay fine. :P Sorry Gonzo.

In the film days it was how big the light receptive particles on the film were. The bigger they are, the more light they capture, but the bigger they are, the more visible they are. This was "grain" and can be aesthetically pleasing. The term was ported over to DSLR to be used for what is really "gain".

Gain is just the boost in the electrical signal post sensor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gain

When people talk about "grain" in a dslr image, they are referring to noise, a byproduct of gain.

Again, sorry man. It's Earnest's fault. :D

Can't speak to the differences in ASA and ISO. That's above my pay grade. :lol:
 
Can't speak to the differences in ASA and ISO. That's above my pay grade. :lol:

:lol:

Anyway, just for the benefit of anyone who doesnt know:

ISO and ASA are basically different names for the same thing, as far as i know.

ASA came first and was used for film speed and then ISO took over.

The only difference you'll find is that people filming using actual film may use the term ASA and digital users will be using the term ISO.
 
A simple way to think of ISO is as a gain knob on a guitar amp, except for light. Turn up the gain and the amp gets louder, but also more distorted. The difference is that in film, you always want volume, but never distortion.
 
So just basicly the lowwer the better. If i can film on 100 and the lighting looks good go for it!

On a 5D (not sure about other Canon) the multiples of 160 are "native". 160 actually is cleaner than 100. Some claim that 640 is actually the cleanest ISO.

In addition, you don't want to go above 640 unless you have to, you don't want to go above 1250 under ANY circumstances.
 
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