Copied from another thread of mine on the photography board (Canon camera)
- I bought the Canon 28-135 IS and am very happy with it.
- Interestingly enough, I didn't have a
tripod with me last month - so I experimented with the ISO setting - 1600 - for fireworks. You can still capture better-than-rudimentary images without a tripod (should you not want to carry one around) - each of these pictures were
all "handheld, no flash" (available light):
Wishes
ISO = 100
Notes: This was was "lucky" in that the number of exploding fireworks provided sufficient light for the lense to close before hand-held-shake (blur) set in. I rather like the silhouette castle - but it wasn't deliberate.
Illuminations
ISO = 100
Notes: The picture is a little blurry from hand-shake, but it will enlarge just like this to 16 X 20
Spectromagic
ISO = 1600
Notes: This picture has a crisper image (no blur-shake), but may appear grainy if enlarged (depending on how large)
Adventurers Club
ISO = 1600
Notes: Usually human movement in low light (without a flash) results in "targeted blur" - that is, the non-moving parts are lit correctly, but the moving parts are blurred - like my Chernabog (see SpectroMagic Thread on this board). Not so with ISO - 1600. I don't think I could have gotten this picture any other way without a flash - and I don't like flashing into performer's eyes, as it can be unsafe for them.
Girl posing for Silouhette
ISO = 400
With a crop for the face
ISO = 400
Notes: I was going for soft light here; image could have been lighter - less yellow, sharper edges - with ISO = 1600)
Grand Floridian at Sunset
ISO = 400
Looks like Mouse bait
ISO = 400
In summary:
- experimenting with ISO was fun and paid off for me. I suggest you take the same picture with ISO 100, 800 and 1600 and compare results. With a few iterations, you'll be able to predict what you will like in a given photo circumstance.
- experimenting with digital is FREE - because you delete the experiments that don't work. I know you already know that, but I have to keep reminding
myself in my first year of digital - it's almost like an internal pep talk = "It's OK to take more than one picture. You're allowed to delete the ones that don't work." Old habits die hard...
- If, when you review a picture, the subject is dark, you have at least two options - use the flight to temporarily brighten it - or increase the ISO to give the camera's computer chip the option simulate fast film.
- In order to set the ISO, you need you need to be in the programming zone on the dial - I just used "P" - the first option "above" the auto-zone (green square). This will also prevent the camera from automatically discharging the flash on your behalf.
- Little booklet that comes with camera is accurate and portable
- As with any other new skills (brain-groove), it will be more fun to experiment when not under duress.
- Here is a link to as simple - yet complete - an explanation as an amatuer is likely to digest:
Understanding ISO
(i.e. sharing your settings).
