Epanding ISO on a Canon EOS 40D

Trapshooter

Ok, here is another question for you. According to Canon's website I should be able to expand my ISO from 1600 to 3200.

From the website "ISO Speed Range Equivalent to ISO 100-1600* (in 1/3-stop or whole stop increments), ISO speed can be expanded to ISO 3200"

How does one do this? I would like to be able to go to 3200 for indoor sports shots but can not figure it out. So, I am asking one of you Guru's for a little help, OK a lot of help.

Thanks,
Trapshooter

Richard

Check your manual under custom function settings (I forget which one) for expanded ISO. When you turn it on, you will see an option for H, meaning high when setting ISO. They don't actually claim it's fully calibrated as ISO 3200, but that's how you set the volume to 11.

pathfinder

If you shoot in RAW......You can get the same thing, by shooting ISO 1600, and under exposing one stop by using -1 stop Exposure compensation..and then push 1 stop positive in the Exposure slider.

It won't look real pretty though, as the noise will be significant.

Richard

Right. This was a point that took me a while to grok when I was a n00b. It seemed counter-intuitive to use negative compensation when there was little light, but the issue really is keeping the shutter fast enough so that you don't get blur.

I generally boost ISO rather than use negative EC. Any thoughts Jim on whether the noise is easier to control with one method as opposed to the other? I've never actually done a direct comparison test.

NeilL

I think on the 40D exp comp is not available in M (logical! but restricting).

I find that the 40D is good re noise up to ISO 800. Beyond that NR treatment is usually needed, and the better the better. If you are going up into the stratosphere of ISO for the 40D (never been there myself) obviously you will have to try harder to get optimal exposure, but also be prepared for a more complex post proc. I highly recommend NoiseNinja standalone (or the registered version incorporated into Bibble 5.2 Pro - a very, very excellent converter editor). NN is just too wonderful and so tweakable. With an excellent exposure, Bibble and NN you would probably be able to pull something outa sight outa ISO space for the 40D. It will certainly be on your side.

Let's know!

Neil

hnjngo

To expand the iso you go:
Menu - Settings (Second to the right) - Exposure - Scroll till you get to "ISO expansion, set to on.

This will give you 3200 iso, it wont say 3200 but it will say "H" after 1600 iso.
it'll say 3200 in your meta-data.

You'll for sure need in camera noise reduction... actually you should have it on most of the time, even 1600 looks like crap without it.

Go Menu - Image - Scroll till "High iso noise reduction" turn on.

hope it helps

NeilL

hnjngo wrote: »

To expand the iso you go:
Menu - Settings (Second to the right) - Exposure - Scroll till you get to "ISO expansion, set to on.

This will give you 3200 iso, it wont say 3200 but it will say "H" after 1600 iso.
it'll say 3200 in your meta-data.

You'll for sure need in camera noise reduction... actually you should have it on most of the time, even 1600 looks like crap without it.

Go Menu - Image - Scroll till "High iso noise reduction" turn on.

hope it helps

I can't agree with you about using in camera NR. I don't think it gives the best quality, you have no control over it, and it slows your shooting.

Neil

pathfinder

I disagree with the statement about noise in 40D shots without in camera noise reduction.

I have dozens of images shot with a 40D at ISO 1600, without in camera noise reduction, and they make lovely 10x15 in prints that are grainless. As long as you do not under expose the image at ISO 1600, the 40D will give you very lovely files. Noiser than an 5DMKii at the pixel level, but at the print level insignificant.

If I need noise reduction after Raw Conversion on a file from a 40D at ISO 1600 , I would wash the file in NoiseWare - most of my 40D frames were processed in CS4 or earlier, and hence the noise reduction in the Raw Converter was not nearly as good as that in available today in LR3/ACR6.

This is one of those noisy 40D files shot at ISO 1600 three years ago - hence prior to LR3, note the extensive noise in the image.........................?!



I do agree that ISO 3200 is too high on the 40D for optimal files, the noise will be excessive. For ISO 3200 try a 5DMkII, or a 1DMK4, they will give reasonable files up there. Even some 7D files aren't too bad with a bit of treatment in Raw conversion.

pathfinder

Richard wrote: »

Right. This was a point that took me a while to grok when I was a n00b. It seemed counter-intuitive to use negative compensation when there was little light, but the issue really is keeping the shutter fast enough so that you don't get blur.

I generally boost ISO rather than use negative EC. Any thoughts Jim on whether the noise is easier to control with one method as opposed to the other? I've never actually done a direct comparison test.

Richard, I have never really compared them, but my understanding is that there is no difference as long as you are shooting RAW and under exposing one stop and then pushing one stop in Raw conversion, or just dialing in one stop in the ISO itself.

The real trick is to expose to the right what ever the ISO, and avoid under exposure; that is where the noise demons live.