Auto-ISO?

babowc · October 9, 2012

Who here uses the AUTO-ISO on your full-frame camera?
I've been toying with the idea of using auto-ISO, but how reliable is it?

The fact that the new(er)-affordable cameras have excellent high-iso capabilities, D600/700/800, 5D2/3 etc., is it worth while using the auto-iso? I haven't seen any mentions of it on the boards, is why I ask:dunno:D

divamum · October 9, 2012

Fabulous on the 7d.
Supposed to be even MORE fabulous on the 5dIII
Am not impressed with it on the 5dII - I gather that when shooting manual you are limited to 400, which is kind of a waste of time really.

Not sure about the Nikon offerings.

Art Scott · October 9, 2012

I'll allow a camera to pick a shutter speed or an aperture...but not my ISO....that is getting to
close to shooting in program....not for me.....Have I done it...ues, hated the results.

babowc · October 9, 2012

Hmm.. I've checked my D800 and it allows upto ISO 6400 even in manual mode, which I intended on using the AUTO-ISO with..

divamum · October 9, 2012

Art Scott wrote: »

I'll allow a camera to pick a shutter speed or an aperture...but not my ISO....that is getting to
close to shooting in program....not for me.....Have I done it...ues, hated the results.

Actually, it's da bomb if you need specific aperture and shutter speeds for other reasons (ie you want to blur out a background AND catch frozen motion). It's also fantastic if you're in rapidly changing lighting but need those shutter/ap parameters to stay constant.

I can see I won't be using it on the 5dII, but I love it on the 7d!! My only complaint - which hopefully Canon will address for future bodies - is that there's no exposure comp to override it easily; you'd have to change something else to do that.

Also, I do NOT like it when shooting with a flash - takes too much control away.

JimKarczewski · October 10, 2012

I don't like it on my 1Dx. I tried it and I can't find a way to do exposure compensation. So say I set my camera for a typical night football game, 1/1000 @ F4 (w/tele extender.) Camera bounces around but the white uniforms are overexposed, but yet I can't use the exposure compensation because that dial controls the aperture. Unless I'm missing something in the menus, I don't like it, at least for sports....

David_S85 · October 10, 2012

I've got it set up om my 5D3 but have only tested it. I can see it being useful in certain circumstances. I like how I can limit the ISO range to avoid ISO overrun.

rwells · October 10, 2012

I use a Nikon D3s currently, used Canon in the past (35+ years).

I don't like Canon's implementation of the Auto ISO, on the 7D or 5DII bodies. I have no clue as to their newer offerings. As stated, in manual your stuck with ISO 400 if I remember correctly. They also use the matrix of adjusting ISO based on your aperture to 1/125 of the lens in use. This works OK for wide angle lenses, but not so much for longer glass. The 135 f/2 in particular for me, and I'm pretty steady.

My D3s on the other hand lets you set your Max ISO AND lowest shutter speed!
This works great for me when shooting in a very dynamic environment where I need all my concentration on the action and/or composition when shooting quickly, or when the scene EV changes dramatically. With the D3s, for most images I don't worry even up the the native ISO of 12,800. I will limit the Max ISO as needed depending on what I'm shooting and what the images are destined for.

I see that you have a D800 that I'm guessing allows the same. Just decide what your Max ISO that your comfortable with for the particular shots that your taking, then set the minimum shutter speed and off you go!

I use it a lot, but not all the time. Like anything else, I use it when it's advantageous for me.

Oh, BTW... I would highly recommend that you NOT use Auto ISO when using flash, even for my D3s. Just too many variables and you'll constantly be chasing your tail.

Hope that helps!

Shoot a lot,
Have Fun!

Zerodog · October 10, 2012

To me ISO is one of the most important variables. Why would i let the camera decide? For me I know my the depth of field I need, I know the shutter speed range I need for a set of photos, and then I need an ISO to makes that happen. It is that easy. There is no reason to use it. At least for me. The majority of my photography is event based. I shoot 1000's of pics at an event. The goal is to display pictures straight from the camera at the event on our displays and to upload them to our site as fast as possible. All of this means very little post processing. And whatever PP needs to be done can be done in huge batches. I find will every camera I have ever owned auto anything leads to some varied exposures. Not that that is bad or unfixable. I just want consistency from shot to shot. For me full manual is the only way to achieve this consistency. There are times that this can't happen as planned. Some places have shifting light. Some days clouds can be hell. These times, I might shoot aperture priority. Getting the depth of field I want, with the noise level I want, and having the shutter speed fall in some usable realm.

Matthew Saville · October 10, 2012

If you ask me, this whole question is a work-around to something that camera makers should have addressed LONG ago: Let me assign ISO to a command dial directly!

I bet that many of you who are considering auto-ISO are doing so because you shoot in fast-changing conditions, conditions where your shutter speed and aperture are already at the edge of the envelope. Heck, I'll sometimes shoot an entire theater / stage performance without touching my aperture ONCE. Just wide open on my f/2.8 zooms for 2-3 thousand images in a row. And yet I'd LOVE the ability to change my ISO without having to hit a button first. On a Canon it's not so bad, since you can get it with your right hand relatively easily, but on a Nikon it's a bit tougher because you gotta find a button with your left hand.

So there's no way I could trust auto exposure in such an extremely dynamic situation such as stage, (pitch-black background, intense spotlight on subject) ...not unless I put all my eggs in one basket and used spot metering VERY carefully. (Which I have done, on occasion, since I shoot Nikon and have spot metering linked to my focus points...)

Anyways, my point is that while auto-ISO can be useful sometimes, it isn't nearly as useful as simply being able to control my ISO full-time would be. It'd be a dream to be able to switch to a menu bank or something where my aperture and ISO controls just completely switch, so I could dial my ISO any time I like.

=Matt=

Richard · October 10, 2012

I do a lot of street shooting in which my subjects can be in bright sunlight or deep shadow and conditions change quickly. I had high hopes for auto-ISO when I first got my 50D but ended up disappointed. On that model, you cannot set the minimum shutter speed threshold, which is a problem when things are in motion. I don't know the algorithm the camera uses--it did seem to take focal length into account--but my impression is that at best it's good for static scenes and maybe shooters with a steadier hand than mine. I gather that Nikon has better parameter options, which might give me the control I need, dunno. I've gotten fairly proficient at using the buttons to change ISO quickly without looking at the camera. A dedicated dial would certainly be an improvement, but what I really need is something to remind me to change it back after I use a high ISO on a shot.

jonh68 · October 10, 2012

Until we get a dial to command ISO directly, I will shoot in auto ISO to a point. You still have to pay attention though. When shooting sports at night, I tend to not use it because stray light can cause underexposure. Shooting in the daytime I have it on because you can go from sunlight to shadow within two frames.

If I am in a controlled setting, I will get out of auto ISO. Depends on the situation like the use of any tool.

nak · October 10, 2012

Use it? Often (Canon 5d2). Depend on it? No.

First shot in a new environment is usually ISO Auto just to find out what the camera thinks. Then I over ride to suit.

Indoors available light, handheld, the auto shot is telling me where the edges of the envelope are. I often then go one or two bumps higher ISO to keep a viable shutter speed. I know that I will be shooting wide open or nearly so, and I use the ISO to keep my shutter speed high enough. I don't want the camera to cost me a shutter speed to gain a lower ISO, which it may do when there is a hint more light.

Outdoors with real light, the auto shot is telling me how much quality I can afford (how low I can run the ISO and still shoot).

I used to have the EV equivalent of perfect pitch; I could look at a scene and call out the exposure settings. That was for film. For digital, I ask the camera for advice that I can take or leave as I see fit.

zoomer · October 10, 2012

Auto Iso is great, I always have it on. With Nikon pro bodies....the question is more "why wouldn't you use it". Especially when doing a fast moving portrait shoot or wedding.

Except when using flash...then it doesn't work.

T. Bombadil · October 10, 2012

babowc wrote: »

Who here uses the AUTO-ISO on your full-frame camera?
I've been toying with the idea of using auto-ISO, but how reliable is it?

The fact that the new(er)-affordable cameras have excellent high-iso capabilities, D600/700/800, 5D2/3 etc., is it worth while using the auto-iso? I haven't seen any mentions of it on the boards, is why I askD

Very handy when you want auto exposure with specific objectives. When shooting sports, I use Aperture Priority and set Auto ISO for the slowest shutter speed I'm willing to use. When there is enough light, the ISO will be low and the shutter speed high. As the light fails, shutter speed will not fall below the minimum I set and ISO will rise as necessary (up to optional max).

T. Bombadil · October 10, 2012

Matthew Saville wrote: »

Anyways, my point is that while auto-ISO can be useful sometimes, it isn't nearly as useful as simply being able to control my ISO full-time would be. It'd be a dream to be able to switch to a menu bank or something where my aperture and ISO controls just completely switch, so I could dial my ISO any time I like.

=Matt=

I think you can do that with your Nikon bodies. Custom setting d7 "Show ISO/Easy ISO". But I guess that doesn't help if you want full manual exposure.

MarkR · October 10, 2012

Matthew Saville wrote: »

If you ask me, this whole question is a work-around to something that camera makers should have addressed LONG ago: Let me assign ISO to a command dial directly!

I bet that many of you who are considering auto-ISO are doing so because you shoot in fast-changing conditions, conditions where your shutter speed and aperture are already at the edge of the envelope. Heck, I'll sometimes shoot an entire theater / stage performance without touching my aperture ONCE. Just wide open on my f/2.8 zooms for 2-3 thousand images in a row. And yet I'd LOVE the ability to change my ISO without having to hit a button first. On a Canon it's not so bad, since you can get it with your right hand relatively easily, but on a Nikon it's a bit tougher because you gotta find a button with your left hand.

So there's no way I could trust auto exposure in such an extremely dynamic situation such as stage, (pitch-black background, intense spotlight on subject) ...not unless I put all my eggs in one basket and used spot metering VERY carefully. (Which I have done, on occasion, since I shoot Nikon and have spot metering linked to my focus points...)

Anyways, my point is that while auto-ISO can be useful sometimes, it isn't nearly as useful as simply being able to control my ISO full-time would be. It'd be a dream to be able to switch to a menu bank or something where my aperture and ISO controls just completely switch, so I could dial my ISO any time I like.

=Matt=

Pentax's higher end cameras have what they call Sv on their mode dial, next to Av and Tv. It does what it sounds like, puts you in ISO-priority mode. You can then program one of the other command dials to aperture, shutter, or EV, IIRC.

Yeah, I know. Pentax.

babowc · October 10, 2012

But if you guys do use auto ISO, would you use "matrix, spot, or center weighted" metering?
I assume that would malso ake a big difference in your ISO values?

ziggy53 · October 10, 2012

babowc wrote: »

But if you guys do use auto ISO, would you use "matrix, spot, or center weighted" metering?
I assume that would malso ake a big difference in your ISO values?

Those exposure modes have an impact on overall exposure, which, in Auto-ISO mode, would impact the ISO value chosen. Whether the overall exposure is correct for the scene depends, of course, on the individual scene.

joeinmiami · October 10, 2012

Since the time in which I took a photo of a small landscape and my camera at the time, a D80, decided to set up the ISO to 6200! (this was in daylight, in a bright, clear day) I always set the ISO manually.

My new camera, the D7000, allows me to change the ISO fairly simply, I just press the ISO button in the back of the camera and use the command wheel to set it at the speed I want.

I do tend to keep the ISO to a slow number, 100, 200 or 400, pushing it to over 2000 if I have the need to take a photo in low light with not flash. My D7000 allows me to do this quickly with no problems.

Just my 2 cents (I can not afford more!)

Joe

babowc · October 10, 2012

With the d7000, I hardly find myself going past ISO 1600, because it became so noisy.

Using the correct metering mode would also affect ISO, and I guess that's where it could get a bit more complicated!

I will be testing out the auto-iso, as an assistant/3rd, during a wedding this saturday and post with my findings... I will probably limit one body for available light and another for flash on the hotshoe.

bobpal · October 12, 2012

I use auto ISO all the time on my 1D MkIV for sports. I work on dimly and unevenly lit D3 and community college fields. I set the camera to manual, lens wide open, shutter speed to the slowest the sport can take , auto ISO. I find my exposures to be very consistent and my keeper rate is up because I don't have to deal with frames shot at slower than useable shutter speeds.

rolette · October 13, 2012

JimKarczewski wrote: »

I don't like it on my 1Dx. I tried it and I can't find a way to do exposure compensation. So say I set my camera for a typical night football game, 1/1000 @ F4 (w/tele extender.) Camera bounces around but the white uniforms are overexposed, but yet I can't use the exposure compensation because that dial controls the aperture. Unless I'm missing something in the menus, I don't like it, at least for sports....

Simple work-around that works great for sports: use Av + Auto-ISO + custom function to set min shutter speed.

EC may not work in M + Auto-ISO, but it does in Av + Auto-ISO.

Most of the (quite legitimate) complaining about Canon's implementation of Auto-ISO isn't from folks using 1D4 or 1Dx.

The only drawback to this setup is if you are switching from shooting the game to "environmental" stuff going on around the game where you don't need the high shutter speed. However, as I understand it, on the 1Dx, you have buttons to let you quickly switch to another config (I shoot a 1D4, not the 1Dx).

Jay

JimKarczewski · October 14, 2012

rolette wrote: »

Simple work-around that works great for sports: use Av + Auto-ISO + custom function to set min shutter speed.

EC may not work in M + Auto-ISO, but it does in Av + Auto-ISO.

Most of the (quite legitimate) complaining about Canon's implementation of Auto-ISO isn't from folks using 1D4 or 1Dx.

The only drawback to this setup is if you are switching from shooting the game to "environmental" stuff going on around the game where you don't need the high shutter speed. However, as I understand it, on the 1Dx, you have buttons to let you quickly switch to another config (I shoot a 1D4, not the 1Dx).

Jay

Thx. Honestly I only tried it because I could.

I use straight manual now as the fields now I'm shooting on are consistent enough to do so..

MomaZunk · October 19, 2012

joeinmiami wrote: »

Since the time in which I took a photo of a small landscape and my camera at the time, a D80, decided to set up the ISO to 6200! (this was in daylight, in a bright, clear day) I always set the ISO manually.

My new camera, the D7000, allows me to change the ISO fairly simply, I just press the ISO button in the back of the camera and use the command wheel to set it at the speed I want.

I do tend to keep the ISO to a slow number, 100, 200 or 400, pushing it to over 2000 if I have the need to take a photo in low light with not flash. My D7000 allows me to do this quickly with no problems.

Just my 2 cents (I can not afford more!)

Joe

Same here on the D7000 and the D600.
The command dial option is not available in manual mode though.
I like to have control of the ISO, and tend to shoot in aperture priority except for low light conditions where you want it to look like low light and I shoot in manual.

Art Scott · October 19, 2012

well I am going to try using auto iso tomorrow night... there is an Asian Fest here
and so lots of colorful dragons, dancing, martial arts and a beauty pageant...

See how well it works with a D3

Asmundma · October 20, 2012

One of the most useful feature on a camra
I had it on 7d, moved to 5d mk 2, missed it a lot. Got it again on the 5D mk 3. On Canon is easy to change to manual Iso nearest on the fly. Auto ISO give you the ability to control speed and apreture which is kind of more impotant in low light and if you have to shoot fast. Those who have discovered the benefits are missing out a lot.

T. Bombadil · October 20, 2012

MomaZunk wrote: »

Same here on the D7000 and the D600.
The command dial option is not available in manual mode though.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought control of ISO through a command dial (while holding the ISO button) was standard on all Nikon bodies. It works on mine in any mode (including Manual).

Are you saying (on D600 and 7000) you have to go into the menus to change ISO when in Manual mode? Or are you talking about 'easy ISO' feature?

MomaZunk · October 20, 2012

You can always control the ISO pressing the button on the back button and then rotating the command dial.
The option I was referring to is the "EASY ISO" setting which will allow adjustment with a command dial without having to press the button on the back of the camera. One handed adjustment in otherwords. It works in either shutter or aperture priority.
Sorry for the confusion!

T. Bombadil · October 21, 2012

MomaZunk wrote: »

. . . The option I was referring to is the "EASY ISO" setting which will allow adjustment with a command dial without having to press the button on the back of the camera. One handed adjustment in otherwords. . . .

OK, got it.

Art Scott · October 21, 2012

Well I am not over joyed with auto iso on my D3... the why is simple....it seemed to stay at the max iso no matter the lighting...
that just does not seem correct... but maybe it is... ... I doubt very seriously if I will be using it again...

Auto-ISO?

Comments