Lens Quality and High ISO Noise?

c18913 · February 12, 2006

OK, another one of my painfully beginner-ish questions. Is there any relationship between the quality of a lens (say a Canon L lens) and the amount of noise at a high ISO (say 3200)?

Or is noise independant of the lens used?

I'm pondering a 24-105 L, but I do a lot of indoors shooting and I'm worried that the f4 won't be wide enough. I've been spoiled by my 50/1.4!!!

Thanks so much. I'm learning so much from you all, I hope someday I can "give" some information back to someone.

--Christy
(snowbound in PA)

Andy · February 12, 2006

c18913 wrote:

--Christy
(snowbound in PA)

The 24-105 is EXCEPTIONAL. I reviewed it here;

http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1161613

and here is the very lens at ISO 3200, in the Great Nikon vs. Canon Debate:

http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1134620

100pct crops:
http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/53071704-L.jpg
http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/53071718-L.jpg

Remember, these are ISO 3200!

MrBook2 · February 12, 2006

c18913 wrote:

OK, another one of my painfully beginner-ish questions. Is there any relationship between the quality of a lens (say a Canon L lens) and the amount of noise at a high ISO (say 3200)?

Or is noise independant of the lens used?

I'm pondering a 24-105 L, but I do a lot of indoors shooting and I'm worried that the f4 won't be wide enough. I've been spoiled by my 50/1.4!!!

Thanks so much. I'm learning so much from you all, I hope someday I can "give" some information back to someone.

--Christy
(snowbound in PA)

The noise should be independent of the lens used. Digital camera noise at high ISO is inherent to the sensor used. Basically, when you use high ISO, you are increasing the gain on the sensor. That is to say, you are taking the relatively weak signal (since the light is dim) and you are amplifying it. When you do this, any electrical noise in the system is also amplified. When you take pictures in bright light, the signal is so strong that it completely overwhelms the noise, and you don't see it.

The lens you use should not really affect the noise, sort of. The quality of the glass won't directly affect the noise, but if it is a "fast" lens (that is to say a small f number) you may be able to shoot at lower ISO. So, if you have a (hypothetical) 200mm f1.0, you will be able to shoot at a much lower ISO than if you had a 200mm f5.6. A faster lens lets in more light and will let you shoot eithor faster shutter speeds at the same ISO, or lower ISO at the same shutter speed as a slower lens.

Hope this helps and wasn't too confusing!

--Aaron

EDIT: Andy, is this an IS lens? (I don't really know Canon lenses...) If the lens has image stabilization, you can also keep the ISO lower because you can handhold a slower shutter speed than you would be able to otherwise. This also helps keep the noise down. If you are really concerned about noise (and most of us are *too* concerned with it) you always want to shoot the lowest ISO you can and still get the picture. This means fast IS lenses and slower shutter speeds.

Andy · February 12, 2006

MrBook2 wrote:

The noise should be independent of the lens used. Digital camera noise at high ISO is inherent to the sensor used. Basically, when you use high ISO, you are increasing the gain on the sensor. That is to say, you are taking the relatively weak signal (since the light is dim) and you are amplifying it. When you do this, any electrical noise in the system is also amplified. When you take pictures in bright light, the signal is so strong that it completely overwhelms the noise, and you don't see it.

The lens you use should not really affect the noise, sort of. The quality of the glass won't directly affect the noise, but if it is a "fast" lens (that is to say a small f number) you may be able to shoot at lower ISO. So, if you have a (hypothetical) 200mm f1.0, you will be able to shoot at a much lower ISO than if you had a 200mm f5.6. A faster lens lets in more light and will let you shoot eithor faster shutter speeds at the same ISO, or lower ISO at the same shutter speed as a slower lens.

Hope this helps and wasn't too confusing!

--Aaron

EDIT: Andy, is this an IS lens?

Yes, 1/50th sec @ f/4. Sure, I go to 1/2 second handheld sometimes with IS

Exif:

http://dgrin.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=53163544

MrBook2 · February 12, 2006

Also, there is a pretty good discussion of digital camera noise here:

http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_noise.html

--Aaron

PS I am hoping to get the Nikon 18-200 VR lens soon. I look forward to my first real IS/VR experience!

Lens Quality and High ISO Noise?

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