A to Z Challenge: I is for ISO
Welcome to today’s post for the great Blogging A to Z Challenge!
Today is I is for ISO.
If you’re interested, there is a LOT of information our there on ISO (unlike some of my other topics). Just Google ISO (and add “photography”) and you will find tons of good articles.
ISO stands for International Standards Organization (go figure – I never would have guessed that), and the ISO “determines the sensitivity of the sensor in your camera which, in turn, affects the exposure of your photos.” (http://expertphotography.com/understand-iso-4-simple-steps/)
According to http://digital-photography-school.com/iso-settings/, “In Digital Photography ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. The same principles apply as in film photography – the lower the number the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain.” So, you want a high ISO when it’s darker (less light), and a low ISO when it’s bright.
The ISO numbers range from 100 to 3200 (generally), doubling in increments as they go up. So, you can set your ISO to 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and sometimes higher. And, in general, the lower the number, the better the quality of the photo (http://expertphotography.com/understand-iso-4-simple-steps/) – the higher the number, the more noise (remember G for Grain?) you will get.
So, I have some examples of pictures I took on our trip to Point no Point with different ISO levels. Of course, you also need to think about aperture and shutter speed when you take pictures, not just ISO. If you use Auto modes, you don’t have to think about any of it, but where’s the fun in that?? 🙂
PAIR 1
ISO 1600
ISO 200
PAIR 2
ISO800
ISO100
PAIR 3
ISO 1600
ISO 400 (and blurry, yes, I know…)
PAIR 4
ISO 1600
ISO 200
Posted on April 11, 2016, in A to Z Challenge and tagged A to Z Challenge. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
Good representation of the difference in ISO. And I agree, auto mode is so boring. Lay with those features people! The results will stun you! 😃
Thanks! I will keep practicing 🙂
I liked them. 😃
This was very informative on ISO.
GOOD TO KNOW the ISO NUmbers
@dixita011 from
Cafenined words
Thanks – I have played with it a lot in the past, but never really knew myself what it was all about.
Very informative! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
I loved the comparison photos! So much more helpful than reading about it ☺ I’m just about able to understand ISO, hopefully I’ll get there with the other 2 too lol. I don’t know why but my brain just refuses to absorb this information!
Andrea from Music & Words blog
Volunteer in Damyanti’s D Company #atozchallenge
I am ok for a bit, then the jargon clogs my brain. I just want to take pretty pictures! 🙂
Lol so true! I don’t quite possess the patience to play around with many settings 🙈
OHHH! Okay, this is starting to make some sense now! Low ISO for low light. 🙂
Oh no! I explained bad. High ISO for low light, low ISO for bright light…
No, I’m sure you explained it just fine! I was trying to figure out a way to remember them, like word association kind of stuff, and clearly messed it up, lol. Nothing unusual in that!