No it's not the ISO you use when texting! The ISO you're thinking about stands for International Standards Organization (ISO) which is the group responsible for setting the standards for film speed. Now, will knowing this bit of information help you take better photos? No! It sure won't, but believe me, if I hadn't found out what the acronym meant, that question would have lingered in the back of my mind. So there! We got that out of the way. Now on to the meat and potatoes of how understanding and using ISO translates into great pictures!
In digital photography, ISO measures your camera's sensitivity to light. The camera uses numbers ranging from 50 - 3200 (it can have a higher variable depending on the camera you are using). The numbers that are most commonly used are: 100, 200, 400, and 800 as you will see in your day to day use of your camera as well. The Nikon D40x has a range from 100-3200 and is more than sufficient to suit the photographic needs of both amateur and professional photographers. Here's what's important about ISO numbers, they provide the right amount of light to expose your shot.
The lower your ISO number the more light is needed...and on the flip side, the higher your ISO number, less light is needed. Ok, what was that again? If you are taking a photo during the day in full sun, then you would want to use the lowest ISO setting (ISO 100). Use an ISO of 200 when shooting during the early morning hours and an ISO of 400 during the evening hours. If in a low light situation like a concert, ball game, indoor party, places were flash is not allowed, or when shooting at night, use a higher ISO setting (ISO 800-1600).
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| Full sun @ ISO 100 |
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| Full sun @ ISO 560 |
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| Overcast day @ ISO 1600 - Click on the photo to get a better view of the noise in this photo |
It's recommended to use a higher ISO for low light or night shots, but be cautioned; the higher your ISO, the greater the chance of creating
noise in your photos. Noise appears as specks or a grainy finish that is more evident as you enlarge your photo. It's really only a concern if you are shooting in low light conditions but don't let this hinder your efforts to shoot scenes when there is limited light. The Nikon D40x is equipped with a high ISO noise reduction feature. This keeps noise levels low making it easier to shoot in low light. Additionally, there are many ways to combat noise and achieve clear and sharp pictures with limited light. So relax, all's not lost!
So how do you lower the noise volume in your photos? Let me say first that noise when used purposefully changes the mood of your photo and can be a nice effect to use, but if your desired effect is a sharper image, then here's what you need to do. Noise is introduced between 1600 and 3200 ISO. Choosing the absolute lowest ISO you can for the light availability that you have will result in clear, sharp images. Another way to cut down on the amount of noise is to use your handy, dandy tripod. It allows you to select a slower
shutter speed without the blur from camera shake, a common occurrence at slower shutter speeds. If you don't have a tripod, try to use something that will keep the camera steady, a nearby desk, park bench, low wall, you get the picture! You can also use a flash to introduce light into the camera while using a lower ISO.
Tip: Professional photographers prefer to use a high ISO and fast shutter speed in low light rather than using flash.
You are only able to adjust your ISO settings in the Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority or Manual modes. The way to adjust this setting varies from camera to camera. You will need to refer to your manual to find out how to adjust the ISO for your particular DSLR camera. Here's how to change this setting on the Nikon D40x.
Step 1: Rotate the mode dial to the desired shooting mode,
Step 2. Press the info button followed by the zoom/setting button.
Step 3. Using the multi selector, move the cursor by pressing the bottom button.
Step 4. Highlight ISO.
Step 5: In this menu, use the picture guide to help you select the appropriate setting. I absolutely love this feature and you will too. It's a handy tool to use until you get the hang of using ISO.
Step 6. Press ok and you are ready to go!
I hope this has been helpful. Now get out there and try it out! When you do, and you take that picture you feel is just perfect, make notes about the settings you used, time of day etc. to help you the next time you are shooting in a similar setting.
