DSLR Focus #3 - ISO
Big words often requires acronyms; like the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO in short. And its applied here to define the sensitivity of our digital sensor with respect to the light spectrum entering our cameras.
And in the context of modern image capturing tools, this subject has been the bane of many destroyed shots, all thanks to the fluff of “pro” photographers hinting that everyone should configure their gears to capture images based on a fixed ISO setting. Don’t! Should you wish to indulge with me on a little walk down memory lane, fixed ISO was where camera manufacturers all began, just when digitization swept over photography in the early 2000. But then, as they matured, the concept of allowing a camera to automatically select a suitable ISO became available only to the more advanced makers. Canon remained behind in this department ever since.
Anyway, to help you get up to speed on this matter quickly, you only need to know that the use of a lower ISO number rewards you with a higher dynamic-range image, howbeit at the sacrifice of instructing your camera to dampen her A-D (Analog to Digital) circuitry against the light spectrum entering your camera - hence, indirectly forcing you, as a user to witness a slower shutter release being used, and hightening your probability of obtaining a blurred shot when insufficient ambient light is present.
Inversely, the use of a high ISO number allows your camera to shoot with a higher shuttle speed (hence less blurred shots) but at the expense of ending up with a more “grainy” image. Its a game of balance here.
So, if you are wise, and found reading my article remotely helpful, you should get off the bus of keeping your camera ISO manual and float it to the “Auto” mode immediately. This will ensure your journey in creating moments less prone to end with a collection of ruined shots!
Have fun!
