What, When, Were…Discussion of the Use of Auto ISO Settings

spraynpray

Now the dust has settled, this has turned into a good thread. VERY interesting ideas from Pistnbroke that I will play with. Really struggling with not shooting raw @-) , maybe after trying the whole method I'll be converted.

Msmoto

One might think I set this up so I could demo the Auto ISO used during last nights shoot at the Three College Observatory. I was wide open with the 10.5 f/2.8 Nikkor ( Modified) at 1/15 second and there was no light except the red orientation light. I had set the Auto ISO at Hi 4, manual mode. It was so dark the camera would not focus on the subject but had to be focused on a light area I figured was at the distance I wanted shape, then the camera placed on manual focus, moved into position and fired wirelessly, using 2 second delay after mirror up. Only ISO 25,600

Pistnbroke

spray and pray ..I look at RAW like this ..when you give it to the customer (they all get USB sticks) it must be in JPEG so when do you convert it ? Well if you have a few portraits etc yes do it in raw and play with it but if you have 1400 and you want them all to be consistant for colour etc over 3 cameras do it in camera. Now if you shoot large fine and the same thing in large basic and zoom in on some detail you cannot tell the difference. And if you cannot the customer cannot so why take extra time loading and giving a big memory stick ..after all we are here to make money and keep post processing time down so we can have a life.
Some poeople enjoy the camera and its controls ,some the photoshop bit, some want it to work so they dont get taken to court.......ha ha
nice shot msmoto now dont get me started on fisheyes ..I have an 8mm Nikon.

sevencrossing

Could I suggest a new thread on the SB 400 the existing one is on the old forum
and may be a new one on RAW vs jpeg ?

calengor

I'm a noob in lots of ways, but if you want all your pictures to have consistent color etc, wouldn't you just set up Lightroom to import all the pictures with whatever settings you like? And that way you're still giving yourself the room with which to play with if need be?

I thought wedding photographers never handed over every single photo they took anyway? I would imagine clients pay you not only to shoot the photos but to edit them to make them look nice as well as curate what ends up on their wedding books or CDs or flash drives. But again, I'm a noob and don't get paid to shoot nor do I normally photograph people.

TaoTeJared

Most I know just let LR import the photos without any presets and after selecting the "good group" batch apply settings. Even at that, rarely do I ever have more than a few photos that I can do that with.

As for handing over photos - I never do as a general practice. I have shot events where they require all photos to be handed over along with finished edited photos. I still create a "good" folder for preferred/finished files and one folder for "raw" (never the raw files-Jpeg export) for all unedited photos shot. That is a rare occurrence (at least for me) but it does happen. I have had friends who have been married in the Caribbean who have had their photos delivered that way.

KnockKnock

Interesting thread. Makes me hunger for a more modern Nikon! My.. um... D60 has very basic Auto ISO, and I haven't found settings which do anything helpful when shooting with a flash.

So usually I'm shooting in A or P, Auto-ISO set to 800 max and 1/60s slowest. That's 95% of how I run. Maybe I'll go to ISO 1600 and shoot RAW (applying NR in Dfine), or maybe I'll change the slowest shutter up or down based on focal length.

Only significant other setup is when I pop up the flash or attach the SB-400. Not sure if I'm missing a setting, but I pretty much have to manually set it to slow-sync, turn off auto-iso, set the ISO to 400 or 800 to get a decent ambient light. All of my experimenting otherwise gives me the yucky flat flash light that everyone hates so much. I feel like learning these details with the flash have improved my photography a great deal. I used to be one of those, natural light 'snobs' before.

Pistnbroke's mentioned 'FP'. Never seen that. Others have mentioned a default 4x ISO400. Never seen that.

Someone asked, but I don't think the D7000 does the focal-length-sensitive auto-ISO trick. The D7100 does. One of the things I'm looking for because yes, sometimes I shoot with a zoom :-)

tcole1983

I used auto iso today because of this discussion. Heard it before but never worried about it. I think it might have given me pretty good results indoors in poor lighting. Think I will probably keep using it in those cases. Still need to go through the images, but didn't see the blur like usual.

Could care less what pistnbroke has to say actually...maybe childish of me but can't stand the attitude.

Vipmediastar_JZ

WestEndBoy


Further, if it is like the D800 (is it?) you can set the shutter speed to bias up or down two stops. For example, I usually have it set +2 which means it will not go below 1/200sec on a 50mm lens.

I don't have the D800 with me but in the DF in auto iso in the auto option you can select -2 (slowerr) 0 or +2 (faster) is this what you are referring to?

Pistnbroke

nice to see some of you appreciating the ideas ..maybe missed the CL at 2 point on blinking ...you take 2 or 3 of every shot to avoid blinkers and tongue twitchers ..so if you shoot 1400 at a big wedding you may give them 800 when you taken out all the duplicates cropped and adjusted them turned some to B&W etc, I dont use the variable speed feature ..zoom in on the rings in the church and the shutters gone to 1/200...no no ...that means the iso has gone up x3..,, 1/30 or 1/60 is fine they dont dance around much at the altar !!! Outside on a bright day the speed will be well up anyway.
As for batch processing to Jpeg in lightroom ..I prefer to trust the consistancy of Nikons in camera processing and the faster load up speeds that Large basic Jpeg gives me. I only use the D800 with a 17mm wide angle for what I call wedding landscapes and during hyms in church ..its far too noisy for the quiet bits and I hate the menu system .
No attachments on this site but if you do weddings you will like this ....
http://www.nikonzen.com/F/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=374
its got some of my pics on it !!!

Dont understand this " maybe childish of me but can't stand the attitude. " What attitude ..I got a system that works and am trying to help you try it to see if it works for you ...I think the big problem as always is the american /european culture divide my words give a different impression to you than they do to me .
Maybe they are a bit more on the nose or to the point than you are familiar with.

sevencrossing

Dont understand this " maybe childish of me but can't stand the attitude. " What attitude ...

Yes that fine but is a thread about AUTO ISO
there lots of existing threads on weddings, which would seem more appropriate for your unique way of doing them

heartyfisher

I run with a fairly large bunch of photographers here and most advocate the M mode with no auto ISO .. me I have always loved the automation a modern camera brings .. even the old D70 that i had I set the auto ISO and P mode and off i go! Yes my new D610 has that fancy P mode that changes with focal length .. and that's great but even the D70 had the command dial where you can change it to increase shutter speed/aperture or decrease it. Pistnbroke's setting are almost exactly what I set for my camera.. of course I don't do weddings but i do like to set my camera to automate as much as I can.. still I like my Raw files. and I can understand why he just uses Jpg. His product is 1500 pictures in a day.. very much different from say PitchBlack's (7 pictures in a week ? )

I also get the weird looks when i say I am in full auto mode! But unlike Pistnbroke (who cant redo) i don't have 3 full auto modes.. I am in P mode (AutoISO) most of the time .. some times in A or S mode with Auto ISO and if they dont work I am in full manual shutter/aperture and ISO. and then its back into P mode .. i really dont think too much about it. I guess ist good that after so many years shooting its all second nature ( and mood ) . Sometime i am in the mood for full manual and that's fun. most time its auto everything ! with an 18-140 on my D610 !! (haha i can almost hear the groans of the 50mm FXers ! LOL !)

And you do have an annoying attitude/tone Pistnbroke .. may be its not so bad for me bec i use the same settings as you. if I were you I would seriously think it over.. just some friendly advice.. hope you dont get too annoyed about that. ;-)

Pistnbroke

On some jobs they call me Hitler on some I get a round of applause on some I get a $100 tip.
Strange world. You cannot satisfy all the people all the time.

spraynpray

I think Controversial advice or views given in an overtly pragmatic way will always get hits with people who may have shorter than average fuses. The trick is to realise that it just doesn't matter what method somebody else uses, does it? Step away from the keyboard and chill before you reply. I actually found Pistnbroke's long post to be interesting and written with a humorous twist - but then we share the same culture. I also think that some people feel threatened by such a different approach to their own /:)

tcole1983

I think Controversial advice or views given in an overtly pragmatic way will always get hits with people who may have shorter than average fuses. The trick is to realise that it just doesn't matter what method somebody else uses, does it? Step away from the keyboard and chill before you reply. I actually found Pistnbroke's long post to be interesting and written with a humorous twist - but then we share the same culture. I also think that some people feel threatened by such a different approach to their own /:)

I don't mind his alternative view of shooting things. As it was said in another thread...something rude/smug in his posts. I don't agree, but whatever. I probably don't shoot like everyone else either, but he does have something in every single post that I can't stand. So going back to my post...I am choosing not to pay attention, good info or not.

However on the topic I think auto ISO is a useful thing. I found that out yesterday. When shutter speed is more important then shooting at ISO 200 (on my camera) then it is useful. A while back I had a very hard time shooting pictures inside of my wife walking across the stage to get her masters degree...would have been immeasurably helpful for that.

donaldejose

Three interesting sub-issues raised by Pistnbroke's method.

1. His preference for the U1 and U2 user interface over the Shooting Menu Banks interface. KR agrees. I have not yet formed an opinion.

2. His preference for shooting jpg basic because it looks the same and reduces post processing time and requires a smaller storage space. KR agrees. I only use jpg fine unless I am producing something specifically requested for internet use and then I start with jpg small or medium in basic.

3. His preference for DX bodies because they have a quieter shutter sound. KR agrees. I don't hear much difference but have been wondering if it would be worth picking up a D3300 (which is alleged to have the quietest shutter sound) just for use when you want less shutter noise.

We should remember Pistnbroke's method exists in the world of producing a large quantity of photographs quickly. It's usefulness should be evaluated within that context. Nature photography and studio photography don't have the same constraints but sports photography may have similar constraints. It may make good sense to use the automation built into today's cameras to its maximum and let your brain focus on composition and capturing the moment.

I have noticed a large number of people now seem to want to document events they are attending and the fun they are having at the moment they are having it by taking a cell phone photo and posting it on facebook. It makes me think there could be a utility in quickly editing a few photos of a wedding, reducing them to internet friendly size and making them available at the reception for people to download to their cell phone and post on-line. More and more people would probably appreciate that service and I don't think many wedding photographers provide it.

spraynpray

"It makes me think there could be a utility in quickly editing a few photos of a wedding, reducing them to internet friendly size and making them available at the reception for people to download to their cell phone and post on-line. More and more people would probably appreciate that service and I don't think many wedding photographers provide it."

Sorry Don, pro's have been doing that for a years now. Pretty much since ipads came out and even before on laptops. Wi-fi adaptors make it easier now.

Pistnbroke

If those of you who are unhappy with what I have written could just copy and paste in a PM to me the sentences you dont like that would be great because i dont understand why you would be so rude to someone who is trying to help and give information clearly not availabe previously on the forum and uselfull to those with an open mind

donaldejose

Glad to see many people have thought of this idea before me. Frankly, I get tired of seeing so many "look at me, I am here and am having fun" posts on facebook. But lots of people like to do that. I am not so narcissistic to think wherever I happen to be at the moment is newsworthy.

Photobug

I think Msnoto started this thread (while I was asleep) as it was raised in the "50mm debate"...Photo bug I have the D7100 so put away the manual.

.. To add a FX camera is no good for weddings ..too noisy in church.
EPLS . Let the friendly fire begin !!!!

Thanks for the information. I am still reading the responses left by others.

[Deleted User]

Poeh, I read all this, but one thing, the Nikon SB-400 flash can't do FP (High Speed Sync, it's in the manual). Obvious of course, because you loose a lot of power with HSS and the SB-400 does not have that. Therefor you cannot get higher shutter speeds with that flash then the maximum sync speed from your camera, which is 1/250 for the D800

Further, when you use a flash inside a dark church (or inside) set manual to f/8 - autoISO to 6400 (or more) and the camera gives you a shutter speed from 1/4000, you simply get black pictures.

TaoTeJared

Poeh, I read all this, but one thing, the Nikon SB-400 flash can't do FP (High Speed Sync, it's in the manual). Obvious of course, because you loose a lot of power with HSS and the SB-400 does not have that. Therefor you cannot get higher shutter speeds with that flash then the maximum sync speed from your camera, which is 1/250 for the D800

Further, when you use a flash inside a dark church (or inside) set manual to f/8 - autoISO to 6400 (or more) and the camera gives you a shutter speed from 1/4000, you simply get black pictures.

That is 100% correct.

Ade

I'm not sure that's 100% correct -- at least, it depends on the camera model you use. However: I don't have an SB-400 around to confirm.

With last generation cameras: (e.g., D7000) in dim conditions, Auto ISO will be raised to match the ambient, e.g., up to ISO 6400 as @Ton describes. In A mode at f/8 camera shutter speed should never be 1/4000, it will be something like 1/60 or 1/80 depending on the ambient level.

With newest generation cameras: (D7100, D600, D800, etc) in dim conditions the should be essentially as @Pistnbroke describes, with some caveats on the previous page.

In bright conditions: FP setting can still be set on the camera. However the shutter speed will only float up to the sync speed, e.g., 1/200 or 1/250 depending on the camera. This (along with AutoISO lowering the ISO back down) can still "save the day" when going outdoors with the flash accidentally left on, essentially as @Pistnbroke describes.

Pistnbroke

Well I might be slightly wrong as its many months since I changed any settings but the sun came out and I tested it ..with the SB400 @5.6 it went up to 1/320 flashing which I take as error warning but the picture was ok.
Then I fitted the Meikie MK300 and it went up to 1/1250 and synced fine. Now I remember why I use the MK300 because I am very prone to leaving my flash on ..my wife who is perfect ( ha ha) never leaves her flash on and cannot shout at herself when trying to sort it all in Lightroom !!!
The main point is if you use 1/60 instead of 1/320 FP you will loose your photos to whiteout if you leave the flash on on a bright day even if your flash is capable of high speed sync...thats why I bought the MK300 but she does not llike the switch !!
Note I use the SB400 and meikie equivalent because they are small and close to the lens axis..combined with a flash flipper this give little or no shadows and small bits under the male ears are easy to remove.
Photos of my set ups here http://www.nikonzen.com/F/forum/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=160

WestEndBoy

Someone asked me in a PM a question regarding a feature in the ISO Sensitivity Settings. I have posted my answer below as it may be useful to others. This applies to the D800. Not sure which other cameras have or do not have the same feature.

First I go to ISO Sensitivity Settings in the menu of my D800. I have put this in My Menu as I use it a lot.

This takes me to a menu with the following four options:
1.
ISO Sensitivity (I set this to 100).
2.
Auto ISO Sensitivity Control (I set this to On)
3.
Maximum Sensitivity (I vary this from 1,000 to 6,400, 1,000 if I don't want ANY noise and am able to recompose and/or take my time, 6,400 if I want the shot regardless)
4.
Minimum Shutter Speed (I set this to Auto).

The feature that I am referring to is #4 - Minimum Shutter Speed. I select this option and proceed. The next menu has "Auto" at the top with various shutter speeds listed below, ranging from 1/4000 s at the top to 1 s at the bottom. I select "Auto".

I am then presented with a line with five points on it, the middle being slightly higher. To the left is slower, to the right is faster. The middle point will basically give you a shutter speed equal to the focal length of the lens (50mm lens will be at 1/50 s). Slower will give you 1 or 2 stops (say 1/25 s and 1/10 s) slower shutter speed and faster will give you 1 or 2 stops faster (1/100 s and 1/200 s).

When the exposure situation is such that the shutter speed / ISO constraints that you have imposed prevent proper exposure, ISO is increased. When ISO reaches the maximum sensitivity that you have set, it then reduces shutter speed.