what is ISO in camera, and how does it affect your final images? This starter guide explains all the theory behind it and how you can use ISO to get the best possible results in a real-life.
When exploring what is ISO in camera specifications, it is worth mentioning that the holy triangle of photography includes this ISO, including the shutter speed and aperture opening. All three are the pillars of your photography/videography and will directly affect how well or badly your final images/videos are. In other words, you cannot ignore any of these if you intend to be professional in this industry.
So, what is ISO in Camera?
It stands for International Organization for Standardization (sounds a bit dry, we know) and is denoted with a number indicating your camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. These ISO values double up with each step (100, 200, 400, 800, and so on), with lower values indicating the camera sensor is less sensitive to light and higher numbers meaning more sensitive.
When we say less and more sensitive, it means that the sensor is regulating the amplification of the light it is receiving from the camera lens. If the sensor has less light to work with, the ISO can be introduced, which literally amplifies the light signal it is receiving, and if it has too much light, the lens (etc., in a sunny environment), then less ISO decreases this amplification.
Function of ISO in Camera
Due to that amplification of light signals, the ISO helps your image look brighter when you are in a dimmer environment and dials down the light if you are in too much light. Increasing the ISO also increases the sensitivity of the sensor, which means that your final image will be prone to “noise,” leading to grain from unwanted light signals. Finding a balance of the right ISO setting is important to get image clarity in your final results.
How to choose the right ISO settings?
Once you know what is ISO in camera, the next step is how to set its value to get the best results. If you are somewhere where the sun is bright, then use a low ISO setting ranging between 100 and 200 to get the sharpest and cleanest images, as with this setting, your camera sensor will not overamplify your images, as too much light is already available for your camera sensor to work with.
If you are shooting indoors or in a cloudy environment, then choosing medium ISO settings ranging between 400 to 800 will help you slightly brighten your shots without overdoing the amplification of light signals.
For those into street photography or just simply shooting in a night or low-light setting, it is suggested to choose a high ISO setting above 1600 and beyond. This will help the sensor to receive much more amplified light signals, but you have to find your sweet spot yourself, as there is a broad spectrum of low light you might be working with, especially in street photography.
High ISO and Noise:
As mentioned above, higher ISO values also amplify the unwanted light signals, and this can be best managed by getting more light onto your sensor. You can do that by using a lens that has a smaller f-number (wider opening), which will allow more light to enter your lens and subsequently your camera sensor to work with, hence dealing with the lens. You also may have to slow down your shutter speed so that light has more time to enter the lens.
Some newer versions of cameras feature in-camera noise reduction tech, which automatically processes the image and reduces the noise, but this is also known to sacrifice the details of the image. To better deal with such situations, we recommend taking photos in RAW format, which stores more information about an image as compared to JPEG and is much more flexible during post-processing to effectively reduce noise without losing details.
Wrapping Up:
Before we conclude our explanation of what is ISO in camera, it is worth mentioning that a good lens also directly affects the final results in low-light settings. The SIRUI Aurora Series 85mm F1.4 Full-frame Autofocus Lens is crafted to deal with such situations where details, sharpness, and overall image quality are desired in low-light conditions.
Featuring a wide f/1.4 aperture that lets ample light come through during dim lighting conditions, this lens captures incredibly sharp images and video footage. Thanks to its ED and HRI glass elements, you get high-contrast images with minimal aberrations while keeping the overall weight on the lighter side. Optimized for low-light photography, this lens can capture portraits with beautiful background bokeh while removing flare and ghosting.
