R1.6 Camera Settings: Exposure Settings: ISO

Overview

In this section, students learn to navigate camera ISO settings, a critical component of exposure. The guidelines range from ISO 50 or 100 for bright outdoor settings, progressing through ISO 200, 400, 800, 1600, and up to 3200 for increasingly low-light conditions. They’ll understand that these are general guidelines and actual ISO settings may vary depending on the specific scene, lighting conditions, and camera model. Finally, they’ll learn to analyze and adjust ISO settings using a measure graph for a single light source.

By The End of This Lesson Students Will Be Able To

• Understand and apply ISO 50 or ISO 100 for capturing high-quality images in bright, sunny outdoor settings or well-lit scenes, such as outdoor wedding ceremonies.
• Use ISO 200 for slightly overcast outdoor ceremonies or well-lit indoor ceremonies and receptions with ample natural light.
• Apply ISO 400 for overcast outdoor ceremonies, late afternoon photo sessions, or indoor receptions with moderate lighting.
• Utilize ISO 800 for early morning or late afternoon outdoor ceremonies, or indoor receptions with limited artificial lighting, with awareness of the potential for some image noise.
• Use ISO 1600 to adapt to low-light situations, such as dimly lit indoor ceremonies, receptions, or dance floors, understanding the trade-off with noise.
• Implement ISO 3200 for challenging low-light conditions, such as a dimly lit reception hall or photographing guests on the dance floor at night, knowing that image quality may show noticeable noise.
• Appreciate that these are general guidelines, and that the appropriate ISO for a specific scene may vary depending on factors such as lighting conditions, camera model, and desired creative effects.

Course Content

Camera Settings: Exposure Settings: ISO

ISO guide for camera settings, with references to various events that typically occur during a wedding:

• ISO 50 (or ISO 100, if unavailable): Perfect for outdoor wedding ceremonies on bright, sunny days or well-lit scenes. This setting provides the lowest noise and highest image quality.
• ISO 200: Suitable for slightly overcast outdoor ceremonies or well-lit indoor ceremonies and receptions, where there’s ample natural light. Image quality remains excellent with minimal noise.
• ISO 400: Ideal for overcast outdoor ceremonies, late afternoon photo sessions, or indoor receptions with moderate lighting. Image quality remains high, with only a slight increase in noise.
• ISO 800: Useful for early morning or late afternoon outdoor ceremonies, or indoor receptions with limited artificial lighting. Image quality may exhibit some noise, but it’s typically manageable in post-processing.
• ISO 1600: Suitable for low-light situations, such as dimly lit indoor ceremonies, receptions, or dance floors. Noise becomes more apparent but can still be acceptable in many cases.
• ISO 3200: Used for challenging low-light conditions, like capturing the couple’s first dance in a dimly lit reception hall or photographing guests on the dance floor at night. Image quality may show noticeable noise, but the trade-off may be necessary to capture images in such conditions.

Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and the appropriate ISO for a specific scene may vary depending on factors such as lighting conditions, camera model, and desired creative effects. However take a look at this measure graph below with one light source at a measured light intensity.

Cognitive Engagement Questions

1. 1. Assignment 1: Adapting ISO to Varying Light Conditions (Assignment #CAM-006)Objective: Understand and apply various ISO settings to capture high-quality images in different lighting conditions.Task: Students will need to take a series of photos in differing light conditions, ideally ranging from bright outdoor settings to dimly lit indoor situations. They should use the ISO settings discussed (ISO 50/100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) accordingly. For each photo, students should write a brief analysis on the image quality and noise level, and whether they found the suggested ISO appropriate for the conditions.

      Email Subject: Assignment #CAM-006: Adapting ISO to Varying Light Conditions

      Assignment 2: Low-light Photography with High ISO (Assignment #CAM-007)

      Objective: Understand the trade-off of using high ISO settings in low-light conditions.

      Task: Students should take two photos of a dimly lit scene: one using ISO 1600 and one using ISO 3200. They should compare the brightness, image quality, and noise levels of the two photos. Write a report discussing their findings, focusing on whether the trade-off of increased noise for brightness was worth it in this particular situation.

      Email Subject: Assignment #CAM-007: Low-light Photography with High ISO

      Assignment 3: ISO and Creative Effects (Assignment #CAM-008)

      Objective: Appreciate how varying ISO settings can be used to achieve desired creative effects.

      Task: Students should select a single scene and take three photos: one with a low ISO (50/100), one with a medium ISO (400), and one with a high ISO (1600/3200). They should then discuss how changing the ISO impacted the images and how they might use different ISO settings creatively. They should consider how they might edit these images in post-processing to mitigate noise or highlight certain aspects of the photo.

      Email Subject: Assignment #CAM-008: ISO and Creative Effects