Why I don’t use ISO 100.
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This week I'm talking briefly ISO, and why I rarely shoot at base 100 on my Sony A7R5.
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Idea: Make a video where you try to completely break your own style principles. I'm thinking tilted horizons, lack of symmetry, motion blur, black and white, weird angles, tons of grain, etc. etc. Would be interesting to see what you end up with and what you thought of the experience.
Tilted horizons, especially ones in which the perspective is markedly off to the human eye. I’ve taken a few and they’re such interesting shots!
@@KashDesai-i9o Have you captured Batman, or any of his notorious villains, in your photos using this technique? (You can tell I grew up in the 60s!)
@@mikejankowski6321 haha I would never contain Adam West, American Treasure 😃
I love James but I've noticed this with his photography -- it's always very bright, kinda flat, never dark, never long exposure. His style is just kinda... meh
@@ATF_CA "Kinda"?! They all look the same!
Because of you, my wife and I planned a trip to Wales. We completed that trip about 10 days ago. We did not see another American the whole time we were there, but I was pleasantly surprised of the number of British travelers even in September that choose Wales as a getaway from the lives in England. We had a wonderful time exploring castles and the Snowdonia region of northern Wales. Thank you for your inspiration.
Hence why keep hinting for James to do some workshops in or near Wales to be more affordable and accessible than those he goes on halfway round the planet 😊
Exacrly where I am right now, English man in north Wales 😂
@@sh8736 WOW, I totally agree. I would sign up in a minute. I like landscape photography as much as the next guy, but in the end I find photos of trees, rocks or icebergs only so interesting after the first couple. For me, I much prefer "human nature", as James so aptly puts it, so Wales is perfect for that. Hopefully he will see these comments and come up with a local workshop. I'll still have to fly in from upstate New York, but it will be a lot easer for me to get to Wales than Antartica. All the best.
Great feeling to see a new James video when opening TH-cam
He's my favorite youtuber
Dear James, I did not find this topic boring at all. I was not aware of this soft reset at certain ISO values and will have a look if that is the case on my camera as well. Thanks a lot for your videos!
As someone who is still reletively new to photography the iso explanation was long enough to make sense, but short enough to not become boring. Plus having it a video where you are out taking shots and seeing the images too worked great.
Another enjoyable video.
This is the only channel that I ALWAYS go full screen for.
I appreciate just how many of these videos are shot with the same camera and lens setup. It moves people to consider more their own style and philosophy, rather than gear.
That being said, I see that you list the Sigma 90mm f2.8 as a lens you use. It would be nice to see a video on this since I don't think you have one already.
Keep up the good work!
Love your videos James. You always make me smile as well as teaching some great tips. Great images on the beach, every one a winner! Thank you.
On Fujis, the gain resets again on the second A/D converter at ISO 640 so ISO 640 has the same noise as ISO 320.
I find that really interesting; perhaps it explains Fuji's algorithms when using DR above 100.
@@cbimage yes, I think there is something to that.
That‘s a thing with most cameras that use Sony made sensors these days. You also have that in basically all Nikon, Sony and Panasonic cameras that were made in the last couple of years. Not sure though if Canon also has dual gain sensors, too.
Which sensors does this apply to? Is this different with the newest sensors that have a slightly lower base iso? I think it’s 125 vs 160
Believe it or not - very well explained!
Well that made perfect sense to me! I do like how you always(intentionally) get bright exposures, this ensures excellent image quality!
Helpful information concerning ISO
I don't use Sony, but do enjoy looking at the pictures. Carry on. 👍🥂
On my X100V I shoot at 640 no matter what so that I can use the DR400 setting. And yes, it helps dynamic range. And if it's too bright? ND filter built in, what a great camera.
madness!!
Same here on X-T4, but I just set DR=400% all the time and leave the camera to choose an ISO which is 640 minimum. This is the best way to concentrate on the moment not on DR, ISO and stuff. I also put a M+E shutter mode when there is to much light the shutter speed will always go faster with wide aperture
Standard intro to James Popsys videos: "I forgot..." 😂
I remember seeing an in depth video on TH-cam when I bought a Sony A7r4 a couple of years ago. It was far too long & technical but he proved better results on 320 than 100. I believed him because he had a white lab coat on & loads of pens in his top pocket.
Love your vids & soundtracks, thank you
With modern sensors and de-noising software, I am happy to use manual shutter speed and aperture with autoISO, even if this is far from base ISO.
Hi James, bit off topic but i've been camping in the Llyn Peninsula, right at the tip opposite Bardsey Island and the area is stunning. Never forget one morning the fog came in and not exaggerating it was so thick i couldn't see 2 metres in front of me, and the silence, amazing, a beautiful part of the country.
I always love your photography, and videos. keep up the good work!
This video was incredibly useful. I've only recently begun to understand that I've been doing exactly what you describe; trading sharpness for less noise and more dynamic range. I've tried to be more mindful of it, but this was a lightbulb moment when you explained your "speed of shooting" approach. It's diabolically simple, and I'm going to change my camera settings right now.
Great video! I love the soft-bright-light feel of your photos! I'll be fantastic to see a video about how you achieve this look in editing 🙏 :)
I prefer to control the shutter and aperture and let the ISO be whatever, The only thing I will do sometimes is to use exposure compensation if I think the camera has picked the wrong ISO
Beautiful!!
At last! I found someone who shoots at my settings. Kudos! I usually do 1/250th during the day. Around sunset it's 1/60th.
A good explanation of a useful technique if your camera has dual-gain. I have found that a photo must be sharp first and foremost, ie. in-focus and without motion blur. I've definitely had to cull some great shots because of pushing shutter speed too far but I can't recall having to discard any for noise alone.
Looking forward to the book 👍
So many of your shots I would have done differently or not at all - and every week you show that I SHOULD look at taking those shots. Keep up the great work; it makes me question why I do what I do - and maybe I should expand my skill set and style a bit more. Especially when you consider magic hour is such a small slice of the day.
Personally ISO is about the last thing I worry about. Certainly after wondering if the battery is charged. More folks should join you to "devalue" it somewhat.
Very similar to how I do it - I shoot micro 4/3s which tends to mean I have tons of depth of field unless I'm at super-wide apertures. Because of that I often shoot in shutter priority and auto iso (200-6400). That wayI can always make sure I have control over sharpness/motion blur; I can handle high iso issues in post if I need to but a blurry shot I can't
I legitimately wondered "wow, how's he recording the sound? Hearing those footsteps at the beach is quite immersive" haha. Then again I'm only watching on the phone atm..
Great video as always James, love the information you impart, the subject matter you shoot and the style of you processing, all sublime. It’s only video where you called the Q3 the most hated camera in the world that I thought you were bat shit crazy 😂
There's no such thing as 'too sunny' or too anything.Unless it's the end of times and it's showering us with fire and brimstone,we make the most of what we're given regardless of anything else.
Thanks, James. I've found that chart and values for my X100VI and X-T5
Hi:D could you provide a link to that source please? I was not very lucky with my own research 🫠 Thank you very much in advance!:)
Hi please do share
@@Gorabe @Kids11111 It's from a site called Photons to Photos ^_^
@@GorabeJust look up photons to photos
Loved that shot or shots of that house 😊
Great Video
Can’t wait to hear what you have to say about lens flare
So cool seeing Abersoch, we’ve taken the same family holiday there every year for about 30 years 😂
9:46 The most valuable purchase I recently did for photography is a foldable ladder. So I don't have to raise my arm uncomfortably for a shot like this haha.
Great explanation 👍👏
Hahaha, Oh man, when you said let’s look at some more photos after the 320 explanation I fully expected to look at my phone and see iso 100, iso 100, iso 100
It was helpful hearing about your custom settings. It's something I haven't yet done on my camera, and I should. But the bit about choosing iso 320 over 200 is not a deal breaker. Charts may say one thing, but in practical terms I bet one would be hard-pressed to find a difference.
Methinks you may be overthinking the ISO thing. Have you looked at photos taken at ISO 250 vs 320 and really been able to detect a difference with your eyes? Call me skeptical, but I suspect they would be indistinguishable.
Normally not, but actually the difference from ISO 250 to 320 on some Sony Cameras can be visible, because of dual gain, fx Sony A7RIV and A7RV have a boost at ISO 320, so you should not use ISO 250 but jump ti ISO 320.
Methinks not. Watch the video.
I pretty much never think about it nowadays, except when I make a video about it. And while you’re right that the difference between 250 and 320 is small, the added bonus of a faster shutter speed is sometimes crucial 😃
And when you print say at the size that your book looks like it will be , will you really notice a bit of noise ? I think not ! 😊
Every camera manufacturer sets up iso slightly different. There’s a great web site, photons to photos that has all the charts for cameras iso noise levels. I don’t think it’s about whether we can detect the difference between iso settings, it’s about setting your camera to capture the most information it can. Can you tell the difference between 8bit and 14bit with the naked eye? Probably not, but why not shoot at 14bit with all that color range.
Interesting topic!
While I appreciate the in-depth answer on ISO 320, it seems to me that you are over-thinking the whole noise+DR thing. 🙂 The absolute noise level or loss of dynamic range at such low ISOs aren't really that big in modern cameras. The A7R5 has 0.2 stops less DR on ISO 200 vs 320... now someone tell me that this really matters anywhere. I would argue we should better spend our time on quality photos than on perfect image quality. 🙂
So, if I were you, I'd take my chances and leave it at ISO 100 as minimum because you might also end up having some shots at base ISO with best DR and lowest noise for a change. ;)
I think yes, but also, no :) - the DR, as you mention, isn't really all that different but I think James is still concerned about the SS - at ISO 100 the camera might still decide to use 1/200, which could be tricky for a fast-moving dog, for example. Forcing ISO 320 means SS will in that case not drop to lower than what, 1/640? With a much higher chance of getting a sharp photo. (edit: actually James indeed says this in a reply further down "the added bonus of a faster shutter speed is sometimes crucial")
@@MarcelVolker Perhaps you're right. That is precisely why I would just set minimum SS, not minimum ISO, and let the camera figure out the ISO. But each to their own 🙂
PS: I do believe Sony supports this in combination... I don't own one anymore, but as far as I recall, you could set minimum SS for Auto ISO together with min+max ISO. That is also what I know from other manufacturers such as Olympus.
@@jonastruemper637 You can with Sony's yea, at least on my a6000, so I'd assume all tiers upwards too.
@@jonastruemper637 Yes, entirely possible - I do think this is one thing that Sony has nailed with their cameras, almost endless options to set it as we like.
I pretty much always have my camera in aperture priority mode with ISOASS turned on so my shutter speed never drops low enough that it will cause a blurry image, even in low light. I've found this a winning recipe for shooting on the go because as you say, I never want a blurry pic. I'd rather have a more noisy image which I can control in editing over a blurry pic which is cooked. I never considered that it would be better to set a min ISO at the 2nd base level though. Thats especially useful in low light shooting. Always get good tips here :) I even tend to edit my images similarly
iso ass lol
I’ve been pushing the limits of my higher iso photography lately as well. I do think it’s something that comes with time.
ISO can be like playing within the safety of your front yard some times.
I've been caught out with too slow a shutter a few times, recently found though that on Sony you can also program one of your buttons to jump straight to a pre-programmed setting - I've set my AEL button so when I hold it down my settings immediately jump to 1/1000th f2.8 & auto iso
Similar here (AEL hold recall custom settings) but with 1/250 SS - fast enough for day-to-day stuff, and much slower than when in eg. sport mode (1/2000 SS). Assigned small spot focus area also acts as a fast way to frame the shot precisely (eg. focus on a single person in the crowd) when you are in say zone focus area. Also the focus mode is DMF.
Basically, Basically, Basically ... we get it!
James Popsys, Dogs and Senior Citizens stalker! 😂Joking, love the video mate!
my camera lives on auto ISO 99% of the time. i set my shutter speed i want, my aperture for the look i want and forget about it. if need be, i use exposure compensation if i want to under/overexpose. Mode 1 is for single shot everyday day stuff, mode 2 almost the same but with compressed raw and Hi+ burst, and mode 3 for action/wildlife. Best thing since sliced bread
I shoot on ISO 800 95% of the time on fuji
Same noise as 400 and better Dynamic range from 400 up.
I often shoot at 800 for the same reason. In low light, I go up to 1600. Its only when i do photos of still people that i set it to 200 (the lowest on my camera)
I got a Nikon Df last week and the high ISO performance is crazy, and this a ten year old camera.
On Sony, I shoot all manual. It’s so easy. The wheel on the back for iso and you can spin it all the way back to auto if you need the camera to take over iso - and you can as easily set it to 320 with a quick rotation. Shutter speed on the back thumb wheel, aperture front wheel. Let the zebras do everything else. And don’t tell me it’s slow, I shoot wildlife. It takes practice to master but it’s the most adaptable way to shoot in always changing conditions. You can do it in canon too but without zebras in the viewfinder. Nikon doesn’t give you 3 wheels or zebras so it’s really not an option to shoot that way.
This is why I wish my camera had a way to block out certain ISO settings so that it jumps from 100-320. That would require Sony to acknowledge that their cameras have dual-gain, and for some reason they don't wanna do that.
I wish the same, even more important on my cameras where the magic happens at iso 640. Let us pick multiple auto-iso intervals that the camera can pick from!
Sony sensors are almost all ISO invariant. So it doesn't matter if you shot at 100 or 320. Just move the sliders in post.
I know you've addressed this before James, but overall I like the 'density' of your videos more than your pictures, which to me are a bit too light. But guess that's just me :-)
but that IS the Popsys Style, that's what makes photography as a whole so diverse when you have a style/preference of your own.
Really cool video dude!! But omg love the camera strap 😍 where did you get it , been looking for a decent leather strap for a while now , that one looks perfect 🥰
I don’t believe you…I think the weather is going to stay warm at least until mid October.
Hello James, another fun, interesting video. Thanks. I have a question. In one of the scenes, you describe 'the powerline' as a problem. You probably also know that these days you can remove it with one click. Looking at your photos, I get the impression that you want to capture scenes truthfully. That is noble. But apart from people familiar with the location, no one would know that a power line is normally hanging there. So the problem is solvable. Why did you decide not to manipulate the photo a little bit?
Hey James, amazing videos! Was wondering what are those camera straps you use on your A7RV? I’m looking for something similar to get. Thanks.
Hiya, the orange/brown strap is from Matt's Leather Goods. I'd add a link but I think the comments are moderated to remove links. Not sure about the strap James is using on the beach.
Thank you!
Another pleasant bit of waffling on, I particularly liked the chart (being an engineer). Good point about your settings, but I take issue with the title of this post. It should be "The Problem with ISO 100 for Sonys and Other Unnamed Cameras". I don't believe any of mine have this dual-sensitivity feature, so your technique is irrelevant for me. But you present nice photos again, so there's that.
Have you compared the actual image degradation at ISO 250 to 320 to quantify the recovery doing this? In your fast-shooting custom setting do you use Shutter Speed priority at, say, 1/500 or Manual at 1/500 and f8 for more control? I suppose I ought to sit down and think of some custom settings for myself.
I wish i could assign ISO AUTO Min. SS to a dial to change it as if i'm changing shutterspeed.
I've thought it was the end of summer like four times now.... but this time I really do think it's the end of summer. (not that we had much of one)
im pretty sure the best way to get teh full dynamic range is to shoot at the native iso not the base the lower the iso from the native you start loosing detail in the shadows and same for going higher than the native iso. for example for my fuji xh1 the native iso is 800, should be the same with sony but i might be wrong.
granted the lower the iso the lower the noise but that about it. you loose dynamic range tho.
because I use older compact cameras, I HAVE to use base ISO or else the "sharpness" is lost due to horrible noise. anything above ISO400 is too noisy. so im okay using the flash, or staying still.. mainly because noise just ruins the image, and moving objects are kinda nicer blurry anyways, they tell a story.
I also need to be using full manual, as my cameras do not have any settings to set limits. also because they pick odd settings.
On my camera, the dynamic range is limited on ISO lower than 400 so I just set that as the minimum.
I actually shoot on my A1 at 320iso mostly even studio
The part that confuses many is that 18% middle grey moves with each iso setting. Base iso tries to get the best dynamic range above and below middle grey. Each camera manufacturer sets their cameras slightly different. For example, at iso 800 for certain cameras you may get 9 stops of dynamic range above middle grey and 3 stops below middle grey so a bright beach scene might be best shot with a 400-800 iso to capture all the bright and fine gradients. Conversely a shot of a rock outcrop might be best shot at iso 100 where the camera captures 9 stops of dynamic range below middle grey. Base iso in a camera tries to place the noise and dynamic range in the sweet spot.
Interesting about the dual-gain impact on ISO 320. Anyone know where I could find out if similar applies to my EOS R?
So the question must be, why have they designed that step in ISO performance rather than linear; what's the advantage?
my default ISO is 320 for my work and 400 for my personal- i've never really loved the results from base ISO and thats just my personal preference.
I have a friend who is obsessed with low ISO settings with his FF mirrorless even when it's a bit dark, and does not set it to above 1,000. And most of the time or as much as possible, he shoots with the widest aperture even on broad daylight. I mean, come on!
Is there a best iso for dynamic range for a7iv?
Unless I'm shooting a still scene I pretty much always shoot with auto ISO between 100-1600
I wish they would add min ss to the ZV-E10...
Hi James, wondering where you got that noise chart from? I'm stumped what to google to find that info for my camera which is a nikon..
He replied to it in a really early comment, but for quick ease: it's the site Photons to Photos. I was able to find it by googling the chart title (before I realized the answer was deeper in the comments 😅)
@@OfficialCharcuterie you're a legend, thanks!
James, if ISO 320 works best for your Sony according to an ISO graph, how do find the correct graph for our cameras? Sounds like a can or worms. Thanks.
photonstophotos
Hunh, so looking at this and looking at graphs for it,, Iso 400 is my Canon's equivalent of your 320...
Canons usually have weaker DR. That's why
Could anyone suggest a good camera for beginners. I’m 17 and working but I’m looking for something on the cheaper side. I have a Sony digital camera but I want to upgrade to one I can properly shoot on, any advice is much appreciated!!
How would ISO have any effect on RAW other than for metering? The RAW file has no changes made through the electronics of the camera
Oh come on, your pictures look so good just because you always make such a big white border around them 🙃
Would this idea of using ISO 320 apply to Fujifilm X cameras?
Where did the ISO graph come from or did you make it?
Photons to photos website 👍🏻
@@JamesPopsysPhoto thanks
how do i know if that reset thing happens?
❤❤❤❤
I have a question to ask: If I want to better retain highlight, would it be better to shoot in higher ISO?
After i shot my first and then second wedding i hammered home in my brain that iso doesnt matter as long as the shot is sharp. Only from 12500 onwards you start to get unsharpness in a shot due to the noise, but that can be compensated with B&W and only from 25000 onwards its a tossup. BUT well, i cant change the light on the venue, i cant freeze the couple in time for a slower shutter speed and i cant do pixie magic.... Im no pro, just to state that. For landscapes i only use low iso / or sub base iso if i dont have a filter with me and i need to slow the shutter down as much as possible (waterfalls e.g. during a hike) ... F16 and base iso is the only real trick i can do here. Or i could wait 10h for the sun to set..... no.
Lovely colors! Are there any presets we can buy? ;) P.S.: found them!
where?)
Jewell Road
How do you find what the base & extended ISO's are on a dual gain sensor?
Does this depend on the sensor size? I only have a Sony Xperia Pro-I, until I can afford a real camera, so will ISO 320 also be a useful setting with its small sensor?
Nothing to do with size, just the architecture of the sensor chip itself.
silhouettes of cats on a beach would be the only thing that would top silhouette of dogs on a beach
😅
worrying about iso settings in the low hundreds on a modern day full frame camera that also has ibis ...
Not all of us have a camera with IBIS.
@@dansmouse7393 yeah but surely most do by now, and if not, a lot have stabilized lenses and tons of people use full frame sensored sony cameras with brilliant image quality and "high" iso capabilities. i do admit however that i myself try to use base iso as often as possible. on my last roadtrip, testing out auto-iso, i noticed that my camera would aim for needlessly fast shutter speeds & high iso values when there was no need for either.
ISO was ASA 50 years ago.
Can anyone tell me why on the A7r5 the two iso numbers iso 64 and 32 (only) are written on screen with two vertical lines either side of them? They are written like “ |64| “ and. “ |32| “ ? What does this mean?
Expanded ISO outside of the native range. Potentially lowers dynamic range in certain models.
@@jasontaycs7195Ah, OK. Thank you. I thought it would be something like that but wasn’t sure.
But I think dynamic range better at ISO 100
james lad. we all know what a second native iso is. you almost blew a fuse there buddy.
I'm thinking about asking chatGPT why the graph isn't linear, why there's a spike in dynamic range from ISO to ISO, even at higher ISO than the previous one like in this case, but my brain hurts just imagining how technical the answer will be. Maybe I'll ask him to answer me like I'm 12.
ChatGPT:
### 1. As if you were 12 years old:
Imagine ISO is like the sensitivity of your eyes when you’re trying to see in the dark. When you change ISO, it’s like putting on different glasses that let you see more or less. Sometimes, one pair of glasses (ISO) lets you see better (more details) than another, even though it seems like it shouldn’t. This happens because the camera isn’t perfect, and some settings just don’t do as good a job at capturing light and colors as others.
### 2. As for a smart adult:
The dynamic range graph isn’t linear because the way the camera adjusts sensitivity changes based on the electronic gain applied at each ISO level. In some ranges, the adjustment is less efficient, resulting in less capability to capture details in shadows and highlights. That’s why a higher ISO like 320 can paradoxically capture more information than a lower ISO like 250. It depends on how the camera digitally compensates for these levels.
### 3. As for a technical photographer:
The non-linear behavior in the dynamic range graph is due to the application of analog and digital gain in signal amplification. Certain ISOs, like ISO 320 in the Sony Alpha R V, use different amplification (or “gain amplifiers”) that maximize dynamic range compared to others, like ISO 250, which apply less efficient gain. This phenomenon, known as "dual gain," is common in modern camera sensors, creating “sweet spots” for specific ISOs. That’s why, even though we expect a gradual drop in dynamic range as ISO increases, there are spikes and dips due to these gain-switching points.
08:00 why did someone decide that a set of steps were needed to get to…
the top of that rock[?]?
people are funny (that's probably hashtaggable)
I still don't get this "dual base ISO" dark magic. If there can be dual base ISO why not make it so every ISO, until a certain threshold is reached, the same in terms of noise and dynamic range? I guess my brain refuses to google this one for some reason. Love yours shots btw, 100 iso or not. The human nature thing and the overexposed skies make you stand out on IG; that is at least until the algorithm starts recommending posts that copy yours. I am done yapping. Cheers.
The short answer is complexity. Each 'base iso' your camera can use requires a boatload of specifically tuned circuitry to be constructed ON the sensor itself. Thats like trying to etch a detailed topographic map of Tokyo on a piece of glass the size of your big toe. And these circuits are complex, and have to be extremely high performance to hold all nuances of the light they capture, and give a high quality image to the user.
While technology is always advancing, the current (cost effective) limit for how many of these high performance circuits you can fit in a sensor is 2, and thus modern stills cameras have a maximum of 2 base ISOs.
In the cinema world, you'll find cameras with 3 base ISOs, but thats because there is much more money in the moving picture world, and that extra cost isn't prohibitive for the people who are gonna buy them :))
Really feels like you’re hunting for topics to make filler videos about instead of sharing what actually inspires you lately.. As you said in the comments here, you’re not even thinking about these technical things when shooting, so these videos about technical details come off as a bit hollow. More about the why and less about the how would feel a lot more genuine