ISO 3200
I leave today to fly to KL. Then tomorrow to Siam Reap and Angkor Wat. So no post this week, unless I find a WiFi connection somewhere. I will be giving the 5D a real shake down there as well a the new Think Tank Shape Shifter (I told you I had some more goodies coming). Until then I leave you with these thoughts about the Auto ISO feature on the 5D.
I already wrote how I really liked the auto ISO feature of the 5D. This is something that Nikon came out with on their latest camera first and then Canon followed suit. My guess is this is going to be one of those “love it or hate it” features. I love it, though it can be dangerous, bouncing your ISO all over the place without you knowing it. But with the new Digic 4 processor in the 50D and 5D the higher ISOs are hardly an issue unless you are printing quite large.
I was asked by some monks on Saturday to take their picture. I had been shooting something else and had my aperture stopped down to f/14. With out thinking (I think most of you can relate) I snapped of a few and then realized I needed to open it up. So I then shot them at f/1.8. Later in Lightroom I was amazed at how the camera at handled the situation. I shoot almost exclusively in AV (aperture priority), so when I changed my aperture to f/1.8 the camera changed the ISO from 3200 to 100 and my shutter from 1/100 to 1/200. Check out several things below. First, the dreamy bokeh at f/1.8, really smooth. Also, how quick the depth of field drops off. But, more importantly for this conversation, look at the 100% enlargements of the eyes. ISO 3200 never looked so good!
View the images at 100% by clicking on them to load them in Light Box.
Wow. Even though I shoot with the 5D Mark II, I am surprised at how nice 3200 is. The argument could be made that the 3200 actually looks better, that the noise pops a little texture into the photo.
I’ve never shot with the Auto ISO. I’ll have to give it a whirl.
Jack
As always your comments are helpful and inspire one to think about how to use the technology to fit your own personal style, not a set formula on the only proper way to use the feature. Thanks again for sharing. I am interested to here your review on the Think Tank Shape Shifter, it sounds like what I have been looking for in a bag.
I hope you enjoy SiemReap as much as I did, the scenery is great but the people were the highlight.
I have the 50D and the results are more of less the same as your experiences. Good work of Canon!
Only at 6400 or 12800 you’ll see some ‘noise’ (how to say that in english:-)