ISO Sensitivity

Written by: Steve Guymon

ISO refers to how sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light.

The higher the ISO sensitivity number, the less light is required to make an exposure. Use ISO, coupled with aperture and shutter speed, to achieve the “correct” exposure.

Auto ISO: When this menu function is chosen, the camera will automatically, almost magically, select the necessary ISO if optimal exposure can not be achieved at the ISO value you’ve dialed in. Turn this feature ON, then just shoot away. You won’t have to worry about lighting or shutter speeds – just concentrate on composition.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 8:29 am and is filed under Beginner, Digital Photography. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “ISO Sensitivity”

1. Valerie on April 9th, 2011 at 10:13 am

   Would have liked to see some information about NOT using Auto ISO. I.e. what types of settings to use in certain scenarios. I don’t like to use my camera on auto mode, & I’m interested in learning more about what options I have in manual mode. Thanks.

2. Derek Watterson on April 11th, 2011 at 9:14 am

   Valerie, I think the information you are looking for is on the page that explains what ISO is. Once you know what effects it has on your pictures it’s pretty easy to choose the best ISO for the shot you’re taking (typically the lowest you can get away with).

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