ISO Priority Mode (1 Viewer)

[Jkarpin2]

Hi,

Something to share.
I'm testing out an idea I have on how the below option might help out beginners, like myself, to take better photos with the Canon SX50.
Currently testing this out under the Tv mode but it also applies to the Av setting.
In Tv, I set the shutter speed on a high value, say 1250. Then I set the ISO to a best image quality setting, say 80 or 100, etc.
When I press the shutter half way down, the camera will adjust the shutter speed down and the aperture as needed, leaving the ISO setting alone. The end result is getting a image with a better ISO quality, and a faster shutter speed, that addresses issues like camera shake and a subject moving. Needs more testing but it could also be used as an alternative to Sports mode, which uses a shutter speed of 1250 a lot, but also raises the ISO to values 800 or higher, hurting the image quality. Here's that option for you to check out for yourselves:

Safety Shift, On.

This means to avoid exposure problems in AV or TV, the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed or aperture value, even when standard exposure cannot otherwise be obtained.
Press the Menu button and set [Safety Shift] on the tab to [On]

If you try it out as well, let me know whether it works or doesn't work for you.

Thanks!

 

[Jkarpin2]

Perhaps in a future camera, Canon could be the first incorporate it into a standard camera setting, similar to Av, Tv, P, M, etc.

 

[Jkarpin2]

I shoot a lot of wildlife photos. Nothing is more frustrating shooting a great shot and finding the image quality is poor for cropping because the ISO chosen by the camera is to high or the shutter speed was to low to freeze the image. Even when I fence the ISO in auto mode to say a max value of 800, I get to many photos at poor quality. The SX50 ignores a low aperture value chosen in Av mode when you zoom in on a subject far away. This technique tries to work with those limitations by letting you fix the ISO and let the camera vary the shutter speed and aperture to take a standard shot.

 

[HermitIbis]

[...]
In Tv, I set the shutter speed on a high value, say 1250. Then I set the ISO to a best image quality setting, say 80 or 100, etc.
[...]
Safety Shift, On. [...]

Very interesting! I've tested it today, vs my preferred low-light setting (AV mode, zoom at 172mm), and the results were encouraging. However, I wasn't able to choose iso = 80 or 100, as you write. Using your setting, my camera only allows iso = 400. I am not sure what you are doing differently.

Still, the results are nice, even with iso 400. Basically, in your setting "iso priority" I was photographing with iso 400, while in my other, "faster" setting it was 800. On the other side, shutter speed with iso priority was as slow as expected (for example 1/160 vs 1/320 or 1/40 vs 1/125 or 1/30 vs 1/80). About 8 shots from 10 were blurred, but the remaining two shots were sharp, and then the better iso clearly made a difference.

 

[Stephen Prower]

ISO priority

JKarpin2

Thank you for your post!

I shall check out the ISO setting of my best shots.

That will encourage me to try out your settings as soon as I have time.

Today I was instead diverted into trying out some grab shot settings. The correct EV setting often varies according to location of the bird in my garden from -4/3 to +4/3. Ditto the setting in my local park. I decided it was time to set about cracking the problem of 'automating' the EV setting!


Stephen

 

[HermitIbis]

However, I wasn't able to choose iso = 80 or 100, as you write. Using your setting, my camera only allows iso = 400. I am not sure what you are doing differently.

I had "Auto Iso" on, and looked only in the menu, so it is no surprise that my test only got iso 400, nothing lower. It is definitely possible to put TV mode on iso 80 or 100 or ..., if I press the main wheel's "downward button". In two years of practicing with this camera, I had more or less ignored iso. Silly me.

 

[KyleM]

Perhaps in a future camera, Canon could be the first incorporate it into a standard camera setting, similar to Av, Tv, P, M, etc.

As shutter is the most critical for bird shots, followed by aperture, I can't see it being terribly useful. As Auto-ISO can be set to have an upper limit on the DLSRs (at least the ones I've ran), and now we have EC with the 7D2, it is a bit antiquated. I find the 7D2 retains detail much better at higher ISO, I have been impressed, but allowing the camera to drive the shutter (or the aperture) seems counter productive.

My method of preference is control all 3, and it becomes quite quick and intuitive. I am rather warm with the EC in manual mode though.

 

[HermitIbis]

As shutter is the most critical for bird shots, followed by aperture, I can't see it being terribly useful. As Auto-ISO can be set to have an upper limit on the DLSRs (at least the ones I've ran), and now we have EC with the 7D2, it is a bit antiquated. I find the 7D2 retains detail much better at higher ISO, I have been impressed, but allowing the camera to drive the shutter (or the aperture) seems counter productive.

My method of preference is control all 3, and it becomes quite quick and intuitive. I am rather warm with the EC in manual mode though.

The proposal was meant to improve the performance of the bridge camera SX50 in low light situations. I can assure you that the SX50 has its limitations, it is a bit different than using the 7D2. - That said, I found an ISO below 400 useless. So instead of the proposed "ISO priority", it would probably achieve the same result to just force the camera to use ISO 400 in all situations.