60D Auto ISO Max setting

Lately I've been experimenting with running manual mode but auto iso. What's the highest you would let this go for the 60D?

I don't go beyond 3200.

There's never any fixed limit like that. As high as needed to avoid motion blur, if that's what you are risking.

Manual mode and auto-ISO is a bad combination. You have no access to any kind of EC. The 60D, and I suspect most Canon bodies, should be dialed in for about +2/3 EC under normal circumstances. The setup you are contemplating will result in slightly underexposed, noisier than necessary photos, especially in the over 800 ISO range.

On a separate note, the 60D performs well at ISO 12,800. There is no need to limit it to 3200. Don't take my word for it; check out some of the high-ISO threads.

Never tried beyond 3200...must give it a shot.

Stiggyiggy wrote in post #16664656
Lately I've been experimenting with running manual mode but auto iso. What's the highest you would let this go for the 60D?

ISO 6400, but I use noise reduction software. No more fear.

Examples of ISO 6400 images from a Canon 60D that have been processed with noise reduction software.

I have set the 60D at ISO6400. I can NR ISO12800 but I want to make the decision myself. I have to say though that I haven't used autoISO in a long time.

For the 60D I have tested the choices auto-ISO makes in the Av mode and it follows the same logic I do, down to choosing preferentially 1/1.6xFL as a minimum speed and then taking ISO to the ceiling.

As EOS5DC has already mentioned, I shoot the 60D at EC+2/3. I arrived to that setting shortly after I bought the camera.

Interestingly enough, I am putting my new 5DIII through its paces and looks like I may go to EC 0 or +1/3

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just experimenting and learning to use this thing.

Remember that high ISO isn't just a question of acceptable noise levels. It's also a question of loss of dynamic range, i.e. amount of details in the shadows.

Stiggyiggy wrote in post #16664656
Lately I've been experimenting with running manual mode but auto iso. What's the highest you would let this go for the 60D?

Heya,

Best thing to do, is to go look at a scene. Setup on a tripod. Take exposures at different ISO settings. Look at each major stop. See where your tolerable threshold is for your own eyes. That's your auto-ISO ceiling. Auto-ISO will hit that ceiling pretty often, because if you're under-exposed in manual mode, it will max ISO immediately and then stop, and may still be under-exposed. There's nothing wrong with using manual mode and auto-ISO. I do this all the time. I just do it with the understanding that if I don't check it, I might be under-exposed for all my shots which is a terrible, terrible thing, so I check after every other shot or so to see where my ISO is landing to make sure I'm not just sitting at the ceiling of it. I actually only use auto-ISO in manual myself, when doing birds, where I've set a shutter speed and an aperture specific to the light of the area, and I use auto-ISO with a cap of 1600 (for me) to help take care of the stuff in the middle if lighting changes a little bit (clouds, etc). That's just my use. I don't use auto-ISO in Av/Tv mode, I don't want the camera making two decisions, unless I'm running-and-gunning with kids in a theme park or something.

Again, try to do a few exposures with high ISO yourself. See what you consider tolerable noise from high ISO. Maybe look into noise reduction software to see just how much you can go to before you hit a threshold. Don't rely on someone else's numbers, when you can test it yourself. Plus it's a good learning experience for you.

Very best,

Stiggyiggy wrote in post #16664656
Lately I've been experimenting with running manual mode but auto iso. What's the highest you would let this go for the 60D?

I shoot at ISO 6400 but then apply some noise reduction (selectively)


60D
ISO 5000

This is interesting! How do you apply the NR selectively? Through mask?

Never done this before!

MakisM1 wrote in post #16665066
I have set the 60D at ISO6400. I can NR ISO12800 but I want to make the decision myself. I have to say though that I haven't used autoISO in a long time.

For the 60D I have tested the choices auto-ISO makes in the Av mode and it follows the same logic I do, down to choosing preferentially 1/1.6xFL as a minimum speed and then taking ISO to the ceiling.

As EOS5DC has already mentioned, I shoot the 60D at EC+2/3. I arrived to that setting shortly after I bought the camera.

Interestingly enough, I am putting my new 5DIII through its paces and looks like I may go to EC 0 or +1/3

I am finding much the same thing with my 6D. My default settings for the 60D are +2/3 EC and +2/3 FEC, and lots of times +1 on both is just fine, too. The 6D overexposes a LOT of stuff at either of those settings.

I use Auto-ISO frequently in M mode. On the 60D I capped it at 3200. On the 70D I let it go to 6400.

I have found the exposure to be pretty accurate for my needs, my prints and such come out very well without additional exposure adjustments.

I leave it mostly on Auto ISO capped at 6400.

I'd rather have a noisy shot that's in focus, rather than a less noisy image speed that's out of focus, because I forced myself to use a slower shutter.

I can fix noise in LR.
I can't fix a blurry image.