Beginner with silly questions.

I've been reading this forum for a little while now. I've just purchased my first camera (digital rebel). I was wondering about two things. What is ISO and some say under high ISO there is "noise". What is noise? Thanks for humoring me!

-retro

Also I know the camera came with software to pull info from the card and manipulate the image, but I've read there are better programs out there. Any recommended that work well with the rebel? Thanks for your time!!

ISO is the setting on which your film speed is the higher the ISO the more noise you get noise is refeered to as Picture quality the higher the ISO the faster your shutter speed can be but putting your ISO to high makes alot of noise in your picture.i know people can explain this alot better than me.

Csst

Hey retro.
Your drebel came with Adobe Elements which is a good software. Adobe photoshop CS is one of the best photo editing software out there but its also expensive. My suggestion to you is use adobe elements for now and maybe pick up learning book for it at your local book store.

Ill let some one else answer the other questions.
good luck

Noise is the electronic equivilant of film grain,and just like grain it gets worse as they make the film/sensor more sensitive to light

Allthough it happens in a different way with film.With film they must use larger grains of silver to be more sensitive to light

With digital they simply amplify the signals more which allows natural electonic noise to become a significant part of the signal
This electronic noise is a natural phenomenon and some things can be done to combat it.Noise reduction software in the camera helps alot (Canons built in programing makes their noisier CMOS sensor perform better than supposedly better CCD sensors)
Another time honoured way is to cool the sensor.Large telescopes use supercooled sensors to get such great low noise performance for very long exposures in low light

HI Retro,
Welcome to the Canon Forum.
I think your questions has been answered, but remember, there is no such thing as a SILLY QUESTION.
Enjoy your new camera.

Brian
Winnipeg