High ISO images?

Last few months i always hear that my pictures are noisy. That's because
i like to use ISO 1600 or 3200 (on 30D). Is that a real problem
or people are talking nonsense? Do you mind if pictures are noisy and
you want to give to clients noisy pictures?

I generally try to avoid noise if I can. I don't like it, film grain was better but I don't particularly like that either.

Do you have to shoot in 1600+ or could you shoot lower and maybe add noise later if you think it provides artistic effect in post? (Then theres the option to take it out if your client disagrees)

Some of my clients really enjoy noise in their pictures (nightclub/dj shooting).

I like to provide a sample of work with both no noise and noise. Most clients have opted for noise with black and white conversions and generally not too pent up on noise. Im limited to ISO1600 on digital and tend to stay at about ISO800 on film, rarely ISO3200 and works been great.

Best thing personally I would say is provide samples of both and let your client decide prior to shooting.

In general, it's best to shoot at the lowest ISO you can. If you want noise, you can always add it in using Photoshop. But if you've got it and don't want it, it's just about impossible to remove it.

I shoot allot (professionally) in the 800-3200 range (5D & fast glass) with no problems. Its great to shoot candids in dimly lit room with no flash. People forget your there after a while.

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airfrogusmc wrote in post #5501741
I shoot allot (professionally) in the 800-3200 range (5D & fast glass) with no problems. Its great to shoot candids in dimly lit room with no flash. People forget your there after a while.

The 5D is a solid performer, from what I can tell, at high ISO's. I didn't care for the 20D at high ISO and have yet to try the 30D above 800. I agree with you about no flash for candids. I prefer ambient light and almost never use a flash.

Sometimes you are in a room or if you've got to do seval people in a group then I hace to go flash. When I do I still want it to look kinds like I didn't. Heres something I shot at a nursing event yesterday morning. I use gels to get my strobe to kinda match the room lights.

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I'd rather a sharp noisey image than an out of whack fuzzy clean image any day..

The truth is i like to avoid to use flash to preserve ambient light. Or at
least reduce the power of flash. Only pictures sometimes become
soft if you use high ISO.

D.A. wrote in post #5501940
The truth is i like to avoid to use flash to preserve ambient light. Or at
least reduce the power of flash. Only pictures sometimes become
soft if you use high ISO.

HUH sharpness? the image shouldn't become soft unless its a product of the lens being soft, improper focus, real shallow DoF and missed focus but probably the real problem is movement.

You need to balance your flash with the ambient also.