ISO settings

Up to now I have tended to leave the ISO setting on the G6 in Auto mode. Am I compromising picture quality this way? Is there any way of telling what ISO speed the G6 has chosen when set on Auto?
Would appreciate comments on this.

I can't remember if the camera writes the actual metered ISO in the EXIF data when it's in Auto ISO mode. In Windows, you can examine the EXIF data by right-clicking an image file, choosing Properties, choosing the Summary tab, and toggling the Advanced button.

As for image quality, I asked the same question last year:
https://photography-on-the.net …=27320&highligh​t=auto+ISO
To summarize, the Auto ISO will only switch between 50 and 100, which are pretty safe.

However, even if you used 200 or 400, a good noise-reduction program will make the noise almost indistinguishable.

Keep the auto setting in mind. I find that I am limited by the 100 ceiling at times, and that the shutter speed is dropping into the hand-shake warning. If I just bump ISO to 200, that usually shifts the shutter speed back up to a speed that is usable without a tripod. Otherwise, I leave it in Auto.

Thanks Dbump, your comments were very helpful. If the G6 only switches between 50 and 100 ISO, avoiding the higher settings, I would be happy to leave the ISO at Auto. Incidentally, as an aside, I note that on most daylight shots, in Programme Mode, the aperture invariably is set to F4, even in sunlit conditions.

Were you metering on something dark / in the shadows?

At ISO 50, in the sunshine with the aperature at f/4, the shutter speed should be 1/1000. Perhaps you have it on Shutter Priority? I'd say check out the lightmeter - but you get the results straight away in digital...

I have checked the EXIF data for a batch of shots I took in July, with the G6 set to Programme Mode, (with ISO at Auto) - mostly sunny outdoor shots and EVERY one is at F4, with the shutter speed varying from 1/1250 sec for well lit scenes, and down to 1/100 for darker subjects. It seems that the camera is acting as if it was in Av mode. The shots themselves looked good, so from the results I had no reason to think the camera was misbehaving - but now I wonder is P mode set up to use F4, and to go for high shutter speeds to reduce shake? It's not keeping me awake at nights, but I would be interested to know if other users get varying apertures when shooting in P mode (?).

I don't use P Mode, so I can't comment on that (and my camera isn't here).

But you're right, there is no need to lose sleep over this.

The camera probably chooses F4 because it is the medium aperature (opening up to F2 and closing down to F8 ). If you want to test this out, try taking a picture indoors at night with just bare lighting, I'm very sure the aperature will be F2. It'll change aperature if the speed drops below 1/60 at F4 or goes above 1/2000 (I wish..)

If you're bothered about depth of field, put it into Av and set the aperature to your liking. Or click the little wheel next to the shutter until you select aperature and change it there.

I usually shoot in Av but I found an interesting thing while reading my "Short Course" book. It's called Program Shift. I think I saw it before but it sounded scarey. You can look up how to set it, but once set, it has taken exposure readings and done it's magical thing and come up with a set of aperture and shutter speed. Now, when you rotate the wheel, it lowers aperture and raises shutter speed in matched pairs that maintain the original exposure. So,for instance, you want a certain aperture or shutter speed but don't want to bother with Av or Tv, just set the Program Shift and fiddle until you have the setting you want.

I've used Av long enough that I won't switch, but it is interesting, eh?

Back to ISO. I have had good luck at 200 ISO. Of course it depends on the intended outpur.

One other thing. In RAW, you can mess up white balance or exposure and still fix it in conversion. But ISO is forever.

I'd use (actually I did on my G2) ISO 50 only ... unless it was really dark and I had no other way of getting the shot.

Best regards,
Andy

Cool! I'd even forgotten there was a mysterious P mode on my Pro1 - After reading this I pulled out the manual, had a read & tried it!

BTW... this is my first post on POTN... Have had my Pro1 3.5 months but only in the last couple of weeks tried anything more adventurous than Macro in Auto mode! I'm lovin' it. Have to say... these forums are fab... I'm learning so much. Sorry... first post and I'm goin' OT.

Back OT -- thanks for the comment about the P mode & the ISO settings.

Welcome to the board.

I use ISO 50 almost exclusively on my G5 too, hopefully they sorted it out in the G6 but ISO 100 brings noise which becomes unbearable at ISO 400.

On my G2, I stuck to 50 or 100. 200 was too noisy for me, but that was before I'd played around with noise removal. The G6 is much improved. 400 is visibly noisy, but it cleans up easilly in software--it's nice to have the option when there's nothing else you can do to get the shot.

I must agree. Ive used ISO 50 the whole time as the other settings had to much noise for my liking. Couple of weeks back i "discovered" neat image (Actually i read about it on the POTN forums) and at last i can get night shots as well.

When shooting with flash at night i can go as high as 1/250 with F2 at ISO400 which is quite "neat". Prev i would never have dreamt of shooting ISO 400. Neat image just gives one so many more options.

would you agree to explain what do you mean as "neat image"? is it some technics?

i'm using ISO50 only since all other are noisy much
even RAW format shots are noisy ...

i believe, the sensor size is the cause

http://www.neatimage.c​om/