Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

No, it's not about a dancing craze. It's to do with the LOWEST ISO your camera can attain ... enough with the high ISO capability! Who cares about 3.2M?
This is much more important! Some cameras can go as low as 50. Some can do 64. Some can do 80. But most reign in at 100. Is there a significant advantage to those dig cams which can perform at lower than 100 ISO, or not? ... Clearly, if you're a 'scaper ... the lower, the better - right? ... What else?

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

My Canon G11 can go down to a lowest native ISO of 80, however if you activate the 3 stop internal "ND" filter it effectively goes down to an ISO of 10.
Very handy when shooting those long expoures in reasonable light levels.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Wow!!!! .... That's for Tripods, only ... huh, Richard?

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Not necesarily in bright light although I don't use it that way. Think sunny 16 guideline.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Here's an example shot in "reasonable" light levels with the filter activated to give me a longer exposure time.
A tripod, and remote was used for 1/2 second exposure. Canon G11, ISO 200 @ f5.6, 3 styop ND filter activated.

The bottom line is that it gives you more control.

Somesrby falls.

(Download)

tdekany Loc: Oregon

Wonderful shot!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Yes ... gorgeous shot, Richard ....

Gives an almost 3D-like effect, with the close boulder, and all ...

Who's that at the bottom?

AndiS Loc: Jakarta, Tangerang Selatan & Bali, Indonesia

Beautiful!.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

To answer this question, it is important to define a term - Native ISO. Native ISO is the setting for which there is no amplifying of the analog signal you get from the sensor. This is also the ISO setting for which the camera produces the highest Dynamic Range.

Now it may be possible to set the ISO lower than the Native ISO (also called Base ISO). Many cameras allow for this. An example may be some camera that has a Native ISO of 100 but also includes an ISO setting of 50. This setting of 50 is below the Native ISO and it does not actually attenuate the analog signal from the sensor, but instead uses the same gain setting as the Native ISO, but it also causes the camera to expose for a longer period of time. So it probably does not actually cause any improvement such as higher dynamic range. Most of the time, there is not a good reason to shoot at lower than Native ISO unless one is looking for some special effect that would need a longer exposure time.

So in answer to your question, going below the Native ISO is not necessarily going to give you a better image. Most of the time, just stick with the Native ISO.

As for what the Native ISO is for any given camera, you will need to search the spec sheets of the camera. ISO of 100 is common. And some are higher.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

I've seen higher - but mostly on Bridges ... I think some of those start at 200 ISO. I had not realized - even when you pushed down from 100 to 50 - you were still shooting at 100, but with a slower time. Then why even bother with a push down setting, Jim? ....

toxdoc42

Lovely photo. Is it "right out of the camera?" I enjoy drawing, water colors and pastels, but when using my camera I try to get the photo "in the camera," not with post processing.

tdekany Loc: Oregon

Why not just enjoy the photo?

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Thanks very much.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Thanks very much.
That's another member of the group I was shooting with.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Thank you.