Auto ISO: I have a trip coming up and I'm going light. Instead of some of my FX gear I will bring a D40x outfit that I seldom use and I mean seldom. I don't remember the last time I...

Ponce Loc: Ft. Lauderdale Fl

I have a trip coming up and I'm going light. Instead of some of my FX gear I will bring a D40x outfit that I seldom use and I mean seldom. I don't remember the last time I used it. D40x with grip and two batteries, two lenses and an SB 900 flash. Casual outdoor shooting with people and sometimes a classic car as a prop along with a large family picnic. Never used Auto ISO. Your thoughts please !!!

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

Auto ISO is most valuable to me when I need to have positive control over both f/stop and shutter speed and I am in a situation where the light is changing frequently. For me that means that I have a sunny day with lots of clouds moving through and I am shooting fast action such as sports or birds in fight. It is a tool that can be used in the right situation otherwise I use manual or aperture priority and keep the ISO as low as practical for the situation.

Iconoscope Loc: New Mexico

I use auto ISO only in situations where I don't have time enough between shots to do a more careful camera setup. But I also set the auto ISO high limit at something I feel I can live with in post processing!

catfish252

If you haven't used it in a long time I would be concerned about the batteries, I would make sure they are in tiptop shape. Remember the small useable range ISO has on a D40X in order to produce a decent image.

amehta Loc: Boston

Ponce wrote:

I have a trip coming up and I'm going light. Instead of some of my FX gear I will bring a D40x outfit that I seldom use and I mean seldom. I don't remember the last time I used it. D40x with grip and two batteries, two lenses and an SB 900 flash. Casual outdoor shooting with people and sometimes a classic car as a prop along with a large family picnic. Never used Auto ISO. Your thoughts please !!!

I don't think Nikon had really figured out how to do Auto ISO right in 2007.

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

Heresy, I suppose, but if you shoot RAW and use any f the Adobe software, I wouldn't worry too much about what ISO setting you use. You can correct it in post.

Ponce Loc: Ft. Lauderdale Fl

Thanks Cat I will do that. I have four Nikon batteries. Two each in the grip and then a backup set.

amehta Loc: Boston

doduce wrote:

Heresy, I suppose, but if you shoot RAW and use any f the Adobe software, I wouldn't worry too much about what ISO setting you use. You can correct it in post.

Yes, this is heresy! :-D

All the "correct in post" steps zap image quality, and noise reduction certainly takes some detail with it. Colors are also not as vibrant at high ISOs, and adjusting that is not the same as having it right from the start.

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

amehta wrote:

Yes, this is heresy! :-D

All the "correct in post" steps zap image quality, and noise reduction certainly takes some detail with it. Colors are also not as vibrant at high ISOs, and adjusting that is not the same as having it right from the start.

I absolutely understand and agree--just posing an option. BTW, I don't think I've every shot a single image in Auto ISO. So I guess I'm only a notional heretic?

amehta Loc: Boston

doduce wrote:

I absolutely understand and agree--just posing an option. BTW, I don't think I've every shot a single image in Auto ISO. So I guess I'm only a notional heretic?

:lol: :thumbup:

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Ponce wrote:

...............
Casual outdoor shooting with people and sometimes a classic car as a prop along with a large family picnic. Never used Auto ISO. Your thoughts please !!!

It should be fine with this type of shooting. 8-)

amehta Loc: Boston

Bmac wrote:

It should be fine with this type of shooting. 8-)

Even for outdoor shooting, Nikon's Auto ISO is notorious for picking a very fast shutter speed (1/2000, 1/4000) and a high ISO, when a human would pick something like 1/500 and a medium/low ISO.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

If you have time before the trip, practice shooting in auto-ISO, preferably in various lighting situations. Then carefully analyze the images, and observe the camera-selected ISO value for each. Only then can you be confident about what to expect with camera set to auto-ISO.

Ponce Loc: Ft. Lauderdale Fl

Thanks everyone.....as usual great advice and tips !!!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

birdpix wrote:

Auto ISO is most valuable to me when I need to have positive control over both f/stop and shutter speed and I am in a situation where the light is changing frequently. For me that means that I have a sunny day with lots of clouds moving through and I am shooting fast action such as sports or birds in fight. It is a tool that can be used in the right situation otherwise I use manual or aperture priority and keep the ISO as low as practical for the situation.

I use my auto ISO in exactly the same way, where my light is changing constantly with big extremes. I too need my speed to stop the motion, but I want minimal noise. That's what auto ISO was desighned for, if you know how to use your camera.
The difference, my venues are Dance. One shot is at ISO 320, and ten seconds later, my shot is at 3200! Try THAT on manual?! :lol:
SS