D7100/ ISO Question: As you might have guessed, I own a Nikon d7100. Lol. I use my camera primarily for various outdoor activities. I often find myself in low light conditions where I...

bobgreen Loc: Maryland

As you might have guessed, I own a Nikon d7100. Lol. I use my camera primarily for various outdoor activities. I often find myself in low light conditions where I need to push the ISO higher. Based upon readers experiences, what is the highest ISO one can use on the d7100 without significant noise or picture degradation?

Thanks

srt101fan

bobgreen wrote:

As you might have guessed, I own a Nikon d7100. Lol. I use my camera primarily for various outdoor activities. I often find myself in low light conditions where I need to push the ISO higher. Based upon readers experiences, what is the highest ISO one can use on the d7100 without significant noise or picture degradation?

Thanks

In my opinion, this is something you have to determine for yourself. It depends on the image and your own tolerance for noise.

You will find that many here on UHH seem to have an almost zero tolerance for noise and are very reluctant to increase ISO. Again, it all depends on the kind of image you are talking about. Also consider that, at least to some extent, you can handle noise in post processing

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

I'm with srt101fan. Only you can determine what you may consider as acceptable noise. Personally, my noise limit to the D7100 is ISO 1600. I'd still take picture beyond 1600 if i need to, but mainly as keepsakes not as something i'd use in work.

CO

With my Nikon DX format D7000 and D500, I try to limit the ISO to 800. You'll start to the chroma noise in darker areas of the photo at high ISO settings.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

CO wrote:

With my Nikon DX format D7000 and D500, I try to limit the ISO to 800. You'll start to the chroma noise in darker areas of the photo at high ISO settings.

I do not have a deep user experience with the D500, only able to use for several hours during a Nikon sponsored event. They were marketing it as (way) better than the D7200 which i personally felt was not true.
It seems we share the same point of view as by your own experience, its ISO is not much of an improvement even though they increase the pixel size by making is 20mp instead of 24mp.

To me, the gain was only the faster shooting rate, not the quality of the image. And because of the large price gap, it was not that a good deal.

CO

Wallen wrote:

I do not have a deep user experience with the D500... (show quote)

I agree. I don't think there was an improvement as far as high ISO noise. It has other improvements over the D7xxx series cameras though. It has Nikon's best autofocus system. The D5, D500, and D850 are the first Nikons to have a processor dedicated for just the autofocus. I notice the difference it when shooting with it. It focuses faster and more reliably than any other Nikon I've used. It has the same tough magnesium construction as the D5 and D850 and extensive weather sealing. It has an upgraded shutter mechanism and is rated for more actuations.

bleirer

Check out this link to see how dynamic range is impacted at different ISO in that camera. Pretty straight line impact, in the sense that there is no point where it gets dramatically worse, just steadily worse. Similiar to many/most cameras, It ain't the d850 but not bad. About 1 stop difference between the two. I think a big reason for lost dynamic range is increased noise.

http://photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm#Nikon%20D7100

(Download)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

srt101fan wrote:

In my opinion, this is something you have to determine for yourself. It depends on the image and your own tolerance for noise.

Right! When light is very low, you have a choice of getting a picture with some noise or getting no picture at all. I prefer something to nothing. There is a lot of software that will reduce the noise. When aperture and shutter speed are maxed out, ISO is the only thing left to change.

Noise reduction -
http://www.topazlabs.com/denoise
http://www.lightstalking.com/noise-in-your-images-use-these-easy-strategies-to-improve-your-noisy-photographs
https://photographylife.com/photo-noise-reduction-tutorial

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

bobgreen wrote:

As you might have guessed, I own a Nikon d7100. Lol. I use my camera primarily for various outdoor activities. I often find myself in low light conditions where I need to push the ISO higher. Based upon readers experiences, what is the highest ISO one can use on the d7100 without significant noise or picture degradation?

Thanks

You will get a lot of feedback on this - personal preferences/experienced based, conjecture, facts, etc... In my hobby work I use both the D7100 and 7200. I "float" the ISO and limit low shutter speed on both, and keep aware of results and effects. When using image stabilization I limit the ISO float a bit more, since the VR is helping any movement I might induce. These are somewhat "ISO Invariant" cameras, and I do notice the D7200 is better at it. As far as "how high ISO is too high", you will have to decide. Do some experiments, you will figure out pretty quickly what you can live with, or not! The truth comes clear on a bigger monitor pretty quickly.

In good light, I push it a bit more than I would in low light. If you post process with a "denoise" feature, then you can go higher, but in the end, you have to determine what suits you and your work. I think Steve Perry has some good info on Nikon ISO Invariance on his website - BackCountry Gallery

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

It’s relative to what you can tolerate. One man's high ISO is another man's poison. It’s all about doing what you have to do to get the type of shot you want plus your ability to reduce grain in PP.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I try not to go bigger than 3200. Noise is fairly easily dealt with in post processing. Also, how much ISO is somewhat dependent on your lens. A 1.8, 2.0, 1.4 (if you can afford it) will let you use lower ISOs.

Charlie C Loc: North Liberty, IA

Best to photograph the the same subject that has some shadow detail at various ISO's and decide for yourself what you would consider acceptable. However, on a technical note (in easy to understand language) Steve Perry's 'secrets to exposure and metering for Nikon' explains it quite well starting on page 561. It is the best money I've ever spent. On the 7100, (per Perry's literature) 2500 iso is the max for amplified ISO before digital amplification takes over. (The D7200 and D750 is at ISO 8,000). Again, make your own tests and see what is best for you.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Charlie C wrote:

Best to photograph the the same subject that has s... (show quote)

Steve's info on the subject is excellent. I don't push the D7100 nearly as high as I can get away with on the D7200, I think I've been cuting it off at 6400. My D7100 is set for 2500 max. Light and lens capability obviously paly a big role too.

Charlie C Loc: North Liberty, IA

I agree. I learned so much from Steve I feel like he is always in my camera bag whispering tips and tricks I've learned.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Wallen wrote:

I do not have a deep user experience with the D500... (show quote)

Then maybe you shouldn’t comment on something you lack knowledge of. I shoot both and they’re both great cameras. The difference in MP has no discernible effect on IQ. Both are excellent. Yes, the faster shooting rate is nice, but I can get about two more stops out of ISO with the D500, the focusing speed and accuracy is other world and it’s a pro built camera. There are many factors that justify the price difference.