Canon ISO multiples

[ozimax]

OK, I'll start this thread off.

After a quick googling (is that a word?), I came up with a few threads that recommended using ISO in multiples of 320, several others suggested multiples of 160, but all these were in reference to HD video and the stills that come from those videos. Seeing I rarely shoot video, others may be able to enlighten us (Canon shooters) as to whether there is any practical merit in this.

Ozi

[devilla101]

I read something alone these lines. To be honest it just got too technical and I just shoot with whatever ISO I deem necessary to create the image. Perhaps there is an uber geek among us to enlighten us mere togs

[ozimax]

From a quick perusal of a few sites, it seems that shooting in multiples of 160 for video and 100 for normal stills gives the best viz cleanest, images. As to whether this means anything in the real world, who knows.

I am not an uber-geek or mega-pixel-peeper.

[surenj]

I have heard that there are ISO 'sweetspots' in certain cameras.

I'd like to hear Marcus comment on this.

[photomarcs]

I'd like to hear Marcus comment on this.

 LOL and what a surprise I'm here haha!

I'll have to check out ISO sweet spots, but for my personal taste, it doesn't bother me too much, variabilities of where noise and grain appear in a scene can be visible, but the frame rate of which I view, sometimes I don't even notice the noise, it's nice sometimes, if you're after effects to shoot high ISO, but in saying so, that may have just started world war three in terms of "ISO Creativity"

In terms of video, I find very little value behind shooting with ISO as the main consideration. To me, the size of what I see against the amount of frames captured per second, I am personally happy with shooting video at even 4000 ISO on my 7D, I find it to be of little value as the most important part for me is "shutter speed" simulation that occurs in the Canon HD video bodies, ie.. shooting at 1/30th or 1/25 of a second to eliminate the fluorescent flicker you see in your video on playback, I tend to have personal preferences to shooting like this, or in variables of 30 or 25, ie.1/25, 1/30, 1/50, 1/60, 1/100, 1/125 (close enough).

If anything, all ISO means to me is brightness of the scene, shutterspeed is the value of the frame capture, and aperture for depth of field purposes. If it's too bright for my liking, this is where a Neutral Density Fader comes in handy

Bear in mind, this is purely my opinion and how I like to work with video, everyone has their own ways and opinions. I just tend to think my way is better



*just joking on that last remark*

[Remorhaz]

Note I shoot Nikon (and I assume there's probably an equivalent there as well - although I've not heard it) - however I've heard the same thing specifically for Canon as well and not just limited to video but for stills as well. Perhaps it's just Internet rumour and myth but apparently some folks have done hard testing and discovered for instance that ISO160 produces cleaner stills than ISO100 and so on. Something about the 160 multiples being at the native tuned points and to get say from 160 down to 100 it's like having to turn the gain down a little from the "zero" point and thus inducing a little noise?

[surenj]

Very intriguing. I was just starting to enjoy the auto ISO feature!!

to turn the gain down a little from the "zero" point and thus inducing a little noise?

Although you'd think that turning gain down will REDUCE noise?