Should I use Auto ISO on my D7000?

[Tig]

Hi everyone, just a bit of background. I recently upgraded to a D7000 from a Pentax Kx which I had been playing around with for just over 2 years. I am still a novice but I am beginning to understand the role that ISO, Aperture, Shutter speed and metering play in exposing your garden variety photo.

Right now I am getting myself familiar with the D7K and I am pondering the Auto ISO function. From what I have read, there are "pros" that recommend using this function and others that don't.

When I do use the auto iso, I find that the D7K uses a wide range of ISO's that I feel may be unnecessarily high given the shooting conditions. For example, I could be in a room with a lot of natural light coming in from large windows, but the D7K will select an 800 iso for example. Now I know that I probably should go into M or A or S shooting mode and select the settings which will nudge the camera into using a lower iso. The problem is that I am at the bottom of the learning curve in terms of setting the right aperture and shutter speed properly.

So I was thinking that maybe I should disengage auto iso and compose my shot by first setting the ISO and then letting the D7K help me with the right Aperture/Shutter speed combinations. Since I am a beginner, I thought I would start with this basic guideline until I get more experienced.

· 100: Bright, sunny day

· 200: Hazy or outdoor shade on a sunny day

· 400: Indoor lighting at night or cloudy conditions outside

· 800: Late night, low-light conditions or sports arenas at night

· 1600: Very low light; possibly candlelight or events where no flash is allowed

· 3200-6400: Extreme low light (some digital noise will be present; however, less than ever

What I am trying to do here is compose shots with the lowest amount of noise. What I would like to know is if this is a good approach for a beginner or if I should go in another direction as I learn and progress?

Thanks

[Scotian Lotion]

I only use Auto ISO when in Manual mode (like when I need a specific shutter speed and want a specific aperture) and only if I'm shooting in an environment where I need to whip the camera up quickly to capture images where I might not have time to screw with any settings.

Using Auto ISO, in Manual, is like using Aperture Priority Mode and Shutter Priority Mode simultaneously, and without having to make manual adjustments if you're in a hurry to get the shot. Useful for street or sports photography if the light around your subjects is always changing.


I set the maximum to 3200 (usable on a D7000) and then set it to 100 so it will try to use the lowest possible to get a correct exposure.
The only thing I don't like about it, is that when using AutoISO in Manual Mode, the exposure compensation doesn't function. With my D7000 I find I'm always underexposing my shots by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop.

I certainly don't use it all the time. Never for landscapes or for shooting things that aren't moving or changing.

[Tig]

I only use Auto ISO when in Manual mode (like when I need a specific shutter speed and want a specific aperture) and only if I'm shooting in an environment where I need to whip the camera up quickly to capture images where I might not have time to screw with any settings.

Using Auto ISO, in Manual, is like using Aperture Priority Mode and Shutter Priority Mode simultaneously, and without having to make manual adjustments if you're in a hurry to get the shot. Useful for street or sports photography if the light around your subjects is always changing.


I set the maximum to 3200 (usable on a D7000) and then set it to 100 so it will try to use the lowest possible to get a correct exposure.
The only thing I don't like about it, is that when using AutoISO in Manual Mode, the exposure compensation doesn't function. With my D7000 I find I'm always underexposing my shots by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop.

I certainly don't use it all the time. Never for landscapes or for shooting things that aren't moving or changing.

Using auto iso when there isn't time to compose makes total sense to me. That actually helps, thanks! I am just in the process of playing around with exposure compensation. All I do is set my iso, then go into M mode and change my shutter speed until the exposure mark is lined up with the middle. Haven't tried setting the exposure by using the aperture yet, but that's next.

I don't even know the difference between using the exposure vs. shutter speed to adjust the exposure lol

[Scotian Lotion]

I don't even know the difference between using the exposure vs. shutter speed to adjust the exposure lol

It's easy to understand.


The 'Exposure Compensation' function comes in to play when you are in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority.

If you are in 'A' Mode and you set your exposure compensation to -2/3 of a stop, then it will automatically adjust your shutter speed so that your photo will be -2/3 under exposed.

If you are in 'S' Mode and you set your exposure compensation to -2/3 of a stop, then it will automatically adjust your aperture so that your photo will be -2/3 under exposed.


Exposure Compensation doesn't do anything when you are in 'M' mode. You would think it would, if you were using Auto ISO, but I just tried it on my D7000 and it didn't seem to do anything to under or over expose according to the metering indicator in the view finder.

[Astin]

When I got my 7D, I started playing with auto ISO and quickly determined I didn't like it. It was handy at first, but once I got the images onto my computer, I could barely stand the noise in some situations.

Can't speak to the D7000 specifically, but I find auto ISO does overcompensate. AI seems to go in descending order of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO when determining its settings. So it will take noise over slower speeds or wider apertures. This makes sense as most people shooting on auto modes want a crisp shot.

I generally try to stay on the lowest ISO possible when shooting. If there's no action to be frozen and it's dark, then I'm using a tripod, ISO 100, and manual settings on aperture and shutter. If a tripod isn't an option, then the ISO creeps up. If I find I'm over 1600, then I start to question if I still want to be taking pictures in that light and pull out a flash if possible. I know that I'll be cringing and futzing with a bunch of NR sliders in Lightroom if I'm at 3200 in the hopes of getting something I'm happy with. But that's me. I found the auto ISO used 3200 far too often if left to its own devices.

[Tig]

It's easy to understand.


The 'Exposure Compensation' function comes in to play when you are in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority.

If you are in 'A' Mode and you set your exposure compensation to -2/3 of a stop, then it will automatically adjust your shutter speed so that your photo will be -2/3 under exposed.

If you are in 'S' Mode and you set your exposure compensation to -2/3 of a stop, then it will automatically adjust your aperture so that your photo will be -2/3 under exposed.


Exposure Compensation doesn't do anything when you are in 'M' mode. You would think it would, if you were using Auto ISO, but I just tried it on my D7000 and it didn't seem to do anything to under or over expose according to the metering indicator in the view finder.

Actually, it seems that in manual mode you can pick if you want to compensate the exposure using either the shutter speed or the aperture. If you turn the command dial left of right you can decrease or increase the shutter speed as well as the exposure mark. But if you instead hold down the Exposure Compensation/Aperture button (to the right of the shutter button), AND THEN rotate the command dial, you will adjust the aperture and subsequently the exposure mark. Not sure if I explained myself well. The problem that I am seeing is that the camera does not compensate for exposure very well. It's kind of dumb. I say this because I just took about 10 photos of my cell phone on my desk making sure that the exposure mark was lined up to 0, but they all came out underexposed. But when I adjusted the exposure mark by +2 ticks, the picture looked correct. My phone is dark and my office desk is lighter in color. I think that because my subject is darker than my background, I have to adjust positively. Later I will test the opposite scenario and see how it turns out.


When I got my 7D, I started playing with auto ISO and quickly determined I didn't like it. It was handy at first, but once I got the images onto my computer, I could barely stand the noise in some situations.

Can't speak to the D7000 specifically, but I find auto ISO does overcompensate. AI seems to go in descending order of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO when determining its settings. So it will take noise over slower speeds or wider apertures. This makes sense as most people shooting on auto modes want a crisp shot.

I generally try to stay on the lowest ISO possible when shooting. If there's no action to be frozen and it's dark, then I'm using a tripod, ISO 100, and manual settings on aperture and shutter. If a tripod isn't an option, then the ISO creeps up. If I find I'm over 1600, then I start to question if I still want to be taking pictures in that light and pull out a flash if possible. I know that I'll be cringing and futzing with a bunch of NR sliders in Lightroom if I'm at 3200 in the hopes of getting something I'm happy with. But that's me. I found the auto ISO used 3200 far too often if left to its own devices.

Great points! Exactly what I was looking for. Exactly my gut feeling wrt ISO and Auto ISO. Thanks!

[Tig]

Ok I just aimed my D7K at a white board, compensated the metering to exactly 0 and the picture looked gray. :confused:

[iridium001]

Ok I just aimed my D7K at a white board, compensated the metering to exactly 0 and the picture looked gray. :confused:

That's not ISO, that's White Balance.

[Scotian Lotion]

Actually, it seems that in manual mode you can pick if you want to compensate the exposure using either the shutter speed or the aperture. If you turn the command dial left of right you can decrease or increase the shutter speed as well as the exposure mark. But if you instead hold down the Exposure Compensation/Aperture button (to the right of the shutter button), AND THEN rotate the command dial, you will adjust the aperture and subsequently the exposure mark. Not sure if I explained myself well. The problem that I am seeing is that the camera does not compensate for exposure very well. It's kind of dumb. I say this because I just took about 10 photos of my cell phone on my desk making sure that the exposure mark was lined up to 0, but they all came out underexposed. But when I adjusted the exposure mark by +2 ticks, the picture looked correct. My phone is dark and my office desk is lighter in color. I think that because my subject is darker than my background, I have to adjust positively. Later I will test the opposite scenario and see how it turns out.



I mean in FULL MANUAL.

If you are in Manual Mode and you set a correct exposure by picking an aperture and shutter speed combination that works... you can hold the Exposure Compensation Button down (to the bottom right of the shutter) and turn the thumb dial all day long... it won't do anything. In this case, all it does is throw your metering indicator off.

Hmm, so come to think of it, it does work, but in a different way. By doing it this way, in manual mode, it just means that when you show a 'correct' exposure on our metering indicator, in manual mode, that it is actually going to be under or overexposed based on your compensation selection.
So if you did it this way, the Auto ISO WOULD actually function to under expose, it would just show a correct exposure on the metering indicator. I don't like this... when I'm looking through the view finder, I like to see the indicator left or right of center if it's not 'correct'. Ideally, when using AutoISO in Manual and using exposure compensation, the indicator should show it properly at a glance.


What I'm saying is:
In Manual, messing with exposure compensation just changes how you read the metering indicator, but it doesn't change the exposure of the photo you are about to take since you are not changing any of the values in the exposure triangle (unless you have Auto ISO on, THEN it does work. I just re-tested it)

In A or S mode, messing with the exposure compensation changes either the Shutter Speed or Aperture Value, respectively, so you will get a change in exposure for the photo you are about to take if you keep making adjustments using the +/- button.

[TenzoR]

You probably want to look at metering instead if you are having trouble with exposure as that's pretty crucial for the camera to determine what to use.

As for Auto ISO, I leave it on all the time. I set it to an ISO that I feel comfortable with but turn it off for long exposure or M.

[CameraBill]

That's not ISO, that's White Balance.

That's not White Balance, that's just basic automatic exposure.

[blair7]

I don't think I have ever used auto ISO but then I come from a film background where you were stuck with the ISO when you started shooting a roll of film.

I can understand why you might use it but in my view you think about the aperture you want, the shutter speed you want and if the ISO setting you have does not give you that then change it.