The ISO setting changes your sensors sensitivity to the light let in by your Shutter and Aperture. The higher the ISO the more sensitive your sensor.
When your ISO is set to a lower value, such as 100 or 200 the sensor is less sensitive. If the lighting condition is not bright enough you may not be able to use the Shutter speed or Aperture you need to achieve the desired result. The solution would then be to increase the ISO making the sensor more sensitive allowing for adjustments to the Shutter speed and aperture to get correct exposure for the desired photographic effect.
You would use higher ISO settings of 800 or greater in low light conditions. Raising your ISO will make your sensor more sensitive to the light let in by your Shutter and Aperture allowing you to use a Shutter speed fast enough to eliminate motion blur caused by a slow shutter speed.
Here are a couple good phrases to remember:
- If your Aperture number’s too low, raise your ISO!
- If your Shutter’s too slow, raise your ISO!
WARNING: Using ISO settings of 800 or greater comes with a bit of a downfall. Higher ISO settings create digital noise or grain in the photos. It is best to use the lowest ISO setting you can for your available light but don’t be afraid to raise the ISO to 1600 or even as high as 3200 if it’s required to get the shot!
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