Best ISO setting on 5D
- Thread starter dordor
- Start date
You have the most dynamic range and least noise (some call it grain - but it's "noise"!) at lower ISO settings, but it's impossible to say what the best ISO setting to use would be without first answering the following...
How much light do you have?
What Aperture do you need to use to get the "look" you want?
If it's dark, using low ISO will not be the best. If it's bright, using high ISO would not be the best either. So, figure out how much light you have, what aperture you want to shoot at (DOF could be important to you) then either increase/decrease ISO until you get the desired exposure OR add/take away light instead (vari ND filters can help here too).
How much light do you have?
What Aperture do you need to use to get the "look" you want?
If it's dark, using low ISO will not be the best. If it's bright, using high ISO would not be the best either. So, figure out how much light you have, what aperture you want to shoot at (DOF could be important to you) then either increase/decrease ISO until you get the desired exposure OR add/take away light instead (vari ND filters can help here too).
Exact, I am aware of what ISO does. I'm just confused with all the talk about how some cameras have been "rated" at a specific ISO, like for example the arri alexa and red mx is both rated as ISO 800. I've never seen DP's use a higher or lower ISO on these cameras.
Somebody told me that the 5D was rated on ISO 640, but I've allways had the idea that the lower you go, the cleaner the shots will be.
I recently shot a music video on the red MX at ISO 200, and the colorist said that I should never go lower than 800 because I will loose detail and information.
Question is, are the alexas and red's rated at 800 because of their raw file process, or is it directly related to the processing of the chip? Lets say I'm shooting on a 5D and I have all the lights in the world, and can set whatever ISO, which one should I use? Is the 640 theory all bullshit?
Somebody told me that the 5D was rated on ISO 640, but I've allways had the idea that the lower you go, the cleaner the shots will be.
I recently shot a music video on the red MX at ISO 200, and the colorist said that I should never go lower than 800 because I will loose detail and information.
Question is, are the alexas and red's rated at 800 because of their raw file process, or is it directly related to the processing of the chip? Lets say I'm shooting on a 5D and I have all the lights in the world, and can set whatever ISO, which one should I use? Is the 640 theory all bullshit?
The base ISO for the 5D2 is 100. Period. The higher you go, the more noise you will get, though honestly I never hesitate to use up to 1250 and while use 1600 quite happily if needed.
Lot os people say the 160 multiples are lower noise, e.g. 160, 320, 640, 1250 etc, and I don't have anything that would disagree with that. ISO 1000 did seem noisier than 1250 in the test shot I did.
Lot os people say the 160 multiples are lower noise, e.g. 160, 320, 640, 1250 etc, and I don't have anything that would disagree with that. ISO 1000 did seem noisier than 1250 in the test shot I did.