Most desirable ISO?

811productions

811productions

Well-known member
Just wondering if there are any thoughts out there about which ISO is the 'nicest' to use? I know going over 800 is a no go and even 800 rides the line a bit, but as far as getting the cleanest/most filmic look, is it 200, 160, 400 or am I just looking for an answer that really isn't an answer?
 
Cool... that's what I was thinking but wanted to make sure there wasn't some weird breakdown in color/contrast if you got too low. I'm used to lighting for the hvx, so if I light the same I almost have to be knocked down close to 100 anyway.
 
One of the cameras does have a sweet spot at around 200, but for this one it's just low. I just wanted to mention that it isn't unrealistic to expect otherwise.
 
811productions said:
I'm used to lighting for the hvx, so if I light the same I almost have to be knocked down close to 100 anyway.
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I'm assuming you mean using the HVX200 with a 35mm adapter like a Redrock or Letus. Otherwise the ISO of the HVX is roughly 320. With the light loss of a 35mm adapter it may be more like 100 ISO.

If you're talking about lighting interior shots, I'd recommend setting a higher ISO than 100. Here's why:

The GH1's 320-400 ISO looks really clean. Most Hollywood movies shoot on film stock that's rated at 400 to 500 ISO. So setting your ISO to, say, 400 will allow you to light to levels often used on feature films. You'll be able to use smaller lights which use less electricity and aren't as hot. Your actors will thank you for not blinding them.

And artistically speaking, the way natural light and/or ambient light bounces around at 400 ISO looks more naturalistic than it does at 100 ISO using bigger lights. This is a controversial claim, and I can't back it up scientifically. In fact, I think it's scientifically false. But my personal experience is that ambient light coming through windows, from practical lights, bounce light off of bright walls, etc. are more apparent at higher ISO's and the final result is a softer, more realistic quality to the look of your image.


If you've lit interiors at 100 ISO in the past, then you could easily do it again, and the result will look less noisy than it did on the HVX. But just prepare to use LOTS of light.

Daytime, of course, is another story, and 100 ISO is the norm. It often needs ND filters to cut the light down even more.
 
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Thanks dvbrother... I was over shooting the light sensitivity of the hvx. I have had to light for a redrock and that is the reason I sold it and got myself a couple GH1's instead. I typically try and shoot around 400 and use a fader nd when needed so I don't have to mess with the shutter speed. But it is good to know that for outdoor use 100 is usable/acceptable. I rarely use the kit lens, but I just got the 20mm 1.7 today so I'm intrigued to play around with that. Take care.
 
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