Page 85 - Friedman Archives

ISO 85

In my tests shown in Figure 3-11, MFNR shot at 12,800 produces the same
amount of noise as a native ISO 3200 image (although the MFNR images is
a little bit softer).

TIP 1: MFNR and Handheld Twilight modes only work when you're shooting
JPG. If you’re shooting in RAW or RAW + JPG, the camera will yell at you if you
try to set MFNR. You must physically change out of RAW or RAW+JPG first.
(On the other hand, if you’re in RAW or RAW + JPG and you choose Handheld
Twilight, the camera will just change the image quality to “Fine” without
telling you. And then change it back when you leave HHT mode.) It would
have been nice if the camera had behaved consistently when trying to invoke
non-RAW compatible features.
TIP 2: Enabling MFNR mode will disable the drive mode menu altogether. No
continuous shooting modes, no self-timer. (Use plug-in and IR remotes if
you're worried about camera shake.)

TIP 3: MFNR is also incompatible with HDR and any flash mode, and if you
have either of these set they will be disabled.

3.5.3 AUTO ISO SETTINGS
Auto ISO doesn’t do what you think it does out of the box. (Come to think
of it, you don’t want it to do what you think it does!) Just as you give the
camera free range to pick a shutter speed and f/stop when you’re in
Program mode, it sure would be nice for the camera to pick an ISO for you
too, leaving you mentally unencumbered to concentrate on your subject and
composition (and, hopefully, your light).
Left to its own devices, the camera might routinely choose very high ISO
values like 25,600 under common indoor shooting situations. That just
leads to noisy pictures and unhappy beginners (who will then spread their
ire all over the internet). Which is why Auto ISO has a top default limit of
something considerably lower – if you want it to be higher, you have to set
it that way yourself. (Class-action lawsuit avoided.)