Project one: Core skills Go against the grain
Mike Harris explains how you can measure your Nikon’s ISO performance quickly and easily at home
In digital photography increasing ISO amplifies the electrical signals produced when light hits the camera’s sensor – this allows you to shoot at faster shutter speeds in lesser light. However, the higher the ISO the more the signal has to be amplified and the payoff is an unsightly artefact called ‘noise’.
It is possible to reduce noise in post-production and even in-camera (if your device boasts the necessary features). But this will impact the image’s detail, so it’s always best to strive for the best image quality possible first.
And to do that, you need to know the limitations of your camera. Unfortunately, some cameras produce more noise at higher ISOS than others, so there’s no hard and fast rule as to what settings you should or shouldn’t be using.
The noise you’re able to tolerate also depends on your preferences as a photographer. If you take sport or street photos where the moment trumps image quality, shoot mainly in black and white, or only ever upload small images to social media, you might be more forgiving when it comes to noise.
In this tutorial we’re going to show you a simple way of assessing your camera’s ISO performance by taking multiple pictures of the same still life, while cycling through your device’s native and extended ISO ranges.
To gauge your camera’s ISO performance more accurately, we’d recommend repeating the same process in a range of different lighting conditions. Once you know your camera’s ISO limit, you can make use of our step-bystep guide to altering your Auto ISO settings.