Re: the High, low light ISO Myth and EOS DSLRs

anonomous individual wrote:

Scott W wrote:

anonomous individual wrote:

Some time back I made the outrageous claim that a Panasonic FZ20
'Digicam' took better pictures in low light than a Canon 20D. At the
time I didn't have any interest in documenting the claim. I just
accepted that there were unshakable believers in the God of EOS who cry
foul whenever anyone questions the ability of a Canon product, and went
on with my life.

Today, I have a 5D to compare the FZ against. I really like this 5D but
I gotta tell you, I'm having some issues trying to get the best from it.
No doubt I will overcome them but along the way, I'm re-discovering what
I found with the 20D in low light is pretty much the same for the 5D.

http://www.photosbydouglas.com/ISO-myth.htm

Please yourself if you choose to believe or not believe my sincerity.
Choose yourself too, if you see this as a beat up on Canon or a genuine
attempt at enlightenment. In the event you disagree, see if you can find
someone who cares, eh?





So it looks like the 20D got 1/40 of a second and the Panasonic got 1/4
second?

I am not sure what you are trying to show here.

Scot

That's OK Scot, I'm not sure what your comment is about either.
For my interest, the use of ISO 1600 when the FZ does basically the same thing at ISO 200 is the highlight the whole thing. We all know SLRs vibrate when the mirror swings away but did we know how much exposure value we lose in making allowances for this? 

I don't see where you lose any exposure value.

Changing ISO changes the camera's processing algorithm. For a given amount of light the camera recommends f/4 @ 1/125 at ISO 200. Changing the ISO to 400, the camera changes it's processing to f/5.6 @ 1/125. Or you can stay at f/4 and go to 1/250.

Changing the ISO just makes the camera more responsive to what you want to do. If you need a higher shutter speed under lower light conditions, changing to a higher ISO makes the camera do what you want it to do with less quibbling.
.

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