20D, ISO 3200

[ken_maclaren]

It is embarassing to have to ask this question. Haven't had much

time with the 20D becuase that weather has been so dull.

 

Comments on the results of working the Canon 20D at ISO 3200 are all

over the web. I have read my owners manual carefully and while it

refers to shooting at ISO 3200. It doesn't tell you how to set up

for this.

 

Clearly it's going to be on the creative side of the selector wheel

but I seem to me only capable of setting up for ISO 1600 as a max.

 

Comments/help would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks

 

Ken

[athinkle]

It's one of the custom functions. I don't have my camera handy, but just root around in the custom functions menu until you find it. You can then set ISO 3200 by selecting "H," which comes right after 1600 as you cycle through settings.

[erik_p1]

It's Custom Function 8 - ISO Expansion on the menu.

[ken_maclaren]

Ah ha... Articles refer to ISO 3200 (H) and what you say makes sense. I haven't touched the custom functions as I am still working the basics.

 

thanks Andrew.

 

Ken

[marc_wells]

The expansion menu will not show up if the camera is in an automatic mode. Manual, A-Dep and the AV menu allows the ISO expansion.

 

Now I am also new to this camera, so if I am wrong, please someone post.

[waynelittle]

A little Tip,

when shooting at 1600 or 3200 dial +1 exposure comp, it seems to help with noise (when shooting RAW)

 

regards wayne.

[awindsor]

Wayne,

 

If you are shooting at ISO 3200 it is probably because the light level is very low and you are struggling to get a shutter speed that you can handhold. Dialling in positive exposure compensation will make you shutter speed slower and make this difficult. If you can dial in +1 exposure compensation then you could switch the camera to ISO 1600.

 

I shoot at both ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 a lot but I shoot in M but the meter normally reads around 1 stop underexposure. Like with night shots the meters assumptions ordinarily do not hold in such low light conditions. Finally there is reduced dynamic range at ISO 3200.

 

Check out

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=554620

 

for examples of 20D shots - all shot at either ISO 1600 or ISO 3200. I do use noise ninja to reduce the chroma noise at higher ISO. You have very little room for editing even shooting RAW.

[KenPapai]

It's in your 20D manual, page 49:

[KenPapai]

Custom function 8:

[terry_lee10]

Correct exposure is critical when using ISO 1600 & 3200 as noise is an issue especially when the image is under exposed, which is why Wayne recommended +1 compensation.

 

If one is using at these high ISO, one is usually facing indoor sports or low light hand held photography where no flash is permitted.

 

The camera's auto metering can easily be fooled with uneven indoor lighting as there are often spot lights etc.

 

Try to master the metering and you find both 1600 & 3200 are a blessing as some noise is better than no shot or blurry shots.

 

Other than B&W 3200, think of those film days where colour ISO is quite limited.