6d Highest Usable Iso?

[Haydn1971]

My auto ISO is limited to 3200 - beyond that, at full resolution, noise starts creeping in - however, I've had some good photos well beyond 3200, it really depends on your tolerance and the application.  I use Instagram a lot, so don't mind noise in my "life-snaps" that I upload

[sandymandy]

I think its just physical reasons. Bigger sensors just have less noise cuz the pixels arent so densly together and they just catch more light. Im sure there are other reasons too but i dont think Canon wants to push people to FF. APS-C should earn them more cash than FF.

[pedro]

No intentions to spoil the thread. Here's a frame taken last weekend at absolutely low light (almost pitch dark, some weak ambiental light and a spot from a grass storage silo in the bg) by the 5D3, handheld. Exposure 1/5 sec.
First frame, no NR, second frame: Luminance 5, Chrominance 18. ISO 16.000. I guess the slightly lower MP count of the 6D really adds to the samples we see here. Congrats, folks. Anyway, I am really happy with my 5D3 although  I am looking forward to where Canon will set its high ISO IQ (25k and above) standard about six years from now. 5DV, 6DIII.
Regards, Peter


5D3 ISO 16.000 color sample. by Peter Hauri, on Flickr

[tomscott]

I limit my 5DMKIII (basically the same performance) to 6400 but its fine at 12,800

12,800


BMW F30 3 Series interior, centre console climate control by TomScottPhoto, on Flickr

[mdmphoto]

I have no hesitation using my 6D up to ISO 25,600,  If you have a properly exposed photo, noise is perfectly acceptable at high ISO.

These shots are just fantastic, Justin! While I am still adjusting to the far greater latitude my 6D affords me over my 7D, I've mostly been puttering about at 3200 or so - and apparently I've been forgoing a great many shots unnecessarily.  Thanks for the enlightenment!

[vlim]

Wow stunning results Dustin

Do you see the 6D as a potential body for relatively quiet wildlife (i mean not afraid) in a rainforest environment which requires high iso. The AF is so important too there...

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

I have no hesitation using my 6D up to ISO 25,600,  If you have a properly exposed photo, noise is perfectly acceptable at high ISO.

These shots are just fantastic, Justin! While I am still adjusting to the far greater latitude my 6D affords me over my 7D, I've mostly been puttering about at 3200 or so - and apparently I've been forgoing a great many shots unnecessarily.  Thanks for the enlightenment!

Wow stunning results Dustin

Do you see the 6D as a potential body for relatively quiet wildlife (i mean not afraid) in a rainforest environment which requires high iso. The AF is so important too there...

The way that the 6D does begin to produce noise is more like film grain, and I (and many other reviewers) have found that the output from the 6D at higher ISO is actually oddly pleasing, even at higher magnification.  It develops a film grain type noise, but chrominance noise (color noise) remains minimal.  I will try to attach as large as possible a sample at 25,600 with no adjustment for you to look at.  The most amazing thing to me is how well detail stands up.

[Jim O]

Don't know if there is noise @ ISO 100 on the 60D. But I'd have to agree that the 6D ISO performance is outstanding compared to the 60D. I recently rented one for 2 weeks and didn't want to send it back. I was hoping the 70D would draw somewhat closer to the 6D in higher ISO images but it seems like that's not the case.  I'm torn on upgrading to the 6D or hanging on until the 7DMkII.  I'm starting to wonder if Canon limits high ISO abilities in the crop sensors to more or less direct people toward FF sensors.

If I had to *guess* - and that's all I really can do - I would think that the 7D2 will have better high ISO performance than the 70D. While Canon could do otherwise, I am thinking it will have high ISO performance close to if not similar to the 5D3 with more FPS shooting and better weather sealing. I doubt high ISO performance will be quite as good as the 6D but only because they want to differentiate their lines some.

This is how I see it. Again, it's just my guess:

• 1D X and beyond - for those that need or want the best, and those who need to shoot in a monsoon.
• 5D3  and beyond - for those that need an excellent all around FF camera for speed, AF, etc.
• 6D and beyond - for those that need extreme high ISO/low light performance and are willing to sacrifice a bit on AF. Also for the budget conscious who want to "step up" to FF.
• 7D and beyond - top of the line APS-C camera for those who want a well sealed tank of a camera with fast AF, high FPS, and may already have an investment in EF-S lenses.

[PureShot]

6D and beyond - for those that need extreme high ISO/low light performance and are willing to sacrifice a bit on AF
I prefer the af in the 6D vs the 7D the 6D af is more speedy and in he can make focus in very low light condition
in studio my sweet iso spot is 2000 with 6D vs 400 iso with 7D.
www.pureshotstudio.com

[Skirball]

I'm starting to wonder if Canon limits high ISO abilities in the crop sensors to more or less direct people toward FF sensors.

I would think that the 7D2...  will have high ISO performance close to if not similar to the 5D3 with more FPS shooting and better weather sealing. I doubt high ISO performance will be quite as good as the 6D but only because they want to differentiate their lines some.

The FF sensors have better high ISO abilities because...  wait for it...  they're bigger sensors that capture more light.  Canon isn't intentionally limiting anything on the sensors.  It would take a serious leap in technology to have the 7D2 match the 5d3/6D high ISO performance.  And if they did, and had faster FPS and better weather sealing, get ready to pay for it.

[captainkanji]

Straight from Lightroom with no edits (default sharpness). (Click photo for larger size)
ISO 6400, 1/50, f/4, 200mm, Canon 6D


ISO 20000, 1/80, f/4, 70mm, Canon 6D (no edits except defaults)


Here is a photo with the 7D, same lens (no edits except defaults)
ISO 4000, 1/50, f/4, 154mm, Canon 7D

[papa-razzi]

Just got my 6D yesterday.  I shot a High School cross country race with it yesterday late afternoon.  So here is my 1 sports even comparison of the 6D vs 7D.

AF kept up for the most part.  I used center point only servo.  Not as good as my 7D, but I didn't miss many shots due to AF.  I really missed the 8 FPS and large raw buffer on the 7D.  I had to shoot JPEG only on the 6D to get any kind of fps.

I was using a 70-300L and I thought I was going to miss the crop factor on the long end.  What I found is that the wide end was much more usable at 70mm than on the 7D.  I got a lot of after-the-race candid adn posed shots which I would have had to change for a wider lens with the 7D, and the long end of the 70-300L was just fine on the 6D.  So that was kind of a nice surprise for me.

The view finder doesn't seem as bright on the 6D - at least it was very hard to see the focus points in the view finder when the subject was in darker light such as shadows.  I never had trouble seeing the focus points on the 7D.  Still, using the center point worked out OK for what I was doing.

I used auto ISO, 1/1000 shutter - I had shots at 3200 ISO and 6000 ISO.  I really couldn't tell much of a difference when the focus was on.  On the 7D, the noise bothered me at ISO 800+.  In very low light situations, noise would bother me at ISO 400.  Maybe I have a more noisy copy of the 7D.  Noise is the only complaint I have witht he 7D - othewise it is a fantastic camera.

Unless you are doing fine art prints or very large enlargements, I can't see high ISO being a real issue at all with the 6D.  I'm very pleased.  I'll have a better perspective when I do some indoor theater events with the 6D.  My 7D fell over on its face trying to do that.

I'll keep using the 7D on all my outdoor sporting events.  But the 6D is likely to be the camera I use for most everything else.

[Kernuak]

6D is two stops better or so.  So if 800 is your cut-off now, 3200 would probably be your cut-off on the 6D. Anyone else agree?

That would seem about right to me, judging by the 5D MkIII and 7D. I am willing to push the 7D to 1600 (same sensor as the 60D) and the 5D MkIII to 6400 (which probably isn't too different to the 6D).

[horshack]

I compared my 6D to my D3s (since sold) and outside of some technical aspects of IQ like a bit lower color saturation the 6D was almost neck and neck with the D3s at the Ultra High ISOs. It's that good.

I agree with other posters that it's more useful to state the usable ISO in terms of +EV stops relative to another body...because everyone has a different idea as to what represents usable in terms of noise and detail.

[bradfordswood]

Thanks everyone for your replies.  Being able to push a camera to ISO 3200, even 6400 and have acceptable results would be fantastic.

Not to get off topic, but can anyone compare their ISO experience between the 5D Mark II and the 6D?  They are close in price refurbished, just wondering how they compare at the higher ISO settings.

Thanks!