Auto ISO

[mw]

Just curious if many of you use auto iso out there?

I've been mainly set it manually on the 5D3, but read through a few articles and the authors recommended auto iso.

If you use it, how do you like the result?

 

[bdunbar79]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase. So when I'm shooting soccer, and the Ashland U team irritates me by wearing white jerseys on their day games, exposing 0EV with CWA will make the jerseys look gray, like the camera is supposed to do. Likewise, you'll get an overexposure with black jerseys at 0EV and CWA.

So I cheated. I first bought a 1Dx so I could do this. Then I just shot in Tv mode with a custom function, auto ISO and +1 EV. or -1EV, or whatever, using CWA. I think I set Tv mode to 1/3200s, max aperture f/2.8, min aperture f/3.2, auto ISO, +2/3 EV on white jersey day, and used CWA. So I actually did use auto ISO, I just also exposed to the right.

 

[wickidwombat]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase. So when I'm shooting soccer, and the Ashland U team irritates me by wearing white jerseys on their day games, exposing 0EV with CWA will make the jerseys look gray, like the camera is supposed to do. Likewise, you'll get an overexposure with black jerseys at 0EV and CWA.

So I cheated. I first bought a 1Dx so I could do this. Then I just shot in Tv mode with a custom function, auto ISO and +1 EV. or -1EV, or whatever, using CWA. I think I set Tv mode to 1/3200s, max aperture f/2.8, min aperture f/3.2, auto ISO, +2/3 EV on white jersey day, and used CWA. So I actually did use auto ISO, I just also exposed to the right.

Unfortunately I think the 1Dx is the only canon camera that makes auto iso work properly none of the others do and as such i dont use it

 

[Harry Muff]

I use it all the time on my 5D2. I just set the camera to shutter priority and whatever minimum speed I need for the lens I'm using. If I need any more control, I just adjust exposure compensation to suit.

 

[J.R.]

Rarely. I shoot manual 99% of the time and Auto ISO + M is usually a fail.

 

[funkboy]

I'm in auto ISO and Av most of the time on my 6D. I generally try to ETTR and check histograms regularly. I've also got the Auto ISO "minium shutter speed" menu in my quick menu as I fiddle with it fairly often, esp. in low light.

The camera needs a way to change that from a physical control on the back (just like you can scroll through WB, etc).

 

[Dylan777]

Auto ISO @ all times. Still, I would keep an eye on it and try to stay below ISO6400.

 

[vargyropoulos]

Shooting wildlife on my 7D, I've been using manual shutter and aperture settings with auto ISO (limited to max 1600). this works fine for cloudy days but on sunny days I find that it over exposes the image (colors are washed out, too bright for my taste). I've taken what I learned from the "camera's mentality" and lately I've been trying to shoot in Av mode and adjusting exposure compensation as I see fit

 

[pierceography]

I'm with Dylan777. I'm almost always on Auto ISO, but I have it limited to 12,800 and will try to keep it below 6400. If I do happen to go above 6400, I'll consider rendering the photo in black and white so the grain will look more natural.

I used to almost always set the ISO myself, but that was back when I was shooting mostly architecture and landscape. Now that I go for more "candid" shots of my family, I need to be faster. So 95% of the time I'm in Av with Auto ISO. I can't really complain about the results. Any strange colors or exposure I can almost always correct in PP. But, of course, if I want to have full control I'll go manual. However that's usually limited to architecture/landscape or "studio" style work.

 

[awinphoto]

For everyday shooting (kids, pets, life, etc) I have the ISO on auto... It's important to understand auto ISO but more important to know the rules of auto ISO and Exposure compensation, as the camera will innately try to make everything 18% gray. Not all scenes are 18% gray, so adding some compensation or taking it away as needed when applicable and knowing when you need it is just as important. When I'm shooting clients in studio I always set my ISO at 100 and I let my strobes control the exposure. Likewise if im in the same area for any length of time, if the situation isn't changing, your exposure shouldn't be changing (for similar shots), so at that time I set everything manual and set things to taste.

 

[M.ST]

I don´t use Auto-ISO and I don´t like the results.

Funny that the camera (with Auto-ISO on) dial ISO 5.000 in, if I use the 70-200 2.8 II IS lens in Av mode with an aperture of 2.8 at 200 mm in an bright indoor scene.

 

[chauncey]

I just discussed auto ISO with customer service as I'm considering a new 5D3 to replace my current Ds3 for better ISO performance...
I generally use manual mode in LV, with all-color histogram, to adjust exposure as I'm an avid ETTR enthusiast.

Anyway...they told me that the Auto ISO function is dependent upon the specific metering mode that you have selected, true/false?

 

[dexstrose]

I'm usually in manual. I wasn't sure if I can trust the camera to expose right.

Over the weekend I tried auto iOS All day and was surprised it worked well on my 6d. Even with sun backlit images it didn't underexposed.

I'm going to keep this on my C1 mode with AV for times I just want to shoot fast and not think about settings.

 

[bchernicoff]

90% of the time I shoot my Mk III in Aperture Priority and Auto ISO (max 6400). I review the histograms and rarely have to make adjustments. Like someone else said, white shirts really throw off the AE though.

 

[Skirball]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

 

[bchernicoff]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

Exposure compensation works fine with Auto ISO as long as you aren't in Manual.

 

[Skirball]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

Exposure compensation works fine with Auto ISO as long as you aren't in Manual.

Yes, I recognize that, but that's not what is discussed above. Auto ISO, in Av, with eTTL... At that point you might as well use the green square. There are times that I want to use a specific aperture and shutter speeds; having an auto-ISO to fine tune changes in the scenes exposure would be handy, but without exposure compensation it's worthless to me unless I want gray photos.

 

[bdunbar79]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

Exposure compensation works fine with Auto ISO as long as you aren't in Manual.

You MISSED the point. The point is, with a 1D-series body (1Dx/1D4) you can shoot in M with auto ISO and do EC if you know the custom function workaround. Skirball is saying he can't do that, so he doesn't use auto ISO because he wants to/needs to shoot in full manual mode, not Av, not Tv, but M.

I don't prefer either. I actually almost always shoot in M mode and have scrapped the custom function b/c it gets complicated when you want to keep narrowing or widening aperture.

 

[bchernicoff]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

Exposure compensation works fine with Auto ISO as long as you aren't in Manual.

Yes, I recognize that, but that's not what is discussed above. Auto ISO, in Av, with eTTL... At that point you might as well use the green square. There are times that I want to use a specific aperture and shutter speeds; having an auto-ISO to fine tune changes in the scenes exposure would be handy, but without exposure compensation it's worthless to me unless I want gray photos.

Yes, sorry I missed that you said "with M". My mistake.

I have used Auto ISO in Manual with decent results. It was a pro motocross race and I needed to control DOF, shutter speed, but still have the flexibility to follow a rider as he passed from the shade of trees to open track. The open track shots came out perfect and the shaded ones were close enough to fix in post. If I had the ability to also use EC, I would still have to choose which I wanted to look better...the shots in shade or the shots in open track.

 

[Skirball]

A big problem with auto ISO is that the camera is exposing "everything 18% gray mode" as I've come up with my own patented phrase.

+1 If there was an exposure control for the auto ISO it'd be a very handy tool with M. But as I don't have a 1DX to do this workaround, I never really use it.

Exposure compensation works fine with Auto ISO as long as you aren't in Manual.

Yes, I recognize that, but that's not what is discussed above. Auto ISO, in Av, with eTTL... At that point you might as well use the green square. There are times that I want to use a specific aperture and shutter speeds; having an auto-ISO to fine tune changes in the scenes exposure would be handy, but without exposure compensation it's worthless to me unless I want gray photos.

Yes, sorry I missed that you said "with M". My mistake.

I have used Auto ISO in Manual with decent results. It was a pro motocross race and I needed to control DOF, shutter speed, but still have the flexibility to follow a rider as he passed from the shade of trees to open track. The open track shots came out perfect and the shaded ones were close enough to fix in post. If I had the ability to also use EC, I would still have to choose which I wanted to look better...the shots in shade or the shots in open track.

Absolutely. You can certainly get good results with it; but it's just if your scene happens to expose well at 18%. If you don't have a lot of whites or darks to manage it could do well. But if you're looking for moody, you're going to get moody with the results. It's a shame, because I'm sure it'd be easy to do, and I think it could be a very useful shooting mode.