Posted by Twelvebit (Victoria, United States) on 19 November 2007 in Cityscape & Urban.
My camera's high ISO setting is supposed to be very noisy. As a result, I have used restraint and kept my highest ISO setting to 1600, which is fairly limiting at night without a faster lens than the zoom that came with the camera. The other night I was out taking a portrait shot in front of the state capitol building and decided to experiment, taking several shots at 3200 ISO. Is there a lot of noise? Yes. Is it so much worse that the advantages of higher speed should be forsaken? No. This shot was made at 3200 ISO, hand held, metered off the building.
This is the Texas State Capitol Building, in Austin, Texas. I need to go back and take more photos. I was surprised at the amount of activity around this building this late in the day --about 9 PM.
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It something that can't be avoided even with film a higher ISO was always grainy. Sometimes it can work and create a nice effect. Just what are they doing so late at night?
19 Nov 2007 5:20pm
@JoeB: I used to use Tmax 3200 and even push process it, so I know what you mean. Of course, my preference is for the best possible image with the least possible noise, since if I want a grain effect I can always create it in post processing. But most of the time I prefer not use a flash --especially in public where it draws attention-- and sometimes you just can't. I didn't get closer to the building so I'm not sure, but it was a week night, so I suppose it was possible that legislative activity was taking place --as much as I dread the thought.
I like this Twelvebit, it's a great capture, and the building is wonderful.
19 Nov 2007 10:02pm
@MaryB: Thank you. Yes, no doubt worthy of further exploration.
Beautiful, your call for using 3200 is the right one. The blur is often worst than noise. This image is not that noisy but has the crisp look to it
20 Nov 2007 12:23am
@Amir: Yes, given the alternatives I'm rather pleased with the results. Like everything else in photography, it's a trade-off.
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NIKON D801/80 secondF/4.530 mm (35mm equiv.)
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