Improving Low Light Performance

These are the statstics for this picture. This photograph was shot in RAW at ISO 3200, Focal length of 108mm, F/3.5 and at 1/10th of a second  handheld. This is also heavily cropped by about 80%.

In post processing, using Lightroom 4,  I did the standard things that you might do to a portrait. I decreased  CLARITY quite a bit to soften the shot up. I then took the "Adjustment Brush" and re-clarified the hair, eyes and lips. I also pulled the exposure back by about 3/4 of a stop. I'll explain that later.

The situation..... Eva was working on paperwork on the livingroom floor. The only light was from overhead which had three 75watt full spectrum compact florencent blubs in it. The paperwork provided the reflected light back to her face.

Click to read more ...

Using Lower ISOs

28mm, ISO100, F2.8, 60secMany new cameras have the default, preferred ISO setting of 200 even though they give you the option, in some cases,  of going down to ISO 50. In the manual for my camera, an Olympus E-5, it suggests that you use ISO 200. But in the camera is one stop below that in 1/3 stop increments of ISO 160, 125 and 100.

The reasoning for doing this is that it gives the camera better high ISO performance. This is a big plus, but what do we loose in the process? Remember photography is alway about compromises! Reading more deeply into manual you discover that Olympus claims that using ISOs below the default of 200 will decrease dynamic range that the camera can capture.  Dynamic range is the range of light from dark to light that it is capable of capturing. 

Click to read more ...