Quality Images & High ISOs

Over the past two years my appreciation for D-SLR cameras capable of producing quality images at high ISOs has grown exponentially.   My early experience with D-SLR cameras and ISOs of 400 and higher was disappointing.  Images contained random specks of color and were grainy in appearance due to high noise levels.  Because of the negative results of the past, I have been hesitant even on newer cameras to use high ISOs unless absolutely necessary.  With the purchase of my Nikon D4 camera, I have begun to seriously explore the possibilities of using ISOs of 640 and much higher on a somewhat regular basis.  For my applications, resulting images have been remarkable.  See the photos that follow for examples. (1) The waterfowl shots were taken late in the afternoon as the light was fading.   To freeze the splashing action of the ducks, I used ISOs of 640.  (2) The interior of this tulip was shot under soft light.  Since the magnification was high, light low, and the use of a tripod was difficult due to the camera angle, I shot this image with an ISO of 1200 to capture the needed depth of field and fast shutter speed to assure image sharpness. 3) The jelly fish was photographed under low light inside the Martine Museum in Solomon’s Island, MD at 10000 ISO with the camera hand held.  The use of a tripod and flash were impractical due to space constrictions and reflective surfaces.  Pleased with these results, I am continuing to explore new applications so see my next blog. See www.ospreyphoto.com for photo workshop details.