How to influence ISO vs shutter speed choices (auto ISO)?

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Unscript

Unscript

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Today, I took a few landscape shots in aperture-priority mode on my Z6III, with auto ISO. There was a good deal of daylight but it was foggy. I realized later that the ISO was really high and the shutter "speed" was really high, too (not really a speed since the units are all wrong, but that's how it's called).

For example, for f/9, ISO 6400 at 1/8000 s, and of course, the result is quite noisy. I really didn't need 1/8000 s. Arguably, the noise is likely more visible in those shots because of the low contrast. At f/4, it even jumped at 1/16000 s, with ISO 2800.

I know it's possible to set a maximum ISO in the ISO Sensitivity Settings, but the trade-off chosen by the camera puzzles me. Setting ISO sensitivity in the same menu seems to make the camera try to stick to that value in auto, unless the shutter "speed" gets under the Minimum shutter speed value, though I haven't done a lot of testing (when I took the shots, those values were respectively ISO 6400 and 1/100 s). I can't really lower Maximum sensitivity to 800 or 1600, or I'll have to change it back in darker conditions.

I wish there was a sort of "slope" setting to adjust the trade-off, depending on the current "need for speed". ;)

How do you setup your camera in those situations? Do you use the manual mode, or do you force manual ISO when the scene is bright enough? Or is there another trick? It feels like a basic question, but I used to shoot with fixed ISO, and now that I'm using auto, I'm sometimes faced with that issue (after the fact).
 
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Unscript said:
How do you setup your camera in those situations?
Click to expand...

  • Aperture : manual
  • Time : manual
  • ISO : auto (immediately changeable to manual)
  • Exp.Comp. : adjusts ISO
Commonly referred to as ‘Manual with Auto ISO’.


On my cameras each of the four settings above is permanently assigned to its own dedicated dial/ring (three dials on the camera, plus the control ring on the lens).

I have also assigned a special button (next to the shutter button) to instantly reset adjusted exposures to any of three defaults of my choice — effectively, a get-me-out-of-here panic button.
 
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Unscript said:
Today, I took a few landscape shots in aperture-priority mode on my Z6III, with auto ISO. There was a good deal of daylight but it was foggy. I realized later that the ISO was really high and the shutter "speed" was really high, too (not really a speed since the units are all wrong, but that's how it's called).

For example, for f/9, ISO 6400 at 1/8000 s, and of course, the result is quite noisy. I really didn't need 1/8000 s. Arguably, the noise is likely more visible in those shots because of the low contrast. At f/4, it even jumped at 1/16000 s, with ISO 2800.

I know it's possible to set a maximum ISO in the ISO Sensitivity Settings, but the trade-off chosen by the camera puzzles me. Setting ISO sensitivity in the same menu seems to make the camera try to stick to that value in auto, unless the shutter "speed" gets under the Minimum shutter speed value, though I haven't done a lot of testing (when I took the shots, those values were respectively ISO 6400 and 1/100 s). I can't really lower Maximum sensitivity to 800 or 1600, or I'll have to change it back in darker conditions.

I wish there was a sort of "slope" setting to adjust the trade-off, depending on the current "need for speed". ;)

How do you setup your camera in those situations? Do you use the manual mode, or do you force manual ISO when the scene is bright enough? Or is there another trick? It feels like a basic question, but I used to shoot with fixed ISO, and now that I'm using auto, I'm sometimes faced with that issue (after the fact).
Click to expand...
Everything manual. Full control.
 
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As already mentioned, you can accomplish what you want by using Manual with Auto ISO.

You can also set Aperture Priority; then go to ISO Sensitivity settings in your Photo Shooting Menu. Once there, select ON; then you can set max and min amounts if desired for your ISO range; and you can set a minimum shutter speed too.

When I am shooting landscapes, I often use Aperture Priority over Manual with Auto ISO. I set auto iso to ON; I set ISO to the max the camera allows; and I set a minimum shutter speed depending on whether i am using a tripod or hand holding, lens being used, etc.

Go to page 451 in the Reference Guide for your Z6iii. If you have any of Steve's guides for DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, his guide will over similar info but with more details.

Either approach will work as long as you understand what is happening with your group of settings.
 
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I agree with the posts above and run either Manual with Auto ISO when I want an automated exposure mode to track rapidly changing light levels or full Manual with manually set ISO otherwise.

A mode that automatically adjusts two parameters such as shutter speed and ISO gives too much control to the camera’s programming for my tastes. One automatically set parameter along with exposure compensation is plenty.
 
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As with everyone else, I use manual mode with auto ISO for nearly everything, and swap to manual ISO if I'm going to be working off a tripod/have more time to fine tune exposure where I want it (v wildlife where I use auto iso).
 
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For me, landscapes = full manual. Unless there is a breeze creating motion in the scene, I prefer to set aperture and ISO, and then adjust shutter speed to fine tune the exposure. For landscapes and especially architecture, I generally do no care how long the shutter speed is.
 
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Unscript said:
Today, I took a few landscape shots in aperture-priority mode on my Z6III, with auto ISO. There was a good deal of daylight but it was foggy. I realized later that the ISO was really high and the shutter "speed" was really high, too (not really a speed since the units are all wrong, but that's how it's called).

For example, for f/9, ISO 6400 at 1/8000 s, and of course, the result is quite noisy. I really didn't need 1/8000 s. Arguably, the noise is likely more visible in those shots because of the low contrast. At f/4, it even jumped at 1/16000 s, with ISO 2800.

I know it's possible to set a maximum ISO in the ISO Sensitivity Settings, but the trade-off chosen by the camera puzzles me. Setting ISO sensitivity in the same menu seems to make the camera try to stick to that value in auto, unless the shutter "speed" gets under the Minimum shutter speed value, though I haven't done a lot of testing (when I took the shots, those values were respectively ISO 6400 and 1/100 s). I can't really lower Maximum sensitivity to 800 or 1600, or I'll have to change it back in darker conditions.

I wish there was a sort of "slope" setting to adjust the trade-off, depending on the current "need for speed". ;)

How do you setup your camera in those situations? Do you use the manual mode, or do you force manual ISO when the scene is bright enough? Or is there another trick? It feels like a basic question, but I used to shoot with fixed ISO, and now that I'm using auto, I'm sometimes faced with that issue (after the fact).
Click to expand...
I could be wrong but if you want to shoot aperture preferred , I think you can set an upper limit for shutter speed similar to how you do with iso. But like everyone else has suggested, go with full manual for landscape.
 
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To add to what's already been said, when you are in Aperture Priority or Program, the camera will use your currently selection ISO as a soft base ISO when using Auto ISO. So, I you have your normal ISO setting at ISO 6400, that's what the camera will use unless it's so bright that it runs out of shutter speed, only then will it drop.

FWIW, M + Auto ISO is easier. It ignores the selected ISO and sets what you need for the shot based on your shutter speed and F/stop.
 
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Full manual for everything all the time and WATCH THE HISTOGRAM!! Very simple and FAST and your exposure will always be close enough assuming you are shooting RAW. Histogram is your best buddy. On Sony bodies I set the rear wheel to quickly tweek ISO so no menu diving. I would assume there is an equally quick way of adjusting ISO on the latest Nikons without having to go into a menu.

A pro I worked with many years ago required me to shoot full manual for everything all the time. I was forced to learn quick but it was probably the best thing I ever did to improve my photography.
 
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