> 3 minute read

Using High ISO Settings in Low Light

One of the most effective ways to make images in low-light conditions is by raising your camera’s ISO setting. Let’s find out why and look at some practical ways to balance convenience against image quality.

We’ve seen that one strategy to cope in low light is to raise the ISO sensitivity of your camera’s sensor. This is a bit like turning up the recording volume with a microphone to better capture quiet sounds – by increasing ISO, we make the camera more sensitive to light so we don’t need to use such a large aperture or such a long shutter speed.

This is a very useful way to photograph in low light without using your camera’s flash, which can kill the atmosphere of the occasion. Increasing ISO lets you use the ambient light already present, so you can represent the look and feel of a scene.

You can adjust ISO sensitivity using your camera’s dedicated ISO control dial, if it has one. Alternatively, some X Series cameras use a function button or menu to adjust ISO. Consult the manual that came with your camera if you’re not sure which approach to take.

A Warning About Image Quality

Boosting ISO in dark conditions does not come for free, however. To return to our microphone analogy for a moment, if we turned up the recording volume very high, we might hear a background hiss caused by random electronic noise being recorded along with the sound we actually want. The same principle applies with cameras: background electronic noise in the camera’s circuitry can get amplified as the ISO sensitivity is increased until it becomes visible in photos as small grain-like speckles.

This noise is not the end of the world, though – in fact, it can enhance the look and feel of gritty or moody images, and if images are being used online, you’ll probably not even notice it’s there. Only you can decide how much of that noise is acceptable or bothersome. But always remember: choosing the right ISO sensitivity for a particular situation is about balancing the convenience of being able to photograph handheld with maintaining good image quality.

Using Auto ISO

If that balancing act sounds like too much to be thinking about when all you want to do is create some pictures, then you are not alone. It’s why we introduced Auto ISO on our X Series cameras. Put simply, this super-useful feature automatically increases ISO when the light levels fall in order to keep the shutter speed high enough for handheld photography.

Turn the ISO dial to the A setting (or select A using the on-screen ISO controls) and try making an image in low light without flash (you can switch this off in your camera’s Q Menu). You’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you see.

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE The next time you take your camera on a night out or to a party, switch into Auto ISO mode and turn off your flash so you can convey the atmosphere of the occasion. Post your favourite images to social media with the hashtags #learnwithfujifilm. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.
• WATCH Check out our video below to learn more about ISO: