ISO image sensititvity

Every camera has something called Base ISO, which is typically the lowest ISO number of the sensor
that can produce the highest image quality, without adding noise to the picture. Some older Nikon
DSLRs and a number of other modern cameras such as the Fuji X-T2 have a base ISO of 200, whereas
most modern Nikon and Canon digital cameras have a base ISO of 100. So, optimally, you should
always try to stick to the base ISO to get the highest image quality. However, it is not always possible
to do so, especially when working in low-light conditions.

Typically, ISO numbers start from 100-200 (Base ISO) and increment in value in geometric progression
(power of two). So, the ISO sequence is: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 and etc. The important
thing to understand, is that each step between the numbers effectively doubles the sensitivity of
the sensor. So, ISO 200 is twice more sensitive than ISO 100, while ISO 400 is twice more sensitive
than ISO 200. This makes ISO 400 four times more sensitive to light than ISO 100, and ISO 1600
sixteen times more sensitive to light than ISO 100, so on and so forth. What does it mean when a
sensor is sixteen times more sensitive to light? It means that it needs sixteen times less time to
capture an image!

ISO Speed Example:

ISO 100 1 second

ISO 200 1/2 of a second

ISO 400 1/4 of a second

ISO 800 1/8 of a second

ISO 1600 1/15 of a second

ISO 3200 1/30 of a second

In the above ISO Speed Example, if your camera sensor needed exactly 1 second to capture a scene at
ISO 100, simply by switching to ISO 3200, you can capture the same scene at 1/30th of a second! That
can mean a world of difference in photography, since it can help to avoid camera shake or motion
blur.

The better the light, the lower the ISO (ISO basic 100-200)

For objects moving at a fast speed in dark, try higher ISO. Bear in mind it will increase noise and
grains.

2) When to Use Low ISO

As I have said above, you should always try to stick to the lowest ISO (base ISO) of your
camera, which is typically ISO 100 or 200, whenever possible. When there is plenty of light,
you should use the lowest ISO to retain the most amount of detail and to have the highest
image quality. There are some cases where you might want to use low ISO in dim or dark
environments for example, if you have your camera mounted on a tripod or sitting on a flat,
non-moving surface. In that case, bear in mind that your camera will most likely need more
time to capture the scene and anything that is moving is probably going to look like a ghost.

When to Increase ISO

You should increase the ISO when there is not enough light for the camera to be able to
quickly capture an image. Anytime I shoot indoors without a flash, I set my ISO to a higher
number to be able to capture the moment without introducing blur to the image. Another
case where you might want to increase ISO is when you need to get ultra-fast shots, like the
bird picture I posted above. Before increasing the ISO though, you should first decide if it is
OK for you to introduce some noise to the image. Remember, the bigger the ISO number, the
more noise you will see in your images.

Shutter Speed
it is responsible for creating dramatic effects by either freezing action or blurring motion.

Shutter speed, also known as exposure time, stands for the length of time a camera
shutter is open to expose light into the camera sensor. If the shutter speed is fast, it can help
to freeze action completely, as seen in the above photo of the dolphin. If the shutter speed is
slow, it can create an effect called motion blur, where moving objects appear blurred along
the direction of the motion.

Slow shutter speeds are also used to photograph lightnings or other objects at night or in
dim environments with a tripod. Landscape photographers intentionally use slow shutter
speeds to create a sense of motion on rivers and waterfalls, while keeping everything else in
focus.

Shutter speeds are typically measured in fractions of a second, when they are under a second.
For example 1/4 means a quarter of a second, while 1/250 means one two-hundred-and-
fiftieth of a second or four milliseconds.

Fast shutter speed is typically whatever it takes to freeze action. For me, it is typically above
1/500th of a second for general photography and above 1/1000th of a second for bird
photography.

Slow shutter speed is considered to be the slowest shutter speed that you can handle without
introducing camera shake. Some of Nikons lenses such as the Nikon 70-200mm VR II have
special image stabilization (also known as vibration reduction) technologies within the lens
that can help photographers take pictures at very slow shutter speeds when hand-holding
cameras, without introducing camera shake.
If you look through the viewfinder, it should also be the number on the bottom left side of
the screen. On most DSLRs, you will not see the shutter speed as a fraction of a second it
will typically be a regular number. When the shutter speed is slower than or equals to one
second, you will see something like 1 or 5 (the sign indicates a full second).

Slow shutter speeds allow more light into the camera sensor and are used for low-light and
night photography, while fast shutter speeds help to freeze motion. Examples of shutter
speeds: 1/15 (1/15th of a second), 1/30, 1/60, 1/125.

What is Aperture?

The pupil is essentially what we refer to as aperture in photography. The amount of light that
enters the retina (which works just like the camera sensor), is limited to the size of the pupil
the larger the pupil, the more light enters the retina.

So, the easiest way to remember aperture, is by associating it with your pupil. Large pupil
size equals large aperture, while small pupil size equals small aperture.

In photography, aperture is expressed in f-numbers (for example f/5.6). These f-numbers that
are known as f-stops are a way of describing the size of the aperture, or how open or
closed the aperture is. A smaller f-stop means a larger aperture, while a larger f-stop means a
smaller aperture. Most people find this awkward, since we are used to having larger numbers
represent larger values, but not in this case. For example, f/1.4 is larger than f/2.0 and
much larger than f/8.0.

the larger the f-number, the smaller the aperture

f-1.4 > f-2 > f-2.8 > f-4 > f5.6 >f-8

One important thing to remember here, the size of the aperture has a direct impact on
the depth of field, which is the area of the image that appears sharp. A large f-number such
as f/32, (which means a smaller aperture) will bring all foreground and background objects in
focus, while a small f-number such as f/1.4 will isolate the foreground from the background
by making the foreground objects sharp and the background blurry.

Due to the complexity of optical design for zoom lenses, many of the consumer lenses have
variable apertures. What it means, is that when you are fully zoomed out, the aperture is one
number, while zooming in will increase the f-number to a higher number. For example, the
Nikon 18-200mm lens has a variable maximum aperture of f/3.5-f/5.6. When zoomed fully
out at 18mm, the lens has an aperture of f/3.5, while when fully zoomed in at 200mm, the
lens has an aperture of f/5.6.
Why is this important? Because larger maximum aperture means that the lens can pass
through more light, and hence, your camera can capture images faster in low-light situations.
Having a larger maximum aperture also means better ability to isolate subjects from the
background.

To get the image properly exposed, so that it is not too bright or too dark, Shutter Speed, Aperture
and ISO need to play together.