Remember those days when we were eagerly waiting for each new camera generation to make a high ISO photos? Not long ago, the ISO 6400 was the full limit of the actual purpose. Anything above it was suitable for special programs such as the best, UFO, elasticity Ness demon, or foreign landing. It’s not like that. Today, I am going to return Nikon Z9 in a corner and show you how well it performs in extreme ISOS. How high can you go?
My process
Before you object to the choice of the camera for this article, you should know that I only chose Nikon Z9 because this is my main camera. Many of today’s generation cameras have the same ISO performance. In fact, they can also perform better if they have a little less resolution. Finally, the previous head of Nikon, D6, had “20.8 megapixels only”, but a low-light hammer. What a modern 45 megapixel camera can compare?
With the help of some Illustrative Photos, I will try to shed some light on this question. In the last 10 years, cameras have come a long way. But at the same time, post-processing software has made a big jump in high ISOS. Hardware and software work at hand. Today, I will show you such pictures that I have edited in my normal way. This will give you a realistic idea of the results that you can expect from the Z9.
To edit your raw files, I use a pair of programs that complement each other well. First of all, I run my files through my favorite D-shor software, Dxo Pureraw. Then, I fix the DNG “intermediate product” in a capture. I try to edit with a light hand on sliders in Capture Forest, especially on the higher ISO. Mostly I adjust levels, saturation, and – where necessary – highlights and shadows. Less aggressive you are accompanied by sliders, usually low noise you will reveal.
Example photos
The first pair of photos shows a woman and a male white-boot racket-tail-tired Humingbird. Although it was not dark at all in the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest, it was necessary to set the ISO quite high. Humingbirds are normally smaller, but this species is actually one of the younger ones. As a rule, small hummingbirds, the faster it beats its wings. In this species, frequency can be about 70 beats per second! Therefore, if you do not want to capture a wingless hovering torso, you need to set the shutter speed (at least 1/1000th second) very quickly. Under these conditions, the exposure triangle begins to be ruthless. Nevertheless, ISO 5600 and 6400 are not numbers that spin your head.
In my opinion, this pair of photographs had neither encounter nor color. There is a bit of noise, but the lack of careful noise reduces it near the point of irrelevance. If you increase the photos, they are quite clean. I would probably believe someone who told me that they have been taken at ISO 560 and 640 instead of 5600 and 6400.
Let’s look at another pair photos. Just before sunrise, it was too early in the morning, when I took a picture of this black -laden puffbird on the slopes of Sumaco volcanic in Ecuador. Its check name, LencyAlso its German name, FolvogelGive a lot of suggestions about its behavior. Both names can be translated as “lazy birds”. Thanks to the stable nature of the bird, and my stable trippai, I could shoot less as 1/10 seconds without motion blot.
It opened the room for comparison. I took a picture in a second and 1/10th place of ISO 800, and on a second and 1/60th of ISO 5000. This is a very important difference in exif data. What in real life?
To avoid hiding any difference in post-production, I applied similar settings in capture one on both photos. And the result? I can’t help, but think that differences are below the determination power of my eye. Noise, color, sharpness and shadow expansion all look like me. But the judge for himself. (And if you click on one of the images, you can quickly switch between them at high resolution.)
An impressive result for high ISO photos!
But what is this? You are thinking that the difference between ISO 800 and ISO 5000 is not quite harsh? I have to accept, I was thinking the same thing. A morning photoshoot of Kingfishers gave me some great materials for more extreme comparison.
In the first photo, a male Kingfisher waited patiently with a slight movement, which reduced me as 1/30th second in ISO 720. After taking that safe shot, I switched in 1/1000th second – and the ISO jumped to 16,000 – while I was waiting for the bird to take off. But keeping this comparison in mind, I decided to take a shot before the bird flying. Here is described how those two pictures are compared:
The difference here is ultimately noticeable in the photo, even in my eyes. In particular, at 100% increased, the picture taken in the lower ISO has more details in the wings. You can also see smooth color transitions outside the depth of the area. It seems as if the background in the picture taken in ISO 16000 is more opposite. It distracts Bokeh more than the first picture. Nevertheless, I find the result very usable.
ISO is not a bad result for 16,000 photos! It was not long ago that such an ISO would look like mousse …
Finally, one thing in the last two photos is the same. I took both of them very slow, low quality light. Earlier, I will not even take the camera from my backpack, but since I was currently traveling with the best 400 mm telephoto lens, my courage increased.
I took a picture of this Andian cock-off-the-rock with 1/100th shutter speed, F/4, and ISO 16,000. Usually dark morning in the tropical mountain forest. But this time of the day is also full of life, and it would be a shame not taking a picture of some of them. So, here is a photo with a crop:
In the darkness of the forest, this picture pushes the camera capabilities to the extent. Not only the lack of light is problematic here, but the bird has a bright orange-red color. A close view shows that the wings are losing their textures and are getting a little poster. But by then, I had pushed Nikon Z9 on the very edge of my high ISO capabilities, and it still gave me a proper image.
conclusion
The combination of a modern, full-frame sensor and today’s powerful editing tools literally brings light to the dark. The limit of the mentality of ISO 6400 is outdated. Today, we can capture descriptions, smooth transitions and beautiful images filled with vibrant colors even in very low light.
So, what should be your personal “ISO limit”? I think any two photographers will not have the same answer. But for me, it is – Whatever is necessary to get photosIf this means pushing my camera to the edge of the high ISO, it is acceptable to me.
