Setting ISO 100 on K-5?

*Rich · 08-14-2013, 03:50 PM

I shoot bracketed multi-frame RAW exposures for processing as HDR. In the past I always shot at ISO 100 with my Canon 40D to get the absolute minimal noise, which can be a problem with HDR processing.

But the lowest ISO I can set on my K-5 seems to be 200, and I am seeing noise in my magnified views from Photoshop Bridge. Then one day I accidentally brought up a default USER preset on my K-5 that set it to shoot JPEG's and I noticed the ISO was pre-set at ISO 100. So, is there a way I can set my ISO manually to 100 for shooting RAW? Thanks.

**wizofoz** · 08-14-2013, 03:56 PM - **1 Like**

Rich, do you have highlight correction enabled? This setting will prevent a k-5 from shooting at iso100.

*Rich · 08-14-2013, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by wizofoz

Rich, do you have highlight correction enabled? This setting will prevent a k-5 from shooting at iso100.

Yes, I do. It was on by default, so I turned it off and wha-la, ISO can now be set to 100. Thanks. Hopefully this will reduce the noise that I'm seeing in Bridge.

everydaylife · 08-14-2013, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by *Rich

I shoot bracketed multi-frame RAW exposures for processing as HDR. In the past I always shot at ISO 100 with my Canon 40D to get the absolute minimal noise, which can be a problem with HDR processing.

But the lowest ISO I can set on my K-5 seems to be 200, and I am seeing noise in my magnified views from Photoshop Bridge. Then one day I accidentally brought up a default USER preset on my K-5 that set it to shoot JPEG's and I noticed the ISO was pre-set at ISO 100. So, is there a way I can set my ISO manually to 100 for shooting RAW? Thanks.

I just got a K5 and was struggling to set it to below 200 also until yesterday when I discovered that highlight preservation has to be set to off and DR expansion set to on. I do not have my camera to hand so I cannot tell you where in the menu those settings are. If you do this you will be able to go as low as iso 80. Good luck.

*Rich · 08-14-2013, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by everydaylife

I just got a K5 and was struggling to set it to below 200 also until yesterday when I discovered that highlight preservation has to be set to off and DR expansion set to on. I do not have my camera to hand so I cannot tell you where in the menu those settings are. If you do this you will be able to go as low as iso 80. Good luck.

When you say "DR expansion," do you mean the "Shadow Correction" under the D-Range Setting" menu? If so, what does this setting do. I notice it has four settings: Off, Low, Medium, and High. Presently mine is set to "Low" (default?). The lowest ISO I can set is 100, after turning "Highlight Correction" Off. Thanks.

Na Horuk · 08-14-2013, 04:33 PM - **1 Like**

I suggest you read up some threads on highlight and shadow correction and what they do.
Highlight correction actually doesnt let you choose the lowest ISO, because it actually shoots at an ISO lower than the one shown, and then brightens everything (without clipping highlights). Shadow correction doesn't affect ISO choices, and it also doesn't affect raw files.
Then there is "boost ISO" or "expanded ISO" or something. Not sure what exactly its called, but if you enable it in the menu (not INFO, but MENU), it will let you choose even more ISO options. I don't have the K-5, but I think its one of the very few DSLRs that go as low as ISO 80.

I am a little surprised you can see "noise" at such a low ISO, though. Some noise is unavoidable, but with the K-5 it really shouldnt be problematic up until above ISO 1600. People shoot as high as ISO 6400 and still produce perfectly good photos. If you shoot jpeg, you can also fiddle with the noise reduction (NR, check the manual) or if you shoot raw you can use NR sliders. But remember that noise isnt really a problem. Very rarely will noise really ruin a photo, unless you go very high and are taking photos of fine details.

Good luck

*Rich · 08-14-2013, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by Na Horuk

I suggest you read up some threads on highlight and shadow correction and what they do.
Highlight correction actually doesnt let you choose the lowest ISO, because it actually shoots at an ISO lower than the one shown, and then brightens everything (without clipping highlights). Shadow correction doesn't affect ISO choices, and it also doesn't affect raw files.
Then there is "boost ISO" or "expanded ISO" or something. Not sure what exactly its called, but if you enable it in the menu (not INFO, but MENU), it will let you choose even more ISO options. I don't have the K-5, but I think its one of the very few DSLRs that go as low as ISO 80.

I am a little surprised you can see "noise" at such a low ISO, though. Some noise is unavoidable, but with the K-5 it really shouldnt be problematic up until above ISO 1600. People shoot as high as ISO 6400 and still produce perfectly good photos. If you shoot jpeg, you can also fiddle with the noise reduction (NR, check the manual) or if you shoot raw you can use NR sliders. But remember that noise isnt really a problem. Very rarely will noise really ruin a photo, unless you go very high and are taking photos of fine details.

Good luck

Thanks Na Horuk. I'm mostly shooting landscapes with lots of sky at sunset with temperatures near 100 degrees F here in the high desert of New Mexico. Also the light is low, especially in deep shadows at this time. Those factors, a hot CCD, low light, and smooth sky gradations tend to accentuate noise from any camera. HDR processing in Photomatix further accentuates any noise that may be present during tone-mapping.

I'm not sure what magnification PS Bridge's "magnifier" loop works at? I think it's 200% magnification that I'm looking at and seeing noise in the skies of RAW files shot at ISO 200.

Na Horuk · 08-14-2013, 05:19 PM

Ah, yes, heat and some other situations can make noise appear worse.
Also, keep in mind that the raw file has an embedded jpeg preview (a thumbnail) and a lot of software will show you only the preview jpeg, until you actually open the raw file in a raw converter software. I am not sure what the Bridge shows, but if you open the raw file and apply standard noise reduction, it might turn out that the noise isnt quite as bad

Btw, there are also some special plugins and NR software out there. Like Noise Ninja, Topaz Denoise, etc. These can be even better than the default raw converter's NR.
And for long exposures, you might want to enable "slow shutter NR" (or dark frame reduction), where the camera, after a long exposure, closes the shutter and takes a second exposure with the closed shutter, then subtracts the dark frame's noise from the original photo. This can help out a lot, if you have the time to take the second dark frame. Be sure to turn it off if you need to take rapid long exposures without missing a beat.

Ponosby Britt · 08-14-2013, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by *Rich

Yes, I do. It was on by default, so I turned it off and wha-la, ISO can now be set to 100. Thanks. Hopefully this will reduce the noise that I'm seeing in Bridge.

Noise from a K-5 at ISO 200? "wha-la"? Both must be like the Jesuits told me, "mysteries".

atarget · 08-14-2013, 08:27 PM

Originally posted by Ponosby Britt

Noise from a K-5 at ISO 200? "wha-la"? Both must be like the Jesuits told me, "mysteries".

And to hijack the thread : highlight cx is OFF by default ( numero uno in menu, not numero duo). Same with shadow cx by the way.

wha - la - la ( French is strange)

abmj · 08-14-2013, 09:03 PM

I presume "wha-la" = voila!

Properly exposed images on a K-5 should show minimal to no excess noise at ISO 200. I frequently keep it set there for "walking around" as it gives me a bit more latitude in shutter speeds in my aging and less-than totally steady hands. ISO 100 or less is pretty much for on the tripod.

Of course, I normally run almost everything through Denoise at lowest setting as part of my work flow anyway.

GnipGnop · 08-15-2013, 07:10 AM

I don't know how you're getting noise at ISO 200. If you expose to the right, you can get clean images up to ISO 800 in my experience, even ISO 1600 if you're careful with your technique.

ISO 2500: 500px / Drivers by Robbie Vize

ISO 640: 500px / Cormorant 3 by Robbie Vize

ISO 3200: 500px / Gunner by Robbie Vize

*Rich · 08-15-2013, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by GnipGnop

I don't know how you're getting noise at ISO 200. If you expose to the right, you can get clean images up to ISO 800 in my experience, even ISO 1600 if you're careful with your technique.

ISO 2500: 500px / Drivers by Robbie Vize

ISO 640: 500px / Cormorant 3 by Robbie Vize

ISO 3200: 500px / Gunner by Robbie Vize

As I mentioned, HDR Tone-mapping in Photomatix will bring out ANY noise present, unless Micro-smoothing is cranked up (which destroys detail). Also, a hot CCD will yield more noise than normal, as is the case with shooting in New Mexico in the summer. In the 17" x 25" enlargements I do, noise can be noticeable in smooth gradations like the sky and clouds if not corrected before output sharpening. Again, I am talking about HDR processed imagages and not straight RAW images shot at normal temperatures below 100 degrees F.

In the RAW test shots I did yesterday, being able to shoot at ISO 100 certainly helped. Thanks everyone (except Pornosby Brit) for your help and the french lesson. Voila, it solved my problem.

GnipGnop · 08-15-2013, 09:25 AM

You should also consider manually creating your HDR images if you are printing large, by blending layers and selectively adding and removing bright and dark areas. Or you could use Photoshop's HDR blending tool and then bring it back into Lightroom.

I'm curious that you are creating HDR images that result in more noise. Part of the point of HDR is to create images with noise free shadows and darker areas.

nanhi · 08-15-2013, 11:49 AM

Hey Mr. Rich, hold on! Why should you get noise at ISO 200 on the K-5. I get absolutely clean images even at ISO 400.
Please read up the Manual or Google on the K-5 Settings.
I am truly at odds hearing about noise at ISO 200 shooting with the Sunny 16 Rule. I can't say about poorly lit subjects or shadow details under these conditions, which then the Photographer is to blame for.
I remember shooing my house at night with just the sodium vapor street lamps with my K20D and the DA 16-50 at ISO 1200 for a the most beautiful winter night shot.
Regards.

08-14-2013, 03:50 PM	#1
*Rich Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA Posts: 31	Setting ISO 100 on K-5? I shoot bracketed multi-frame RAW exposures for processing as HDR. In the past I always shot at ISO 100 with my Canon 40D to get the absolute minimal noise, which can be a problem with HDR processing. But the lowest ISO I can set on my K-5 seems to be 200, and I am seeing noise in my magnified views from Photoshop Bridge. Then one day I accidentally brought up a default USER preset on my K-5 that set it to shoot JPEG's and I noticed the ISO was pre-set at ISO 100. So, is there a way I can set my ISO manually to 100 for shooting RAW? Thanks.

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08-14-2013, 03:56 PM - 1 Like	#2
wizofoz Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melbourne, Outer east. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,695	Rich, do you have highlight correction enabled? This setting will prevent a k-5 from shooting at iso100.

08-14-2013, 04:03 PM	#3
Rich Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA Posts: 31 Original Poster*	Originally posted by wizofoz Rich, do you have highlight correction enabled? This setting will prevent a k-5 from shooting at iso100. Yes, I do. It was on by default, so I turned it off and wha-la, ISO can now be set to 100. Thanks. Hopefully this will reduce the noise that I'm seeing in Bridge.

08-14-2013, 04:03 PM	#4
everydaylife Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 268	Originally posted by *Rich I shoot bracketed multi-frame RAW exposures for processing as HDR. In the past I always shot at ISO 100 with my Canon 40D to get the absolute minimal noise, which can be a problem with HDR processing. But the lowest ISO I can set on my K-5 seems to be 200, and I am seeing noise in my magnified views from Photoshop Bridge. Then one day I accidentally brought up a default USER preset on my K-5 that set it to shoot JPEG's and I noticed the ISO was pre-set at ISO 100. So, is there a way I can set my ISO manually to 100 for shooting RAW? Thanks. I just got a K5 and was struggling to set it to below 200 also until yesterday when I discovered that highlight preservation has to be set to off and DR expansion set to on. I do not have my camera to hand so I cannot tell you where in the menu those settings are. If you do this you will be able to go as low as iso 80. Good luck.

08-14-2013, 04:25 PM	#5
Rich Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA Posts: 31 Original Poster*	Originally posted by everydaylife I just got a K5 and was struggling to set it to below 200 also until yesterday when I discovered that highlight preservation has to be set to off and DR expansion set to on. I do not have my camera to hand so I cannot tell you where in the menu those settings are. If you do this you will be able to go as low as iso 80. Good luck. When you say "DR expansion," do you mean the "Shadow Correction" under the D-Range Setting" menu? If so, what does this setting do. I notice it has four settings: Off, Low, Medium, and High. Presently mine is set to "Low" (default?). The lowest ISO I can set is 100, after turning "Highlight Correction" Off. Thanks.

08-14-2013, 04:33 PM - 1 Like	#6
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	I suggest you read up some threads on highlight and shadow correction and what they do. Highlight correction actually doesnt let you choose the lowest ISO, because it actually shoots at an ISO lower than the one shown, and then brightens everything (without clipping highlights). Shadow correction doesn't affect ISO choices, and it also doesn't affect raw files. Then there is "boost ISO" or "expanded ISO" or something. Not sure what exactly its called, but if you enable it in the menu (not INFO, but MENU), it will let you choose even more ISO options. I don't have the K-5, but I think its one of the very few DSLRs that go as low as ISO 80. I am a little surprised you can see "noise" at such a low ISO, though. Some noise is unavoidable, but with the K-5 it really shouldnt be problematic up until above ISO 1600. People shoot as high as ISO 6400 and still produce perfectly good photos. If you shoot jpeg, you can also fiddle with the noise reduction (NR, check the manual) or if you shoot raw you can use NR sliders. But remember that noise isnt really a problem. Very rarely will noise really ruin a photo, unless you go very high and are taking photos of fine details. Good luck

08-14-2013, 04:51 PM	#7
Rich Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA Posts: 31 Original Poster*	Originally posted by Na Horuk I suggest you read up some threads on highlight and shadow correction and what they do. Highlight correction actually doesnt let you choose the lowest ISO, because it actually shoots at an ISO lower than the one shown, and then brightens everything (without clipping highlights). Shadow correction doesn't affect ISO choices, and it also doesn't affect raw files. Then there is "boost ISO" or "expanded ISO" or something. Not sure what exactly its called, but if you enable it in the menu (not INFO, but MENU), it will let you choose even more ISO options. I don't have the K-5, but I think its one of the very few DSLRs that go as low as ISO 80. I am a little surprised you can see "noise" at such a low ISO, though. Some noise is unavoidable, but with the K-5 it really shouldnt be problematic up until above ISO 1600. People shoot as high as ISO 6400 and still produce perfectly good photos. If you shoot jpeg, you can also fiddle with the noise reduction (NR, check the manual) or if you shoot raw you can use NR sliders. But remember that noise isnt really a problem. Very rarely will noise really ruin a photo, unless you go very high and are taking photos of fine details. Good luck Thanks Na Horuk. I'm mostly shooting landscapes with lots of sky at sunset with temperatures near 100 degrees F here in the high desert of New Mexico. Also the light is low, especially in deep shadows at this time. Those factors, a hot CCD, low light, and smooth sky gradations tend to accentuate noise from any camera. HDR processing in Photomatix further accentuates any noise that may be present during tone-mapping. I'm not sure what magnification PS Bridge's "magnifier" loop works at? I think it's 200% magnification that I'm looking at and seeing noise in the skies of RAW files shot at ISO 200.

08-14-2013, 05:19 PM	#8
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Ah, yes, heat and some other situations can make noise appear worse. Also, keep in mind that the raw file has an embedded jpeg preview (a thumbnail) and a lot of software will show you only the preview jpeg, until you actually open the raw file in a raw converter software. I am not sure what the Bridge shows, but if you open the raw file and apply standard noise reduction, it might turn out that the noise isnt quite as bad Btw, there are also some special plugins and NR software out there. Like Noise Ninja, Topaz Denoise, etc. These can be even better than the default raw converter's NR. And for long exposures, you might want to enable "slow shutter NR" (or dark frame reduction), where the camera, after a long exposure, closes the shutter and takes a second exposure with the closed shutter, then subtracts the dark frame's noise from the original photo. This can help out a lot, if you have the time to take the second dark frame. Be sure to turn it off if you need to take rapid long exposures without missing a beat.

08-14-2013, 06:21 PM	#9
Ponosby Britt Closed Account Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 227	Originally posted by *Rich Yes, I do. It was on by default, so I turned it off and wha-la, ISO can now be set to 100. Thanks. Hopefully this will reduce the noise that I'm seeing in Bridge. Noise from a K-5 at ISO 200? "wha-la"? Both must be like the Jesuits told me, "mysteries".

08-14-2013, 08:27 PM	#10
atarget Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 69	Originally posted by Ponosby Britt Noise from a K-5 at ISO 200? "wha-la"? Both must be like the Jesuits told me, "mysteries". And to hijack the thread : highlight cx is OFF by default ( numero uno in menu, not numero duo). Same with shadow cx by the way. wha - la - la ( French is strange)

08-14-2013, 09:03 PM	#11
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	I presume "wha-la" = voila! Properly exposed images on a K-5 should show minimal to no excess noise at ISO 200. I frequently keep it set there for "walking around" as it gives me a bit more latitude in shutter speeds in my aging and less-than totally steady hands. ISO 100 or less is pretty much for on the tripod. Of course, I normally run almost everything through Denoise at lowest setting as part of my work flow anyway.

08-15-2013, 07:10 AM	#12
GnipGnop Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 130	I don't know how you're getting noise at ISO 200. If you expose to the right, you can get clean images up to ISO 800 in my experience, even ISO 1600 if you're careful with your technique. ISO 2500: 500px / Drivers by Robbie Vize ISO 640: 500px / Cormorant 3 by Robbie Vize ISO 3200: 500px / Gunner by Robbie Vize

08-15-2013, 08:00 AM	#13
Rich Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Silver City, New Mexico, USA Posts: 31 Original Poster*	Originally posted by GnipGnop I don't know how you're getting noise at ISO 200. If you expose to the right, you can get clean images up to ISO 800 in my experience, even ISO 1600 if you're careful with your technique. ISO 2500: 500px / Drivers by Robbie Vize ISO 640: 500px / Cormorant 3 by Robbie Vize ISO 3200: 500px / Gunner by Robbie Vize As I mentioned, HDR Tone-mapping in Photomatix will bring out ANY noise present, unless Micro-smoothing is cranked up (which destroys detail). Also, a hot CCD will yield more noise than normal, as is the case with shooting in New Mexico in the summer. In the 17" x 25" enlargements I do, noise can be noticeable in smooth gradations like the sky and clouds if not corrected before output sharpening. Again, I am talking about HDR processed imagages and not straight RAW images shot at normal temperatures below 100 degrees F. In the RAW test shots I did yesterday, being able to shoot at ISO 100 certainly helped. Thanks everyone (except Pornosby Brit) for your help and the french lesson. Voila, it solved my problem.

08-15-2013, 09:25 AM	#14
GnipGnop Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 130	You should also consider manually creating your HDR images if you are printing large, by blending layers and selectively adding and removing bright and dark areas. Or you could use Photoshop's HDR blending tool and then bring it back into Lightroom. I'm curious that you are creating HDR images that result in more noise. Part of the point of HDR is to create images with noise free shadows and darker areas.

08-15-2013, 11:49 AM	#15
nanhi Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangalore, India Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 469	Hey Mr. Rich, hold on! Why should you get noise at ISO 200 on the K-5. I get absolutely clean images even at ISO 400. Please read up the Manual or Google on the K-5 Settings. I am truly at odds hearing about noise at ISO 200 shooting with the Sunny 16 Rule. I can't say about poorly lit subjects or shadow details under these conditions, which then the Photographer is to blame for. I remember shooing my house at night with just the sodium vapor street lamps with my K20D and the DA 16-50 at ISO 1200 for a the most beautiful winter night shot. Regards.