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Shannon49 · 04-06-2017, 08:42 AM

Hi,

I am new to all of this...I just bought my first Pentax KS2 and I am shooting a fashion show tonight and I am wondering if anyone knew how high my ISO go before the photo starts looking bad? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

enoeske · 04-06-2017, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by Shannon49

Hi,

I am new to all of this...I just bought my first Pentax KS2 and I am shooting a fashion show tonight and I am wondering if anyone knew how high my ISO go before the photo starts looking bad? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

That will vary person to person. The answer is, whatever you think looks bad.

**ramseybuckeye** · 04-06-2017, 09:32 AM

What lens or lenses are you using? And how close will you be? Is the venue well lit?

pathdoc · 04-06-2017, 09:55 AM

Shoot in RAW, apply noise reduction in post*, and you can clean up quite a bit. It depends, too, on who the audience will be, and how they will be viewing the pics - much can be forgiven if the images are only going to Facebook, somewhat less for Flickr, less still if they will be finishing up as large (e.g. 8x10") glossies directly in the hands of the people you are taking pics of.

* If you don't have Lightroom/Photoshop, Raw Therapee does a fairly nice job of this and is a free download.

photoptimist · 04-06-2017, 10:17 AM

A lot of people say 1600 or 3200 as a upper bound, but it really is a subjective issue which also depends on the final image size (web/magazine/large). Furthermore, careful/clever post processing can suppress some of the noise at the expense of some loss of detail.

The bigger issue is the lighting conditions which may force you to use higher ISO. The ISO issue also depends on your willingness to use slower shutter speeds or wide-open apertures which might also make the photos look bad under some circumstances or great if you develop a style that uses motion blur or out-of-focus regions to accentuate the subject matter.

Good luck & have fun!

**OldPentaxFan** · 04-06-2017, 10:35 AM

There is a camera review of the KS-2 that provides comparison shots at various ISO values here on the forum. The review page with the photo's at various ISO settings is here Pentax K-S2 Review - Sharpness and Noise | PentaxForums.com Reviews

That review will also refer you back to the KS-1 review for a more detailed look at noise levels.

You should be able to look at those and see what ISO level will work best for you.

Good luck.

C_Jones · 04-06-2017, 10:36 AM

Stay below 800 if you can, but below 1600 is usually not that bad if you plan on doing any cropping. If you have a flash, it may come in handy, otherwise try to use the available light as best as you can. You might want to to shoot JPEG + RAW, that is a setting in your camera which saves your shots. That way you will have both type files to work with.

stevebrot · 04-06-2017, 12:09 PM

If you have the camera in hand, you might just want to do some practice shots before you take it out on that first shoot. That should give you some indication.

Steve

normhead · 04-06-2017, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by C_Jones

Stay below 800 if you can, but below 1600 is usually not that bad if you plan on doing any cropping. If you have a flash, it may come in handy, otherwise try to use the available light as best as you can. You might want to to shoot JPEG + RAW, that is a setting in your camera which saves your shots. That way you will have both type files to work with.

That would be my advice as well. On my K-3 640 is the highest I like to go. It should be a nice safe number if you just want a mindless set it and forget kind of number.

**Kerrowdown** · 04-06-2017, 12:20 PM

Lots of good advice already given... so I'll just say welcome to the forum.

Unregistered User 8 · 04-06-2017, 11:17 PM

Hi from Australia Shannon. Welcome to the Pentax forums. Hope the shoot went well.

Good To have you aboard.

Shannon49 · 04-09-2017, 08:09 PM

Thank you everyone! I managed to keep my ISO at 800 and I was using my 50mm!

**beachgardener** · 04-10-2017, 05:29 AM

G'day mate and welcome to the forum

04-06-2017, 08:42 AM	#1
Shannon49 New Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Canada, Kamloops, B.C Posts: 3	ISO Hi, I am new to all of this...I just bought my first Pentax KS2 and I am shooting a fashion show tonight and I am wondering if anyone knew how high my ISO go before the photo starts looking bad? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

04-06-2017, 10:35 AM	#6
OldPentaxFan Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Independence, MO via North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 371	There is a camera review of the KS-2 that provides comparison shots at various ISO values here on the forum. The review page with the photo's at various ISO settings is here Pentax K-S2 Review - Sharpness and Noise \| PentaxForums.com Reviews That review will also refer you back to the KS-1 review for a more detailed look at noise levels. You should be able to look at those and see what ISO level will work best for you. Good luck. Last edited by OldPentaxFan; 04-06-2017 at 10:42 AM. Reason: Fixed link

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04-06-2017, 09:27 AM	#2
enoeske Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Surprise, Az Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,136	Originally posted by Shannon49 Hi, I am new to all of this...I just bought my first Pentax KS2 and I am shooting a fashion show tonight and I am wondering if anyone knew how high my ISO go before the photo starts looking bad? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! That will vary person to person. The answer is, whatever you think looks bad.

04-06-2017, 09:32 AM	#3
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,296	What lens or lenses are you using? And how close will you be? Is the venue well lit?

04-06-2017, 09:55 AM	#4
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	Shoot in RAW, apply noise reduction in post, and you can clean up quite a bit. It depends, too, on who the audience will be, and how they will be viewing the pics - much can be forgiven if the images are only going to Facebook, somewhat less for Flickr, less still if they will be finishing up as large (e.g. 8x10") glossies directly in the hands of the people you are taking pics of. If you don't have Lightroom/Photoshop, Raw Therapee does a fairly nice job of this and is a free download.

04-06-2017, 10:17 AM	#5
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,129	A lot of people say 1600 or 3200 as a upper bound, but it really is a subjective issue which also depends on the final image size (web/magazine/large). Furthermore, careful/clever post processing can suppress some of the noise at the expense of some loss of detail. The bigger issue is the lighting conditions which may force you to use higher ISO. The ISO issue also depends on your willingness to use slower shutter speeds or wide-open apertures which might also make the photos look bad under some circumstances or great if you develop a style that uses motion blur or out-of-focus regions to accentuate the subject matter. Good luck & have fun!

04-06-2017, 10:36 AM	#7
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,086	Stay below 800 if you can, but below 1600 is usually not that bad if you plan on doing any cropping. If you have a flash, it may come in handy, otherwise try to use the available light as best as you can. You might want to to shoot JPEG + RAW, that is a setting in your camera which saves your shots. That way you will have both type files to work with.

04-06-2017, 12:09 PM	#8
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	If you have the camera in hand, you might just want to do some practice shots before you take it out on that first shoot. That should give you some indication. Steve

04-06-2017, 12:20 PM	#9
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by C_Jones Stay below 800 if you can, but below 1600 is usually not that bad if you plan on doing any cropping. If you have a flash, it may come in handy, otherwise try to use the available light as best as you can. You might want to to shoot JPEG + RAW, that is a setting in your camera which saves your shots. That way you will have both type files to work with. That would be my advice as well. On my K-3 640 is the highest I like to go. It should be a nice safe number if you just want a mindless set it and forget kind of number.

04-06-2017, 12:20 PM	#10
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,867	Lots of good advice already given... so I'll just say welcome to the forum.

04-06-2017, 11:17 PM	#11
Unregistered User 8 Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,694	Hi from Australia Shannon. Welcome to the Pentax forums. Hope the shoot went well. Good To have you aboard.

04-09-2017, 08:09 PM	#12
Shannon49 New Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Canada, Kamloops, B.C Posts: 3 Original Poster	Thank you everyone! I managed to keep my ISO at 800 and I was using my 50mm!

04-10-2017, 05:29 AM	#13
beachgardener Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,842	G'day mate and welcome to the forum