Originally posted by aslyfox back in the film days I was told it was best to use a low ASA film if I wanted to have enlarged prints
due to " grain " issues
is the same true with low ISO numbers or has the digital era changed all that
In 1974 the American Standards Association (ASA) and the German (DIN) numbers were both changed to the International Standards Organization's ISO number. Thus ASA#=ISO#.
Lower ASA gave you less apparent grain (more grain, but smaller, thus less visible), and higher resolution. Higher ASA did the opposite.
With different ASA film emulsion, they were engineered for optimal exposures at different amounts of light. If you wanted to shoot that a certain film at higher or lower than the recommended ASA, you had to under or over develop the film (pull or push).
With digital ISO, the sensors have a native ISO (generally ISO 80 or ISO 100). If you wish to "push" the sensor to a higher ISO, the camera will boost the sensor electronically for greater sensitivity, but similar to film, the trade-off is increased noise and more of a grungy like grain appearance.
So to answer your question? Yes, the same is true with low ISO numbers, but sort of for different reasons.