Nikon SLR Cameras

What is ISO (in the context of cameras)?

Jonathan N
Jonathan N

To be more specific, I have a professional SONY Z5 video camera, not a DSLR Nikon/Canon camera. Does ISO relate anyway to my type of camera? And if so, how can I alter it?

Guest
Guest

Basically, ISO is the sensor's sensitivity to light. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive it is (e.g. ISO of 80, 100, or 200). The higher the ISO, the more sensitive it is (e.g. 1600, 3200, 6400).

However, higher ISOs usually result in more 'grain' or 'noise' which are little spots on your photos. Here is an example:
image

Generally, dSLRs have less noise than point-and-shoots when using high ISOs because their sensors are much larger.

You may or may not be able to change the ISO on your video camera. I would read the manual and/or browse the menu to see if you have that option.

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