Canon ISO Speeds in Different Mode Settings

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.

Thank you in advance.
Chris

je napisal v sporocilo
ups.com ...
I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.

Thank you in advance.
Chris


you're right...that's common to all canon's... generally, most shots are
taken with iso around 100, but i always have ISO set to either 50 or 100
manually. Just have wheel set to P and then depending on light conditions,
set iso to 50 or 100, in some cases 200. I also use NeatImage program with
succeess to remove noise quite decently from hi-iso shots. take a look on
these two shots, taken at ISO400 (first one is 3.5M, second, filtered is
2M).

http://www.protoncek.com/misc/test1.jpg original
http://www.protoncek.com/misc/test2.jpg filtered
other settings we 1/25 sec, F3.2

In article . com,
wrote:

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.

Any decent photo editing program should provide a way to display that
information.

"Shawn Hirn" je napisal v sporoèilo
...
In article . com,
wrote:

I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.

Any decent photo editing program should provide a way to display that
information.

if shot is taken in auto mode, there's no decent, undecent or profi program
that will tell you this since it's not written in exif data...

Shawn Hirn wrote:
In article . com,
wrote:


I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.


Any decent photo editing program should provide a way to display that
information.
Not sure on your model but on my Canon 620 the histogram view (image
review) tells the ISO of each shot. Hope this helps.

Dave

--
"...voters are not apathetic; rather, they are too deeply concerned
with the nation's serious problems to be interested in the
candidate's trivial proposals" Barry Commoner

"Dave" je napisal v sporocilo
...
Shawn Hirn wrote:
In article . com,
wrote:


I just purchased a Canon PowerShot S2 after owning a couple Olympus
super-zoom cameras. I suspect my question is generic though to any
Canon model. What I am finding frustrating, is not being able to tell
what the ISO speed a particular picture was taken at.

It seems that if I am manually controlling the shot, the ISO speed is
available, but if I am using any of the other special mode settings,
like Indoor, Fireworks, Scenery, Action, etc., then all I know is that
the picture was taken using that mode.

So is there any way to tell what the ISO speed was for a picture taken
using one of those modes?

One of the reasons I'm concerned about this, is that camera reviews
stated that the noise level went up considerably above ISO 100. So I'm
wondering how many of those modes are using a higher ISO setting.


Any decent photo editing program should provide a way to display that
information.
Not sure on your model but on my Canon 620 the histogram view (image
review) tells the ISO of each shot. Hope this helps.

Dave



just tried...shows when in P mode and ISO set manually, but not in auto mode
of any kind. Same was in S1...it's really odd, why should canon fear to show
auto iso setting..

"SleeperMan" writes:

just tried...shows when in P mode and ISO set manually, but not in auto mode
of any kind. Same was in S1...it's really odd, why should canon fear to show
auto iso setting..

One possibility: the processing done in "auto ISO" doesn't correspond
exactly to what you'd get from manually setting the ISO.

For example, suppose that the ISO setting simply sets the analog
amplifier gain in the camera to match the expected CCD output signal
dynamic range to the A/D converter range. Also suppose that the
camera's minimum ISO setting is 50. In "auto", the camera may always
try to expose at ISO 50 to get the cleanest images, but if the image
ends up too dark (e.g. a flash shot beyond the flash range) the camera
performs the equivalent of a "Levels" adjustment to fill the histogram
and make the image appear properly exposed.

This adjustment is *not* the same as selecting a higher ISO in the
first place, because adjusting the digital values after A/D conversion
is not as good as adjusting the voltage before the A/D. But it gives
a better-exposed image, which is the point.

I don't know what *really* goes on inside Canon cameras, but this is a
guess. In my own limited tests, it seems that Auto ISO always exposes
the same as ISO 50 in non-flash situations, but I have seen the
automatic adjustment effect described above in flash images.

Dave

"Dave Martindale" je napisal v sporoèilo
...
"SleeperMan" writes:

just tried...shows when in P mode and ISO set manually, but not in auto
mode
of any kind. Same was in S1...it's really odd, why should canon fear to
show
auto iso setting..

One possibility: the processing done in "auto ISO" doesn't correspond
exactly to what you'd get from manually setting the ISO.

For example, suppose that the ISO setting simply sets the analog
amplifier gain in the camera to match the expected CCD output signal
dynamic range to the A/D converter range. Also suppose that the
camera's minimum ISO setting is 50. In "auto", the camera may always
try to expose at ISO 50 to get the cleanest images, but if the image
ends up too dark (e.g. a flash shot beyond the flash range) the camera
performs the equivalent of a "Levels" adjustment to fill the histogram
and make the image appear properly exposed.

This adjustment is *not* the same as selecting a higher ISO in the
first place, because adjusting the digital values after A/D conversion
is not as good as adjusting the voltage before the A/D. But it gives
a better-exposed image, which is the point.

I don't know what *really* goes on inside Canon cameras, but this is a
guess. In my own limited tests, it seems that Auto ISO always exposes
the same as ISO 50 in non-flash situations, but I have seen the
automatic adjustment effect described above in flash images.

Dave

i never went that far into investigation, but i agree that it is a
possibility, sure. But, in my case, i always use manual setting of 50 if
possible, so i always know where i stand...

"SleeperMan" writes:

i never went that far into investigation, but i agree that it is a
possibility, sure. But, in my case, i always use manual setting of 50 if
possible, so i always know where i stand...

I tend to set a manual ISO myself on the Canon cameras that have
P/Tv/Av/M modes, because they will tell me what aperture and shutter
speed they're going to use (even in full-auto-exposure P mode) and I can
decide whether I want to trade off ISO for a faster shutter or smaller
aperture.

I'm not sure what to do about my S410, though. Its "Manual" mode is
actually about the same as P mode on the other camera (still auto
exposure), but it doesn't tell me what shutter speed or aperture it's
going to use. Lacking that information, I sometimes leave the camera in
Auto ISO unless it's really obvious that an ISO greater than 100 is
warranted.

Dave

"Dave Martindale" je napisal v sporoèilo
...
"SleeperMan" writes:

i never went that far into investigation, but i agree that it is a
possibility, sure. But, in my case, i always use manual setting of 50 if
possible, so i always know where i stand...

I tend to set a manual ISO myself on the Canon cameras that have
P/Tv/Av/M modes, because they will tell me what aperture and shutter
speed they're going to use (even in full-auto-exposure P mode) and I can
decide whether I want to trade off ISO for a faster shutter or smaller
aperture.

I'm not sure what to do about my S410, though. Its "Manual" mode is
actually about the same as P mode on the other camera (still auto
exposure), but it doesn't tell me what shutter speed or aperture it's
going to use. Lacking that information, I sometimes leave the camera in
Auto ISO unless it's really obvious that an ISO greater than 100 is
warranted.

Dave

on S2 P mode is in fact auto mode but with all settings changeable, while
when in auto, you can't change anything. But, S2 shows you shutter speed and
aperture in any case, no matter where dialer is, while ISO is not displayed
in any case except if set manually, sure. If you don't have those info, then
can be confusing at times, i admit... :-(