Are they shooting in a cave?

I don't get it with high ISO settings.

When you go into a camera store and talk to the sales staff they keep mentioning how great the new cameras are in low light. I mean really low light. ISO 12,800 is often mentioned. Wow how dark is their world.

I shot a game the other day and tried ISO 3200. The pictures looked fine but I wont be trying that again. I had to stop down to F5.6 to get the right exposure. Why bother, I would rather shoot at F2.8 and get that narrow depth of field so the subject really pops off the background.

At my gallery art show this week one of the guests asked what film I've been using for my photos and I replied Delta 100. He couldn't believe it, what a slow film... how do I get away with it.

It's quite simple really, I open the lens up to F2 or F1.4. That's why they make those fast lenses, so you can shoot at dusk with slow film and get the results you want. I would much rather shoot wide open at F2.8 then raise the ISO and have to stop the lens down. Of course it helps it you know how to focus. LOL.

I guess some people are so use to those slow zoom lenses they think raising the ISO is the only solution.

These hockey shots were all taken with the Sony A500 at ISO 3200 using the Sony 70-200 lens, which works just as well at F2.8 as it does at F5.6.

Rob Skeoch
www.thepicturedesk.ca