Iso Sensitivity Settings - Nikon D300 User Manual

ISO Sensitivity Settings

(User's Manual: D300S page 96; D300 page 96)
ISO sensitivity settings are provided to give you control over
the light sensitivity of the imaging sensor, including whether
you manually control it or the camera sets it automatically.
An ISO sensitivity number, such as 200 or 3200, is an
agreed-upon sensitivity for the image-capturing sensor.
Virtually everywhere one goes in the world, all camera ISO
numbers will mean the same thing. With that fact being
established, camera bodies and lenses can be designed to take
advantage of the ISO sensitivity ranges they will have to deal
with. Standards are good!
In the D300(S), the ISO numbers are sensitivity equivalents.
To make it very simple, ISO sensitivity is the digital
equivalent of film speed. The higher the ISO sensitivity, the
less light needed for the exposure. A high ISO setting allows
higher shutter speeds and smaller apertures.
In Figure 3-48 we see the external camera controls used to
change the ISO sensitivity on the D300(S).
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