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Your digital camera's ISO control helps your camera to "see" in the dark. This control enables your digital camera to record an image in low light situations. Since every photograph is dependent upon how your camera responds to ambient light, it is a good idea to have (at least) a basic understanding of your digital camera's ISO settings.

Even the simplest understanding will help you improve your digital photographs, but be sure not to confuse your camera's ISO settings with your camera's shutter speed; they work together, but they are not similar. One controls sensitivity to light, while the other controls the amount of light striking your camera's image sensor.

In our modern day digital cameras, ISO settings have replaced ASA (film speed) once acquainted with our old film cameras. Simply put, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) determines your camera's image sensor's sensitivity to light. ISO numbers can range from a very low 50 and can go as high as 6400. The lower numbers 50, 100, 200 are reserved for brighter light, and sunny days. Mid-range numbers like 400 and 800 are necessary once the light diminishes like the low light found in deep shade, at dusk and dawn, and inside a building. The higher settings of 1600 and greater are necessary when light is extremely low, near dark.

Since a great deal of our picture-taking is done in low light (nighttime parties, museums, concert halls, sporting events) understanding when to adjust your camera's ISO setting will also help you to capture a stable image devoid of camera shake (blur). The more sensitive you can make your camera to existing light, the faster your camera will be able to fire its shutter. And a faster shutter speed will result in a clearer in-focus image.

However, there is a downside to higher ISO settings: digital noise. This graininess was always present in film of 400 ASA and higher; digital images have not escaped this phenomenon either. The more sensitive your camera's image sensor is to light, the greater chance of digital noise occurring. The good news is that newer digital cameras, especially high quality DSLR (single lens reflex cameras with interchangeable lenses), have been manufactured to avoid this issue - not entirely - but digital noise at higher ISO settings has been reduced. Still, it's better to avoid very high ISO settings and try to illuminate your subject instead, by moving a person into the light, or using your flash.

Experienced photographers know their camera's

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