This article on Giving Your Video That Cinematic Look – Why Understanding ISO Is Just as Important as Having the Right Gear is from guest author Corey Benoit. 

From Still to Motion

Like many, my projects require both still and motion images and are often lacking essential light to simplify the production. Switching between the two, I have found that understanding ISO is equally as important as selecting the right gear for your shoot. This article takes a look at ISO and gear for creating cinematic video in low light situations.

The ISO Myth

Many photographers and videographers think that ISO only affects the overall exposure of the image or the light being received by the sensor, and this is a myth. ISO doesn’t just affect the exposure or the lightness/brightness of an image. It basically destroys the color integrity and accuracy. Your greens will take on a lighter shade and will most likely have noise. Reds turn into more of an orangey kind of red, and blues will typically take on a cyan color. Color pollution is a problem with higher ISO. The color matrix will be polluted the more you push the ISO. Not to mention the damage that is done to the black/gray shades. They are polluted very badly with higher ISO. [Read more…]