Harry's Blog

I never used Auto ISO on my 40D, it wasn't very well implemented. The camera would tend to stick between very conservative settings and only used a small range of the available ISO settings anyway.

However I have used Auto ISO on my Canon EOS 50D in the last week and am really pleased with it. My camera gets two uses - 1, as a creative tool, 2, as a way of snapping the usual family pictures one does when out and about.

The second mode, armed with a Sigma 18-200mm DC OS, the Auto ISO has been really useful. We took the kids to Westbay harbour (in Dorset) and there were plenty of changes of subject and lighting that made the Auto ISO rather useful - especially with a slow-ish lens which has big changes of widest aperture.

What impressed me most was that the 50D tried to keep the ISO as low as possible rather than just pumping it up to 800 or 1600 and leaving it there. Taking some pictures of the children playing outside as the sun set had the camera trying ISO 100 when possible and only one 1600 shot. And as most 50D users have actually discovered, in good light ISO 1600 pictures look fantastic.

So yes, colour me impressed. I've definitely had a change of heart where Auto ISO is concerned. And while not a feature I'd use when composing more creative shots - when in "walkaround" mode it works very well indeed.