Photos taken at the cameras base ISO setting?

I'm after some opinions this morning.  Let's say you are taking photos with your camera in RAW and you have your camera set to the lowest possible ISO setting available.  Let's say that is 100.  Let's also say your camera is mounted a tripod and focus is locked on and you are using live view.  All that into consideration, is there any need to add any sharpening or better yet, noise reduction in post?  

If so, why?  Or would this suggest a defect in the camera?  

First, to be clear, "Sharpening" doesn't make an image sharper. It just manipulates the pixels to increase the contrast in edges. It's called Acutance . The only way to increase sharpness is to get a camera with a higher resolution image sensor.

Second, image noise is errant pixels. At the base ISO, noise reduction is more likely to remove detail than to remove noise.

So, I wouldn't bother with either of them.

I agree with TCav.

As long as you have adequate light, your camera will be doing the best that it can at 100 ISO. 

Charley

TCav wrote: First, to be clear, "Sharpening" doesn't make an image sharper. It just manipulates the pixels to increase the contrast in edges. It's called Acutance . The only way to increase sharpness is to get a camera with a higher resolution image sensor.

Second, image noise is errant pixels. At the base ISO, noise reduction is more likely to remove detail than to remove noise.

So, I wouldn't bother with either of them.

No kidding!  

So when you apply a sharpening mask in Lightroom, just to clarify, it's applying sharpness as you have outlined on the highlight spots illustrated in the mask right?  

The Man wrote: I'm after some opinions this morning.  Let's say you are taking photos with your camera in RAW and you have your camera set to the lowest possible ISO setting available.  Let's say that is 100.  Let's also say your camera is mounted a tripod and focus is locked on and you are using live view.  All that into consideration, is there any need to add any sharpening or better yet, noise reduction in post?  

If so, why?  Or would this suggest a defect in the camera?  

The camera isn't necessarily defective, more likely it just isn't very good.

As already mentioned the software sharpening tool doesn't actually sharpen. Chances are you could ruin your photo by trying to compensate for something that should ideally take place at the source. Lots of things can affect sharpness. Using a tripod is a good start but also finetuning your shutter speed to negate motion blur will help, as well as selecting the correct aperture. Motion blur can also come from less obvious sources like pressing the shutter button (use a timer or remote instead) or the mirror flipping up in a dslr (use the lock mirror function).

ISO is also different from camera to camera. ISO 100 will not be be the same across all the different sensors. Have a look at the noise levels of three different cameras at ISO 100:




So back to my first point: it's possible your camera just isn't able to do better. That doesn't it can't take great photos but you will need to stay within it's limits.

Hope I'm not telling you anything you already know.

CharleyL wrote: I agree with TCav.

As long as you have adequate light, your camera will be doing the best that it can at 100 ISO. 

Charley

+1  Yep, I'll double down on this as well.  

Your camera will produce it's best images at base ISO. It will have the best dynamic range and color accuracy at base ISO. My camera has an extended ISO of 64 and 100. I have used those but I also know that I'm giving up some dynamic range. My base ISO is 200. Use the base ISO unless you have a specific need to vary from base.

Esseff wrote:

The Man wrote: I'm after some opinions this morning.  Let's say you are taking photos with your camera in RAW and you have your camera set to the lowest possible ISO setting available.  Let's say that is 100.  Let's also say your camera is mounted a tripod and focus is locked on and you are using live view.  All that into consideration, is there any need to add any sharpening or better yet, noise reduction in post?  

If so, why?  Or would this suggest a defect in the camera?  

The camera isn't necessarily defective, more likely it just isn't very good.

As already mentioned the software sharpening tool doesn't actually sharpen. Chances are you could ruin your photo by trying to compensate for something that should ideally take place at the source. Lots of things can affect sharpness. Using a tripod is a good start but also finetuning your shutter speed to negate motion blur will help, as well as selecting the correct aperture. Motion blur can also come from less obvious sources like pressing the shutter button (use a timer or remote instead) or the mirror flipping up in a dslr (use the lock mirror function).

ISO is also different from camera to camera. ISO 100 will not be be the same across all the different sensors. Have a look at the noise levels of three different cameras at ISO 100:

So back to my first point: it's possible your camera just isn't able to do better. That doesn't it can't take great photos but you will need to stay within it's limits.

Hope I'm not telling you anything you already know.

WOW, awesome reviewing on my smartphone while driving, good stuff, Thank you!!