Nikon COOLPIX 5000 Instruction Manual - Page 110

Taking Photographs-Advanced Photography Reacting Faster to Light: Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency) What Is "Sensitivity"? "Sensitivity" is a measure of how quickly your camera reacts to light. The higher the sensitivity, the less light needed to make an exposure, allowing the same exposure to be achieved with higher shutter speeds or smaller apertures. In a film camera, sensitivity is a characteristic of the film, not the camera. The ISO ratings you see on packages of film are a measure of their sensitivity-the higher the ISO rating, the more sensitive the film. Higher sensitivity is achieved by altering the chemical composition of the film, causing a random pattern, called "grain," to appear in the final photograph. In a digital camera, increased sensitivity has a similar effect: higher sensitivities allow higher shutter speeds, at the expense of mottling, or "noise" (the digital equivalent of film "grain") appearing in the final image. Adjusting Sensitivity In User Set A, the camera sets sensitivity automatically in response to lighting conditions. When User Set 1, 2, or 3 is selected, you can choose a fixed value for sensitivity from four possible settings. Sensitivity is set by rotating the command dial while pressing the ISO ( ) button. + Press while rotating command dial Sensitivity is displayed in control panel and monitor. After ISO button is released, ISO icon appears in control panel when sensitivity is above 100. At setting of AUTO, AUTO is displayed in monitor until ISO button is released; ISO icon then appears whenever sensitivity is above 100. 96