What the heck is ISO and what does it do? That is one of the
most common questions asked by neophyte photographers. In simple
terms it's the sensitivity, or gain, of the digital light
sensor. Light is recorded by a camera's digital sensor and
converted into an image. The ISO control allows the user to
adjust the sensitivity of the sensor to best match conditions. A
low ISO number is less sensitive to light and would be
appropriate on a sunny day, while a high ISO setting is more
sensitive and would be used in low light. High ISO settings,
like 800 or 1600, are fantastic for shooting in low light
without a flash. Photos can be shot inconspicuously and often
have a more natural look but there is a trade-off. As ISO
settings increase so does digital noise. That noise looks
something like speckles of sand on the image. High ISO settings
impact sharpness, detail and the color of photos. Increasing ISO
is like increasing the volume of a stereo. The louder it gets
the more it distorts. So, if you want to fiddle with