Do higher ISO shots result in less sharp images?: Canon EOS 7D / 10D (2024)

I have been forced to use high ISO (relatively dark, indoor images) and have had a drop off of sharpness. If everything being equal (shutter speeds high, same apeture, etc) do you get less sharp images using higher ISO (800, 1600).

My experience wavers both ways. I shot an outdoor set of pictures of my neice and got nice sharp pics using 800 ISO. I didn't mean to use that high of an ISO and didn't notice until half a month later.

Using the same lens, I have found that indoors with low lighting and the same ISO, the pics are less sharp.

Thoughts?

The conditions in which higher ISOs are used (low light, action, ect) lend itself to less sharp images. This could be because of slight hand shake, wide open aperture, or higher ISOs.

I believe that the noise caused by higher ISOs does cover up a little bit of detail. However I also think that hand shake and large apertures also contribute to the "soft" look as well.

RBraywrote:

I have been forced to use high ISO (relatively dark, indoor images)
and have had a drop off of sharpness. If everything being equal
(shutter speeds high, same apeture, etc) do you get less sharp
images using higher ISO (800, 1600).

My experience wavers both ways. I shot an outdoor set of pictures
of my neice and got nice sharp pics using 800 ISO. I didn't mean
to use that high of an ISO and didn't notice until half a month
later.

Using the same lens, I have found that indoors with low lighting
and the same ISO, the pics are less sharp.

Thoughts?

RBraywrote:

I have been forced to use high ISO (relatively dark, indoor images)
and have had a drop off of sharpness. If everything being equal
(shutter speeds high, same apeture, etc) do you get less sharp
images using higher ISO (800, 1600).

Not in my experience. You get increased noise, which has an impact on image quality (not necessarily a negative one either), but apparent resolution stays pretty constant.

Using the same lens, I have found that indoors with low lighting
and the same ISO [800], the pics are less sharp.

Thoughts?

Most llkely something else in the image chain has changed. You may be using a slower shutter speed or a larger lens aperture or both. A slower shutter speed can lead to unsharpness due to camera shake and/or movement in your subject(s). A larger lens aperture can reduce resolution...or more likely give the appearance of reduced resolution due to shallower depth-of-field. (IMO most complaints of "softness" at large apertures have more to do with not understanding DOF than any actual decrease in resolution.)

-Dave-

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