Auto ISO is something that, until I wrote this article, I simply didn’t use. Now I find it indispensable: the ability to use ISO as a third control (in addition to aperture and shutter speed) that automatically adjusts based on the available light – particularly in manual exposure mode – has change the way I shoot.

This article was written for my regular column at Landscape Photography Magazine when it still had a wildlife photography section. You can download the full PDF here: LPM Auto ISO article

Recently, whilst photographing gannets with friends at Bempton Cliffs in North Yorkshire in England, the issue of Auto ISO cropped up again. I felt I should probably give it another go, and the aspect that finally won me around was the discovery that Auto ISO works extremely well in manual exposure mode.

As a post-script to this article, I’ve taught a number of people with Canon cameras, some of which don’t have the ability to set the exposure compensation independently whilst in Auto ISO mode. This is a real pain and I don’t know of a solution to it. If you do, please let me know. The newer Canons don’t seem to have this problem.