I am often asked about ISO. So here is a “rule of thumb” post on that subject.
Michael’s standard starting points:
- Outdoors: 200 ISO
- Indoors (even when using flash): 400 ISO
- “Difficult Light” (eg museums, dark halls): 800 ISO
Michael’s exceptions:
- Using a tripod: 100 ISO (as long as nothing moves)
- Hockey, etc: 1600 ISO
In each case, go lower if you can, and go as high as you need to, when you need to.