15. The Sensor

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Mars, at around 2:00 a.m.

Between 100 and 1600 ISO, you will note above all a progressive increase in noise, and this is perfectly logical. The colorimetric is not affected, but the sharpness of the image is reduced, and a few "grains" become more visible. Here again, this is quite normal. What is remarkable in the case of the EOS 300D is that the image remains usable even at 1600 ISO. Of course, the print will be sullied by the massive presence of noise (especially in the darker areas, as here) but it remains possible to make a high-quality enlargement. To simplify, let's say that the print is perfect from 100 to 200 ISO, very good at 400, passable at 800 and usable at 1600. This is a wide enough range to make it possible to perform all types of photographic works, as the example of the telescope shows. These prints were shot at 100 ISO under almost zero lighting conditions, with an aperture of f:2.8 and an exposure time in the order of 30 seconds.

All in all, a perfect shot. There is hardly any noise and perfect images. The long exposure time is thus available to those who seek quality above everything else, and this is very good news.

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In general, "dark" photographs produce terrible results, with "scan lines" that are almost visible and appalling noise. Here, at 100 ISO and 30 seconds exposure, the whole thing is perfect.