I think that's typical of auto modes, including the Canon Digital Rebel (an SLR). I seem to recall that some of my auto modes use ISO 400, but since the CMOS sensor is bigger, it doesn't have the noise of smaller CCDs. You only start to see some noise at ISO 1600. I shoot in Program mode most of the time. It still picks an f-stop and speed automatically, but uses the ISO I set. I can also rotate a dial to choose a different combination of f-stop and speed that still works (and set other things too). By the way, what was wrong with the Coolpix pictures? I have the 995 and it still gets in closer than my Rebel's Macro lens plus closeup screwed on the front of the lens. I have yet to produce anything like the blue freesia closeup on my web site under the Macro Photos link (http://homepage.mac.com/shirleykat). Shirley On Mar 17, 2004, at 6:09 AM, Tom Nugent Jr wrote: > One thing that's concerned me about this camera is that when it's in > full Auto mode, it seems to set the ISO rating to 200, and never seems > to change that setting. It plays with aperture and shutter speed to > optimize the photo, but it doesn't seem to change the ISO. And the > photos seem to be noisy (esp. w/ flash off) because of this higher ISO > setting. In order to switch the ISO, I have to go to "P" mode > (program?) and manually set it. So I'm wondering: Is it common in > most modern cameras that the fully "auto" mode fixes the ISO at 200 > and doesn't change it? Do some allow you to set a different default > ISO in Auto mode? Or do some cameras even change the ISO on the fly?