For early morning, late afternoon, overcast days, night or indoors photography, which ISO setting is typically recommended?

When photographing in conditions such as early morning, late afternoon, overcast days, at night, or indoors, a higher ISO setting is typically recommended to accommodate lower light levels. ISO 400 is often cited as a versatile option that provides a good balance between sensitivity to light and the potential for noise in the images.

In low-light situations, using a medium ISO like 400 enables the camera sensor to be more responsive to the available light without completely sacrificing image quality. This sensitivity helps to capture details in shadows and ensure that the image is bright enough, especially when using a slower shutter speed or smaller aperture that would otherwise lead to underexposed photographs.

While options like ISO 800 and ISO 1600 may also be suitable in very low light, they tend to introduce more noise into images, which can compromise the overall quality. ISO 200, on the other hand, is better suited for well-lit environments and may not perform optimally in the mentioned low-light scenarios. Ultimately, ISO 400 strikes a good middle ground, making it a popular choice among photographers in various lighting conditions.