ISO 16,000
Sensitivity
+7.3
Stops vs ISO 100
160.00×
Brightness gain vs ISO 100
ISO 16,000 in practice: Emergency territory: expect heavy noise and colour shifts; use for documentation or creative grain.
Shutter speeds at ISO 16,000#
| Light | f/1.4 | f/2.8 | f/5.6 | f/8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV 15 · Bright sun, distinct shadows (Sunny 16) | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 12 · Heavy overcast / open shade | too bright | too bright | too bright | too bright |
| EV 10 · Just after sunset | too bright | too bright | 1/5000 s | 1/2500 s |
| EV 8 · Bright interior, city street at night | too bright | 1/5000 s | 1/1250 s | 1/640 s |
| EV 6 · Home interior, daytime | 1/5000 s | 1/1250 s | 1/320 s | 1/160 s |
| EV 4 · Candle-lit close-up, Christmas lights | 1/1250 s | 1/320 s | 1/80 s | 1/40 s |
| EV 2 · Distant city lights | 1/320 s | 1/80 s | 1/20 s | 1/10 s |
| EV 0 · Dim interior, Milky Way in moonlight | 1/80 s | 1/20 s | 1/5 s | 0.4 s |
| EV -2 · Moonlit landscape | 1/20 s | 1/5 s | 0.8 s | 1.6 s |
| EV -4 · Aurora (bright) | 1/5 s | 0.8 s | 3.2 s | 6 s |
| EV -6 · Milky Way, starlight only | 0.8 s | 3.2 s | 13 s | 25 s |
Same noise on other formats#
At the same framing and depth of field, a full-frame camera at this ISO produces similar noise to the smaller formats at the lower ISOs shown (equivalence theory).
| Full frame ISO 16,000 ≈ on | Equivalent ISO (same total light) |
|---|---|
| APS-C (1.5×) | ISO 7,111 |
| Micro Four Thirds (2×) | ISO 4,000 |
| 1-inch (2.7×) | ISO 2,195 |
| Medium format 44×33 (0.79×) | ISO 25,637 |
Exposure calculator#
Your metered (or known good) exposure
New settings — change aperture and/or ISO, we solve the shutter speed
Equivalent shutter speed—
Exposure value (EV₁₀₀)—
Light conditions—
Other ISO values#
Frequently asked questions#
Is ISO 16,000 high?
Yes, it is a high ISO. Emergency territory: expect heavy noise and colour shifts; use for documentation or creative grain.
When should I use ISO 16,000?
When you need the shutter speed and aperture shown in the table above for your light level. Raise ISO only after you've reached the slowest safe shutter speed and widest useful aperture.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources