QUOTE (oldcsar @ Nov 20 2006, 05:42 PM)
However, noise in the deep shadows for ISO 100 and 200 will be significantly better than higher ISOs, but this should be obvious to you.
That is true, only if there is no compromise on exposure in the lower ISOs. When you start losing exposure at low ISOs because of maximum apertures or slowest usable shutter speeds, higher ISOs can have less noise if they are not compromised in the same way.
The higher the exposure and/or key, the less difference there is between high and low ISOs. The lower the exposure and/or key, the more difference ISO makes.
People who have bad experiences with higher ISOs are generally people who under-expose their images.