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Noise Reduction-what stage to use it ? (1 Viewer)

David Smith

David Smith

Warrington Lancs
I've never really needed noise reduction (to my knowledge) but want to try some indoor shooting with higher ISO so will probably need it. So................
1. Can you recommend a free download
2. At which stage would I use it ?
3. Any tips to get the best out of it ?

I know this subject has been discussed but have tried searching without success.
Thanks
 
Search out noiseware community edition. Free and very useable. I generally process to sharpening stage. Save and noise reduce then sharpen.
 
I use Pic Cooler which is not free either but is inexpensive and works very well. I generally sharpen with Smart Sharpen before noise reduction then use Unsharp Mask with a threshhold of 3 afterwards.
 
So to continue the diverse range of both suggestions and workflows, I use NeatImage which has a free version, although a cheap paid version if you want to incorporate it as a plug-in in photoshop.

As for when I use it, I use it after all the full-size editing has been completed, i.e. levels, saturation, etc. I then create a layer and run NeatImage, then play with the opacity of the layer. I'll also often extract the main subject so that only the background is noise reduced because of the inevitable smearing that can be introduced with noise reduction. Only then will I resize the image and sharpen. I've been taught that sharpening should always be the final or close to the final step of post-processing. I certainly can't imagine using it after sharpening because sharpening has a tendency to emphasize and worsen noise artifacts.

Neil
 
I only use noise reduction when using really high ISO. In camera noise reduction works well for most things.

With that said I use the Noiseninja add-on in Photoshop. It comes as a stand alone too, but is not free.
 
I tend to sharpen and then use Neat image. I would assume doing it the other way round would remove details that could then not be restored? Plus you can always apply another very light USM or try some sharpening in Neat Image after the reduction.
 
I reckon there is two ways to look at this, If you run noise reduction before sharpening there is less detail to sharpen - but if you sharpen first you could be enhancing any noise that is present.
My current way is to run NR before sharpening but only on the Background so I do not lose any detail in the bird. If the bird does need NR I mostly do this after sharpening with a light pass only.
The way I look at it is if the bird itself needs a lot on NR then it is probably a binner.
 
Option1 said:
...........I then create a layer and run NeatImage, then play with the opacity of the layer. I'll also often extract the main subject so that only the background is noise reduced because of the inevitable smearing that can be introduced with noise reduction...........
Neil
Click to expand...

Roy C said:
..........My current way is to run NR before sharpening but only on the Background so I do not lose any detail in the bird. If the bird does need NR I mostly do this after sharpening with a light pass only........
Click to expand...


Can I please ask, how do you only run noise reduction on the background in Neat Image?



.
 
Last edited:
brains said:
Can I please ask, how do you only run noise reduction on the background in Neat Image?



.
Click to expand...
I use Noise Ninja which has a built-in mask tool but with Neat Image I guess you could use a layer mask - just duplicate the layer, run the noise reduction over the whole image, create a layer mask and paint over the area you want the Noise reduction to apply to (or, depending on what colour brush you use, paint over the area you do not want the NR to apply to). When done flatten the layers.

I guess another way would be to select the bird and perch, inverse the selection and run noise reduction as usual.

I suspect someone who uses Neat Image could have a better method.
 
An easy way with neat image is to just select the area you want to quiet down and just quiet the selected area. No further sharpening of the subject is needed doing it this way.
 
Marcus Conway - ebirder said:
I have not tried noise ninja - is it free, or is there a demo version?
Click to expand...
I believe you can download for free but the image has a grid pattern or something on it until you buy a licence. Neat Image and Noise Ninja are probably the two most popular pieces of noise reduction software - I have both but prefer NN mainly for the built-in mask tool.
 
Roy C said:
I believe you can download for free but the image has a grid pattern or something on it until you buy a licence. Neat Image and Noise Ninja are probably the two most popular pieces of noise reduction software - I have both but prefer NN mainly for the built-in mask tool.
Click to expand...

Yeah it does sound handy - will check it out. Thanks.
 
Thank you for the replys.

I'm not sure that using layers, selecting just one area or painting over an area are options in the software I have, at least I can't find them. It is only the free downloaded Neat Image so perhaps I would need the full version to do these things.
 
brains said:
Thank you for the replys.

I'm not sure that using layers, selecting just one area or painting over an area are options in the software I have, at least I can't find them. It is only the free downloaded Neat Image so perhaps I would need the full version to do these things.
Click to expand...

I have the free Neat Image. To selectively apply noise reduction -

copy the image
apply noise reduction to the copy
open both images in Photoshop
copy the second image as a layer onto the first image
use layer masks as described by others.

Easier and quicker to do than it is to explain in words!
 
Astrokev said:
I have the free Neat Image. To selectively apply noise reduction -

copy the image
apply noise reduction to the copy
open both images in Photoshop
copy the second image as a layer onto the first image
use layer masks as described by others.

Easier and quicker to do than it is to explain in words!
Click to expand...

Cheers mate, Wondering how it could be done!:t:
Need to get me pc back so i can ruin some more photos now:-O

karpman
 
Roy C said:
I reckon there is two ways to look at this, If you run noise reduction before sharpening there is less detail to sharpen - but if you sharpen first you could be enhancing any noise that is present.
My current way is to run NR before sharpening but only on the Background so I do not lose any detail in the bird. If the bird does need NR I mostly do this after sharpening with a light pass only.
The way I look at it is if the bird itself needs a lot on NR then it is probably a binner.
Click to expand...

I agree with Roy completely,as does my Photoshop tutor
 
Buy a noise reduction plug-in and I've used it after my RAW conversion (as recommended by the software) but typically, I don't have alot of noise in my images until I rez-up. Then I use it after sharpening. Depends.

One way to get detail back after applying a noise reduction filter is to make the history brush active and then paint detail back in selectively.
 
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