Noise Reduction

[wenrob]

I use the sharpening tool box in LR and then they can get an extra bit on export to JPG.



Yes, topaz can out with a free download program that lets you use any of their products directly from inside of LR and imports them back into LR after you have played with them. It works great. Setup is a little tricky but once it works it is amazing.

Usually I have my top out set 3200 but I somehow didn't set a limit so this 6400.

I was talking noise reduction in LR not sharpening. Sorry for the confusion. I pre-sharpen there but my final is in PSP, not a big fan of LR's sharpening.

I got the NEF open from LR into CS4 (yeah I have it but don't know it well). Tried Topaz there and it looks nothing like what's being posted here. I think I need to just walk away for a bit, I'm making myself nuts.

 

[wenrob]

Oh duh, I typed sharpen when I meant reduce noise. I kept thinking why are they telling me how to sharpen? So sorry guys. See? I need to walk away for a bit.

 

[klmall]

Wow! And look his ears still have an edge, lol. Did you use a preset or choose settings? This is where I have my issues. Thanks for having a pass at it.

I took it in RAW, just converted to jpg to post. Thank you on my DS I think he's kinda cute too.

Open to other interpretations and tuts if anyone has any.

I'm a keep it simple kinda gal so I just use Photoshop Elements to open my RAW pictures and then I adjust the sliders as needed.

I open the picture and save in desired format.

Then I use Noiseware but I use this less and less.

My final step is almost always sharpening as many here state. I at least run the picture through Noiseware to see what level of noise is present.

Question - I didn't know what the hat color was so I just did a noise reduction. What color is it actually?

 

[wenrob]

I'm a keep it simple kinda gal so I just use Photoshop Elements to open my RAW pictures and then I adjust the sliders as needed.

I open the picture and save in desired format.

Then I use Noiseware but I use this less and less.

My final step is almost always sharpening as many here state. I at least run the picture through Noiseware to see what level of noise is present.

Question - I didn't know what the hat color was so I just did a noise reduction. What color is it actually?

Red with some orange.

 

[ukcatfan]

I was talking noise reduction in LR not sharpening. Sorry for the confusion. I pre-sharpen there but my final is in PSP, not a big fan of LR's sharpening.

Not sure if NR was available in LR2, but I am pretty sure it is in LR3. Like I said before, Bibble has Noise Ninja built in. If you have a NN license, you can activate even more functionality, but I have not seen the need as the basic controls work for most of my needs.

 

[disneyboy2003]

Oh duh, I typed sharpen when I meant reduce noise. I kept thinking why are they telling me how to sharpen? So sorry guys. See? I need to walk away for a bit.

Hmmm... Noise Reduction in Lightroom is located *right below* the section for Sharpening!

Noise Reduction in LR2 was okay. But Noise Reduction in the new LR3 actually works very well! I'm actually amazed at how well it works!

Here's a screen-shot of the Noise Reduction in Lightroom:

 

[wenrob]

Hmmm... Noise Reduction in Lightroom is located *right below* the section for Sharpening!

Noise Reduction in LR2 was okay. But Noise Reduction in the new LR3 actually works very well! I'm actually amazed at how well it works!

Here's a screen-shot of the Noise Reduction in Lightroom:

I have LR 2 and it sucks, lol. (the noise reduction not LR)

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, just not getting anything near what you guys are. I really need to quit trying for now, I'm getting way too upset over it.

 

[photo_chick]

Sharpening generally increases the appearance of noise in an image. And really, applying noise reduction is going to smooth details out anyway, so why sharpen first? If you're going to sharpen it, do it last or better yet not at all.

Honestly, the noise in the image isn't that bad. I know we like to have nice clean images, but when you compare it to the grain it would have had at similar ISO film it's nothing. It's part of photography.

 

[MICKEY88]

here is my version.

I used Paint Shop Photo Pro X3, and topaz denoise 4

first I used adjust color balance, then smart select, I clicked on one of the white guns to set the white in the pic, which is a realatively quick and easy way to adjust color balance.
I read this tip in a photo magazine a few years ago

then denoise 4, I usually try the presets on the left first and most often I'm satisfied with the results, so I rarely touch the sliders

I went down the list and stopped with raw stronger..



one more step

topaz adjust spicify for more dramatic look

 

[wenrob]

You know the two I like best you have both corrected the color balance first.
Mickey88 I have PSP x2 and Topaz Denoise 3. Wondering if I can come close to what you did. I haven't updated in awhile, wonder if it finally will open D90 nef files. Really like how DS especially looks in your version.

Photo-Chick, I actually thought of just leaving it. This was before I got frustrated so it wasn't a "screw it" kind of thought, lol.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have fresher eyes and more patience. Thanks everybody.

 

[alan]

I went into Photoshop, and started by sharpening the photo. I also used Curves to add more green to the photo, which removed the magenta tint on your son's face

A good edit, but for my own interest why did you "add green" rather than "reduce magenta"?

regards,
/alan

 

[MICKEY88]

You know the two I like best you have both corrected the color balance first.
Mickey88 I have PSP x2 and Topaz Denoise 3. Wondering if I can come close to what you did. I haven't updated in awhile, wonder if it finally will open D90 nef files. Really like how DS especially looks in your version.

Photo-Chick, I actually thought of just leaving it. This was before I got frustrated so it wasn't a "screw it" kind of thought, lol.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have fresher eyes and more patience. Thanks everybody.

I have found the sliders frustrating on occassion also,

now I always try the presets first, then fine tune from there if I think I need to

with the topaz plugins, denoise 4 should be a free upgrade

 

[disneyboy2003]

A good edit, but for my own interest why did you "add green" rather than "reduce magenta"?

regards,
/alan

You're right. I could have also made a Hue/Saturation adjustment, selected "Magenta", and decreased the saturation for only the magenta colors.

I actually hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it. All this time, I've been using the Curves adjustment to do my color cast corrections. Using Curves, I'm not sure there's a way to "reduce magenta". That's why I *added* the opposite of magenta (I added green) to correct the color cast. Looking back, when I "added" green using the Curves adjustment, I also brightened the greens in the photo, too. This adjustment affects the *entire* photo.

On the other hand, if I decreased the saturation of the magentas, it doesn't have any effect on the brightness of the photo, and it targets *only* the magenta areas of the photo.

I went ahead and re-did the color correction, and I included both color-corrected photos. You can compare the differences:

(decreased the saturation of magentas only)

(increased the greens, using Curves)
​

Which one do you like better?

 

[alan]

I much prefer the second...

As someone who loves stage photography and frequently has to fight with the best intentions of the lighting designer, thank you - you've shown me a way I hadn't thought of before to help get the colour balance right.

Much appreciated!

regards,
/alan

 

[wenrob]

Mickey88-I'll check the website for updates, thanks.

Disneyboy-Definitely like the second one better.