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Where is Noise Reduction in your Workflow?
Van Isle
Registered Users Posts: 384 Major grins
Where is noise reduction in your workflow, and why?
I do my NR after all base adjustments like exposure control and white balance, and after global and local colour and contrast adjustments like D-Lighting, levels and curves, colour balance. BUT it goes before sharpening, cropping, colour profile, and "output."
Reasoning: doing these changes (like lightening) create or reveal noise through dithering or other computational reasons. Although I have never done a side-by-side, I am going on the advice of Jason P. Odell, author of "Guide to Capture NX."
Others?
I do my NR after all base adjustments like exposure control and white balance, and after global and local colour and contrast adjustments like D-Lighting, levels and curves, colour balance. BUT it goes before sharpening, cropping, colour profile, and "output."
Reasoning: doing these changes (like lightening) create or reveal noise through dithering or other computational reasons. Although I have never done a side-by-side, I am going on the advice of Jason P. Odell, author of "Guide to Capture NX."
Others?
Where is your NR done? 19 votes
At the front end, before anything else
31%
6 votes
Almost last, just before sharpening and cropping
36%
7 votes
Changes with each shoot scenario
15%
3 votes
It doesn't matter
5%
1 vote
I don't know
10%
2 votes
0
Comments
I will typically reduce noise after leaving ACR, but before doing anything in PS. I use Noiseware. In theory, there would be times when I might refrain from doing a strong move in ACR because it would exacerbate the noise. I haven't run into this problem in practice, at least not yet.
The idea of eliminating noise early comes down to this: you want to eliminate the noise before you do anything that would amplify it. The most notorious ways to amplify noise are sharpening, and lightening dark areas.
Basically, I think that as long as you are getting rid of the noise before you can see that you have worsened it, then you are probably OK.
Duffy
Ditto. I don't use it a lot but when necessary, its a show stopper. So that means doing everything in ACR or LR, but not capture sharpening because I'll do that AFTER running Noiseware.
Author "Color Management for Photographers"
http://www.digitaldog.net/
The best way to avoid noise is avoiding under exposure of course.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Dusty Dog Digital
NWPLI
NANPA
http://www.chrislaudermilkphoto.com/
I've only had to deal with that scenario in a few instances and I usually look for areas where the noise is most "visible" which is usually large regions with little detail, like a sky for instance. In that case, I build a mask of just the obvious region and noise reduce that region in a new layer. Areas with a lot of detail usually don't need the additional reduction if the detail has enough interest.
It's always a subjective decision, so use your best judgement.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums