Help with D60 and Noise

[scootermcq]

Hello, maybe someone can help me out.. I just can't seem to figure out how to keep the noise out of my pictures in low light.

Right now, I have the camera set at ISO 100 with auto ISO set to on and with a max ISO of 400 and min shutter of 1/60th. Noise reduction is turned on in the camera. Even when using my SB-600 flash (shoe mounted) I get noise in the pictures. If I flash directly at the subject, then you can't really see it, but as soon as I bounce the flash, noise is evident. Light levels are fine and the picture is good, but there is noise that I don't feel should be there. Everything I have read says this camera is good up to about ISO 800, but I don't find pictures that high acceptable at all.

Noise Ninja does a pretty good job in post, but really softens the picture too much for my liking.

Am I missing a trick or setting? Any help would be appreciated.

I am attaching a picture where you can see the noise in the wall and the darks.

D60
18-55 mm @ 55mm
ISO 400 (noise reduction on)
F-9
1/60th
Matrix Metering
Aperture Priority
SB-600 bounce in i-TTL mode

[scootermcq]

OK, I think I have this figured out, so I will post it incase someone does a search and finds this thread. I appears that higher ISO gives me a better picture in lower light. What I think is happening is the picture in underexposed and causing the noise. When I increased the maximum aperature to 800 and let the camera climb, I am getting less noise then when I took the picture at 400.

My experience previously was higher ISO meant a poor picture so I was keeping it in the lower end, where I guess todays cameras can produce better pictures with a higher ISO.

[Sterling]

My experience previously was higher ISO meant a poor picture so I was keeping it in the lower end, where I guess todays cameras can produce better pictures with a higher ISO.

Your previous experience was correct. Everything else being equal, a lower ISO will produce less noise. As you've discovered, proper exposure also plays a big part. I'm sure you'll find that if you properly expose your shot at ISO 400 that it will have less noise than a properly exposed shot at ISO 800.