Noise Reduction on Every Image? Most? or just high ISO?

[ArmySoldier777]

Another post by me, again

Well, ever since getting a hold of Topaz DeNoise, which I've found to be way better than Neat Image, Noise Ninja, or Noiseware Pro, I've been looking through a lot of old images wanting to reduce the noise in every one of them. I know that a little bit of noise adds realism to an image, so where do you draw the line in noise reduction?

Do you only use noise reduction software in high ISO images? or do you find yourself doing it to most images?


I'd love to hear what you think about this,
David

[ravncat]

I reduce noise if I feel the noise is a problem in the image =D simple as that really. I do everything by feel - if the image I am working on is to noisy, I'll run noise reduction... Sometimes ill even add grain.

[ArmySoldier777]

Ravncat,

I appreciate hearing your view on it. Sometimes I find myself looking through images down to the pixel level, trying to fix everything I can find about them. I guess maybe I should just step back and let some of them be lol.


David

[ravncat]

I make alot of prints - I try not to sharpen at more than 100% because looking at the pixels is like looking at the trees and ignoring the forest. I'm sure others here work differently - but the viewing intent has alot to do with it, alot of time noise will vanish when downsampled - and in prints, the ink can spread and make noise partially vanish - the amount of noise that is acceptable changes based on how the image is being displayed / viewed - from what size and distance to how its made - halftone, dyesublimation etc...

[ArmySoldier777]

I definitely see your point about looking at it too closely. I didn't know that sometimes noise vanishes when downsampled or in prints. I've never printed out any of the images that I've worked with.

I appreciate you taking the time to give me your views on the subject. I learn new things everyday on this forum


David

[SusanH1970]

I use it on most images that I've used a high ISO on, unless I like the look of it.

Two examples:

Shot at ISO 800, but I didn't want noise, so I ran it through Noiseware:


Shot at ISO 1600, but I like the noise in the BW conversion:

[ArmySoldier777]

Susan,

I really like both of those images. I find that noise in B&W photos usually works pretty well. Sometimes I'll even add noise/grain to them


David

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by ArmySoldier777

Susan,

I really like both of those images. I find that noise in B&W photos usually works pretty well. Sometimes I'll even add noise/grain to them


David

Thank you. I usually remove noise from most of my BW images, unless I want sort of a film grain look...this one seemed to fit that look to me.

[Krusty79]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Shot at ISO 1600, but I like the noise in the BW conversion:

What a great shot!