Solving noise problems.

[JordanD]

I'm having a problem with noise. I'm getting alot of it when I use the sharpen tool. But then if I don't sharpen enough I get a badsoft rejection. What can I do to keep my picture sharp but not get noise?

[YYZPICS]

use USM a couple of times instead of using the sharpening tool at a high number.

[pdeboer]

To reduce noise you can try several technique. To reduce the noise to the overall picture you can use a specific noise reduction programme like Neat Image or Noiseware. Be very careful with these programmes, you easily overdo it. I hardly use them any more. You can also reduce noise with photoshop (or other editing programme, but I have PS elements). Select the parts of the image you would like to edit, with the magic wand tool, choose Filter>noise> median and choose a level. You can also selectively reduce noise with the blur tool. You have to practice to find some of the settings that work well for you, best way is to start at low levels. Too much noise reduction will make your picture look like the lines and colours are spread out..

Furthermore, have a look at this thread: http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25662 (another question about noise)
and this one: http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23203 (about selective sharpening)


cheers, Pamela

[LX-A343]

Once you have too much noise in your original pic, it wil be difficult to get rid of it. If I recall correctly, Jordan, the noise in your pics are partly caused by underexposure. Try different exposures. Perhaps it helps. Also: set the in-camera sharpening to "no sharpening at all". and to end it: don't use any digital zoom at all.

Once this is done and the pics are as noise free as possible, try different sharpening methods as described in the topics mentioned above.

Gerardo

[JordanD]

I NEVER use digital zoom. It's terrible. I've noticed it's mostly in pictures during dusk or hazy conditions.

[B1RJ85/100]

I shoot with low ISO settings when possible and then I use Neatimage one time before editing the picture on PS and I am pretty happy with what I get.

[medic1]

Where does the noise show up? More noticable to you in the sky surrounding the aircraft I am sure, than on the actual aircraft itself......try using the magnetic lasso and only sharpening the aircraft itself, or use layers and only sharpen what needs to be sharpened and reveal the acceptable base layer using a brush.....may provide a more suitable result...

[JordanD]

It's showing up mostly after sharpening. I've tried by not sharpening that much, but then the picture is too soft. The noise is really everywhere, the plane, the sky, etc. For some reason, oversharpening doesn't give me jaggies, it just gives me grain. Should I try shorter exposures? I've noticed that with alot of the pictures I took today at 1/500 speed F.8, that the white fuselage on the UPS plane is almost blinding. Should I go higher? Maybe about 1/600-1/800. Would 1/800 be okay in the afternoon when there is plenty of light?

[medic1]

Noise that is generally barely perceptable becomes a nuisance when its sharpened....have you tried using a noise reducing program before you sharpen the images? I generally try to use whatever shutter speed is fastest for jet engine aircraft, a little slower to show blur with prop and down to 1/40 or 1/60 for blurring backgrounds.......

[LX-A343]

Try to adjust the exposure the pics next time you shoot on dusk or hazy conditions. Try for example to overexpose ("exposure compensation" for Canon for example) the pic slightly and look what happens then during postprocessing

Gerardo

[JordanD]

Won't having too slow of a shutter speed in dark conditions cause the plane to be blurred?

[medic1]

Won't having too slow of a shutter speed in dark conditions cause the plane to be blurred?

"too slow" is a subjective term.....too slow of a speed is different for each person, someone who pans well and has a good handholding technique can shoot at a slower shutter speed than someone who does not.....if you can track the aircraft the background will blur and not the plane.......of course the darker it gets the slower your shutter speed will become.....making it more difficult to get a sharp shot unless you take other steps....tripod, increase your ISO etc.

[windshear]

Hello.
Try use USM on luminosity mode, and if you get noise anyway, aply gaussian blur to the blue channel of the RGB color mode... thats the noisy one...

[seahawk]

Honestly the best way to avoid boise problems is the original picture.

Use a low ISO setting - as low as possible.
Nail the exposure perfectly. Too dark pictures will develop excess oise. if you brighten them up using the level / histogra, function of your software. This noise is espicially nasty to get rid off.

A good exposure of your original picture should give a comparable noise levels all over your pic, which can be handeled using various of the techniques described above.