Lightroom 2 noise reduction
Giphsub
Registered Users Posts: 2,662 Major grins
I have been using Lightoom and am thinking about upgrading to LR2. I have been trying to find out about noise reduction and the use of ninja, neat image, or some other noise reduction program, but cannot seem to find an answer. Are there any plugins for LR2? Or is it still a program that is just not designed for plugins? I'm assuming the enhanced selective sharpening in LR2 reduces some of the need for noise reduction. Is this a correct assumption to make? I'd be interested to hear what process or program LR2 users are using.
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I'm still a LR novice and have no idea if there are any LR noise reduction plugins, but in general I find I"m happier with anything other than basic noise reduction if I do the barest minimum in LR, and then my edited shots which need NR through the community edition of noiseware (which is free, by the way). I don't mind the effect that LR has on colour noise, but I find the way it handles luminance noise leaves non-noise "specks" that I don't like, and reduces sharpness too much. Again, this may be to do with my own workflow and technique rather than a fault of the software, so I'll be interested in reading more expert responses myself to learn better ways of handling it!
I did however spend much of this past Wed and Thu trying every noise reduction option that I could find (both PS and LR versions).
LR2 (don't know about LR1) gives you the ability to 'Edit in' other apps or with plugins. What happens when one does this is LR renders a copy of the image (either tiff or jpeg) and opens it in the 'plug'. Once you're done messing with the image the plug shoots you back to LR and you'll see the original, non-rendered image as well as the rendered one the plug had it's way with. At least this is how it worked with the one I chose (below).
In the noise reduction category I found that I preferred Nik Software's DFine2. I almost bought Noiseware however. My deciding factor was actually unrelated to LR. Using Dfine2 in Photoshop CS3 (CS2 and CS4 as well) lets one use any PS brush to 'adjust' the de-noising. That alone sold it for me and you also get the LR version free. I figure, if the image is being rendered anyway I might as well jump over to PS if I have more control.
BTW, I went with Nik's current deal, buying both DFine 2 and Sharpener Pro 3 for $199, here. Along with a 15% off coupon code (STUCKINCUSTOMS) that I found here I am pretty darn happy. I very much like the Output Sharpener part of Sharpener Pro 3 (again using it in PS). It also appears to give me more control compared to LR2's own sharpening.
BTW2, good reviews of the noise options here.
Noise Ninja has a version of their program out that will work with Lightroom using the "edit as" feature.
Topaz Denoise will be coming out with a similar product "soon."
Having said that, the built-in functionality of LR2 noise reduction is pretty capable for medium-noisy shots.
LR2 plug-in architecture is just starting to become integratable, but using the edit in Pshop for Noiseware is pretty easy if you have Pshop. Just save the changes and it circles round back to LR.
The inherent noise reduction in LR2 is improved significantly, but as MarkR says it is best for medium-noisy work.
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