Grain with 1.4 50mm???

Mr. Quiet

I have noticed when I shoot with my 50mm 1.4 there is grain in the blurred bg. Does anyone else have this problem, or is it even a problem?

Dooginfif20

I use my 50 1.4G 50% of the time and I haven't had any problems with grain in the bg. I have even shot at ISO 800 with no problems.

borrowlenses.com

What is your ISO?

bloomphotog

borrowlenses.com wrote:

What is your ISO?

As borrowlenses alluded to, your lens has no direct impact on "grain" in your image. Your ISO setting will determine the level of noise in any given shot. Try reducing both your ISO speed and aperture settings.

Mr. Quiet

ISO 100. I think my problem is I like to shoot it at 1.8( it is 1.8, not a 1.4, sorry). I will test it at lower apertures...

Mr. Quiet

Seymore wrote:

Can you show us an example where the EXIF data is available?

I would, but I don't keep pictures that are crap or destined to be put in the recycle bin:D

Moogle Pepper

Mr. Quiet wrote:

I would, but I don't keep pictures that are crap or destined to be put in the recycle bin:D

True but how would you show examples of the noise that you are getting for any of us to see and examine?

ziggy53

Some LCD monitors, and their monitor drivers, can create a visual representation of a smooth image that looks "grainy". The first thing I suggest is to look at other smooth toned images to see if that is the situation. You might try using noise reduction software to help diagnose this particular problem.

The next thing to do is to print the image. If no grain shows in a print then it is not a problem for prints.

If you bring up the exposure or brightness of an underexposed image you will often expose noise in the darker tones.

As others have said, a lens in and of itself will not create grain or noise, but the use of the lens, particularly the lens aperture, may affect the exposure of the image, and that can affect the level of noise and apparent grain.

angevin1

ziggy53 wrote:

Some LCD monitors, and their monitor drivers, can create a visual representation of a smooth image that looks "grainy". The first thing I suggest is to look at other smooth toned images to see if that is the situation. You might try using noise reduction software to help diagnose this particular problem.

The next thing to do is to print the image. If no grain shows in a print then it is not a problem for prints.

If you bring up the exposure or brightness of an underexposed image you will often expose noise in the darker tones.

As others have said, a lens in and of itself will not create grain or noise, but the use of the lens, particularly the lens aperture, may affect the exposure of the image, and that can affect the level of noise and apparent grain.

I second the printing, preferably on a decent printer. I recently did my own ISO test here at home and found the prints at HIGH ISO to be very acceptable compared to what I saw on a monitor.

Mr. Quiet

ziggy53 wrote:

Some LCD monitors, and their monitor drivers, can create a visual representation of a smooth image that looks "grainy". The first thing I suggest is to look at other smooth toned images to see if that is the situation. You might try using noise reduction software to help diagnose this particular problem.

The next thing to do is to print the image. If no grain shows in a print then it is not a problem for prints.

If you bring up the exposure or brightness of an underexposed image you will often expose noise in the darker tones.

As others have said, a lens in and of itself will not create grain or noise, but the use of the lens, particularly the lens aperture, may affect the exposure of the image, and that can affect the level of noise and apparent grain.

I will test these things out today, and will get back to you with the results. Thank you all for being so helpful

Mr. Quiet

The problem was the large f stop.

ziggy53

Mr. Quiet wrote:

The problem was the large f stop.

Are you saying that you experience the phenomenon at f1.4?

pathfinder

Large F stops do not cause grain!

I shoot with an 85mm f1.2 and a 50mm f1.2 - neither causes grain. Gorgeous bokeh, but no grain.

Grain is caused by high ISO and under exposure. Unless it is added in post processing.

Dooginfif20

pathfinder wrote:

Large F stops do not cause grain!

I shoot with an 85mm f1.2 and a 50mm f1.2 - neither causes grain. Gorgeous bokeh, but no grain.

Grain is caused by high ISO and under exposure. Unless it is added in post processing.

I agree with pathfinder. I have a 50 1.4G and shooting at 1.4 from ISO 200-800 I have zero grain (noise). You need to post some examples and exif data