Neat Image or Noise Ninja?

Red BullRed Bull Registered Users Posts: 719 Major grins
edited November 30, 2005 in Accessories
I've been looking at noise reduction programs and I've heard about Noise Ninja and Neat Image. I've looked at both sites and was curious as to which you (all of you that have one) prefer. Neat Image looks like a really nice program and the examples they have on the site look really good.

Suggestions?
-Steven

http://redbull.smugmug.com

"Money can't buy happiness...But it can buy expensive posessions that make other people envious, and that feels just as good.":D

Canon 20D, Canon 50 1.8 II, Canon 70-200 f/4L, Canon 17-40 f/4 L, Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro, Canon 430ex.

Comments

  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,938 moderator
    edited November 30, 2005
    I've had the same question. From what I can tell, the leaning is to
    Neat Image.

    Ian
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator
    edited November 30, 2005
    Jim Christian, the creator of Noise Ninja, is very available and open with product support. When the product was new, I emailed him a question, and got a personal reply back in 10 minutes.

    Jim also has some well used forums for NN.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • mereimagemereimage Registered Users Posts: 448 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    Noise Ninja
    I've used NN for about a year and really have been happy with it-it gives control over noise, sharpening, and contrast. I really like it's adjustiblity and really good preview window so you can see the adjustments in real time. My bro has Neat iMAGE and has always seemed a bit ambivalent towards it.............................................Mereimage
  • spider-tspider-t Registered Users Posts: 443 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    Neat Image
    I haven't tried Noise Ninja, but I love love love Neat Image. Easy to use, and has completely saved some of my high ISO and low light shots.

    cheers,
    Trish
    http://www.trishtunney.com
    http://www.trishtunney.com
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    IMHO,they are both good.NN is the one I ended up paying for,but seldom use it.
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • HarveylevineHarveylevine Registered Users Posts: 325 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    I own both programs. The results they produce, in my opinion, are pretty similar. Either will reduce noise significantly in most instances without softening the image too much. I have a very slight preference for Neat Image, but it's practically a dead heat.

    Here is a link to a gallery that contains some tests I did using Neat Image to remove noise. http://harveylevine.smugmug.com/gallery/887258/1/40176594

    The pictures were taken with a tiny P&S camera (Casio 750) in a dim room with the the camera set to its maximum ISO. The gallery referenced above has full size images. Here is a sample detail without and then with Neat Image applied:

    Without Neat Image:

    41062769-M.jpg

    Here is the same detail after applying Neat Image:





    41062506-M.jpg


    Hope this helps,

    Harvey
    Harvey Levine
    Nikon D610, Nikon D300S
    Sony A6000
    http://harveylevine.smugmug.com
  • StevenVStevenV Registered Users Posts: 1,174 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    btw there's also Noiseware to consider, including the freeware Community Edition. www.imagenomic.com
    -Steven
    my words, my "pro"pictures, my "fun" pictures, my videos.

  • Red BullRed Bull Registered Users Posts: 719 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    Well I decided to go with Neat Image. The program is pretty easy to use, and really made a difference on a test photo I tried.

     Large version of test photo.

    Thanks everyone in helping with my decision!
    -Steven

    http://redbull.smugmug.com

    "Money can't buy happiness...But it can buy expensive posessions that make other people envious, and that feels just as good.":D

    Canon 20D, Canon 50 1.8 II, Canon 70-200 f/4L, Canon 17-40 f/4 L, Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro, Canon 430ex.
  • BBonesBBones Registered Users Posts: 580 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    I use Noiseware
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    I have NeatImage but have come to prefer CS2's surface blur in a layer followed by some tinkering with blending options and layer masks. It's not clear to me what NeatImage can do that I can't do this way.
    If not now, when?
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited November 30, 2005
    I used to use Neat Image a lot, and was quite pleased with it. I don't use it as much as I used to, but when needed it does a good job.

    Oh, why don't I use it very much anymore? I have learned a little bit about that there histogramie thing on the camera. :D

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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