Workflow Question Noise reduction

OspreyOsprey Registered Users Posts: 162 Major grins
edited April 19, 2013 in Technique
Here is a basic question on workflow that I do not really know the answer to:

At what stage do you apply noise reduction? Should it be when you import file into photoshop, or before or after sharpening?

:dunno

Thanks for your ideas

Comments

  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,966 moderator
    edited April 19, 2013
    You should apply noise reduction before sharpening. Otherwise you may end up sharpening the noise, which will make removal more difficult. Usually, the noise reduction in ACR is all I need, so I apply it at the raw conversion stage. When I have a particularly troublesome image, I turn off noise reduction in ACR and use the Noiseware Photoshop plugin at an early stage in the processing.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,151 moderator
    edited April 19, 2013
    While I mostly agree with Richard, I use NeatImage (NI) noise reduction software and I find it beneficial to use it at the end of sharpening. What makes NI different is the ability to target individual frequencies of noise separately, as well as each color channel. This means that noise induced during sharpening, and specific sharpening methodologies and technologies can affect tonal frequencies differently, is effectively and efficiently removed by NI after sharpening.

    Specifically, if you use deconvolution sharpening (like Adobe Smart Sharpen or similar), or if you use a "High Pass" filter sharpening approach, I think that you can achieve better results with NI and custom noise reduction profiles for that image after sharpening.

    If you use Unsharp Mask sharpening alone (including HiRaLoAm), I agree with using noise reduction first.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • arodneyarodney Registered Users Posts: 2,005 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2013
    NR first, then capture sharpening. Note if you're doing this in something like Lightroom or Camera Raw, doesn't matter which sliders you move around first, the application of correction always takes place in the proper processing order. That said, it still makes more sense to clean up noise, then sharpen since in these products, it's done 'visually'. Whenever possible, do this kind of work on raw data!
    Andrew Rodney
    Author "Color Management for Photographers"
    http://www.digitaldog.net/
  • OspreyOsprey Registered Users Posts: 162 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2013
    thanks
    Thanks for the quick info..
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