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Noise Reduction Workflow
Apr 13, 2016 06:40:52 #
gorgehiker
Loc: Lexington, Ky
I have read several articles which advise doing noise reduction with Nik Define as the first step in post processing. I shoot RAW and use Lightroom. If I export to Nik for noise reduction before any other edits the file is returned to Lightroom as a TIFF. Therefore, don''t I lose the dynamic range and white balance adjustment advantages of RAW files?
Apr 13, 2016 06:47:10 #
TIFF is lossless. You'll have the same functionality in Lightroom as with the original raw file.
Apr 13, 2016 06:53:06 #
You also lose your ability to use the lens correction capabilities in LR... I use NIK Define 2 as the last step of my workflow when processing Raw files.
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Apr 13, 2016 06:56:54 #
Edmund Dworakowski wrote:
You also lose your ability to use the lens correction capabilities in LR... I use NIK Define 2 as the last step of my workflow when processing Raw files.
I'm able to use lens correction on tiff files.
Apr 13, 2016 07:33:05 #
I do most of my editing in Lightroom and go to Define 2 as the last step.
I read in one of the Scott Kelby books that he does his noise reduction in Photoshop, and it is the last thing he does.
I read in one of the Scott Kelby books that he does his noise reduction in Photoshop, and it is the last thing he does.
Apr 13, 2016 07:52:01 #
Apr 13, 2016 08:09:29 #
Apr 13, 2016 09:51:59 #
mborn wrote:
Noise reduction should be the last step
There is a school of thought that indicates it should be the first.
Apr 14, 2016 07:24:41 #
baygolf wrote:
So when do you sharpen?
Sharpening and reducing noise are opposite sides of the same coin. One tends to neutralize the other. Be careful on how you use these or else you will wind up being where you started.
Apr 14, 2016 07:53:44 #
gorgehiker wrote:
I have read several articles which advise doing noise reduction with Nik Define as the first step in post processing. I shoot RAW and use Lightroom. If I export to Nik for noise reduction before any other edits the file is returned to Lightroom as a TIFF. Therefore, don''t I lose the dynamic range and white balance adjustment advantages of RAW files?
I don't use any of the tools you mention, but just be sure that when you save the image as a TIFF file you specify 16-bit TIFF. So long as you do this there should be no loss of IQ.
In general, I think it is best to do noise reduction early. But other processing can add numerical noise so in some cases, if the image looks noisy, you may want to do it again late in the process - perhaps just before any sharpening. Sharpening is apt to magnify any noise still in the image.
If you have more than one tool that does noise reduction you may want to experiment with using both - there are different kinds of noise and different tools may excel with one kind more than another.
Apr 14, 2016 09:34:19 #
zigipha
Loc: north nj
abc1234 wrote:
Sharpening and reducing noise are opposite sides of the same coin. One tends to neutralize the other. Be careful on how you use these or else you will wind up being where you started.
Not really..noise reduction works on smoothing variations in pixels across areas (make sure the blue sky is noise-free blue, make sure the clouds are noise-free white).
Sharpening accentuates the edges and does not have much effect on large areas. so sharpening will accentuate the edge from sky to cloud but not have much effect on the blue background (if you really crank up sharpening you might see some artifacts in areas due to pixel variations, , but thats not realistic)
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Apr 14, 2016 09:53:04 #
zigipha wrote:
Not really..noise reduction works on smoothing variations in pixels across areas (make sure the blue sky is noise-free blue, make sure the clouds are noise-free white).
Sharpening accentuates the edges and does not have much effect on large areas. so sharpening will accentuate the edge from sky to cloud but not have much effect on the blue background (if you really crank up sharpening you might see some artifacts in areas due to pixel variations, , but thats not realistic)
Sharpening accentuates the edges and does not have much effect on large areas. so sharpening will accentuate the edge from sky to cloud but not have much effect on the blue background (if you really crank up sharpening you might see some artifacts in areas due to pixel variations, , but thats not realistic)
I agree with you. If you overdo one, then you will certainly introduce artifacts that overwhelm the other solution.
Apr 14, 2016 10:01:13 #
Nik Define is good but not as good as Topaz Denoise. With topaze you can denoise the product and then actually sharpen it in the same step.
Apr 14, 2016 10:04:40 #
gorgehiker wrote:
I have read several articles which advise doing noise reduction with Nik Define as the first step in post processing. I shoot RAW and use Lightroom. If I export to Nik for noise reduction before any other edits the file is returned to Lightroom as a TIFF. Therefore, don''t I lose the dynamic range and white balance adjustment advantages of RAW files?
Since I use my own NR program, I apply noise reduction prior to opening the file in either LR or PS, usually PS.
--Bob
Apr 14, 2016 10:09:08 #
you may consider using the Topaz denoise software to reduce digital noise even when use ISO of 6400.lightroom does a resonably good job in reducing the noise but topaz does a better job.joseph
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