B&W in low light and noise issues: I was wondering if anyone has experience with shooting in low light and high ISO and the effect on noise, if it’s basically the same problem for a...

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I was wondering if anyone has experience with shooting in low light and high ISO and the effect on noise, if it’s basically the same problem for a B&W as when producing a color photo. I recall seeing prints made from pushing B&W film with resulting grain, for example on a portrait of a craggy face, and the grain (noise) complemented the composition. I can’t think of a similar effect if you produced a color photo shot with a very high ISO. I’m wondering if, in very low natural light, a B&W product might be a better option than color. Or is digital noise different than film grain? I hope my question isn’t too confusing. Thanks for the input.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

digital noise likes to hang out in the dark areas

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

I do not know the science behind your question. However, in my experience, I like shooting mono images in poor light because I like the effects. The textures of the subject, when digitally processed seem to pop better. I don’t know if that experience gets directly to your question though. But I can say I think mono works better in low light, high contrast situations. My mpression of ISO is that mono handles it better if one’s carefull in pp.

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

pesfls wrote:

I do not know the science behind your question. However, in my experience, I like shooting mono images in poor light because I like the effects. The textures of the subject, when digitally processed seem to pop better. I don’t know if that experience gets directly to your question though. But I can say I think mono works better in low light, high contrast situations. My mpression of ISO is that mono handles it better if one’s carefull in pp.

Here’s an example of why I think that. Hope my posting the image doesn’t offend. If so say so and I’ll try to delete it.

(Download)

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

pesfls wrote:

Here’s an example of why I think that. Hope my posting the image doesn’t offend. If so say so and I’ll try to delete it.

Thanks a lot. You hit the nail on the head as far as I’m concerned. I think I had a gut feeling that noise would be less of an issue in B&W than in color in low light. I have some indoor BB game shots that’s i think I’ll play with in post to see what happens. I have a D7000 and most shots were at ISO 6400. Your example looks great.

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

gvarner wrote:

Thanks a lot. You hit the nail on the head as far as I’m concerned. I think I had a gut feeling that noise would be less of an issue in B&W than in color in low light. I have some indoor BB game shots that’s i think I’ll play with in post to see what happens. I have a D7000 and most shots were at ISO 6400. Your example looks great.

Perhaps part of this is the historic greater granularity we are used to in bw film than the newfound megapixle cameras nowadays, so we expect that outcome nowadays. Nevertheless, I like the older look but also appreciate the modern abilities. That coarseness and deep tonality of a decent bw is what I like about them. Guess my vintage is showing.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

pesfls wrote:

Here’s an example of why I think that. Hope my posting the image doesn’t offend. If so say so and I’ll try to delete it.

Don’t delete it! An excellent B&W in my opinion. Nice gray scale with all the zones from 1 to 10 placed just right.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

pesfls wrote:

Here’s an example of why I think that. Hope my posting the image doesn’t offend. If so say so and I’ll try to delete it.

Great!

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

gvarner wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has experience with shoo... (show quote)

To borrow from others, more noise is acceptable in B&W, so grain to taste, That said, unless I'm forced to hand hold, I use a tripod so I can get to ISO 100 and avoid any noise. One can always post process and add grain for effect, where removing is less easyl

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

pithydoug wrote:

To borrow from others, more noise is acceptable in B&W, so grain to taste, That said, unless I'm forced to hand hold, I use a tripod so I can get to ISO 100 and avoid any noise. One can always post process and add grain for effect, where removing is less easyl

That is exactly correct and describes my usual habits with indoor still life’s. Tripod, release cable, mirror lock up (with dslr), and lowest possible ISO compound each other for best results. I have found the in body stabilization in the Olympus I have to be pretty darn amazing though.

tomcat

I haven’t had a bit of problems with noise since I started using a Nikon D3s in low light. That’s your solution

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Film and digital are two different animals.

With film, there is something called reciprocity failure. This can happen with extremely long exposures needed because of very low light levels. Too-low light intensity will not "activate" the silver halide crystals regardless of how much time, resulting in failure to record an image.

Digital does not have reciprocity failure. Just does not exist. With digital there is image "noise", which occurs with very long exposure, or with very high ISO settings, necessitated by very low light levels.

User ID

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All four from the same file.

Answer to your question
is entirely up to you.

(Download)

srt101fan

gvarner wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has experience with shoo... (show quote)

You might be interested in this earlier, related thread: "Have any of you used "Noise" creatively in your photography?" (https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-543627-1.html)

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

gvarner wrote:

I was wondering if anyone has experience with shoo... (show quote)

You don't indicate in the post, but I'm assuming you must be shooting JPG's. When I want to shoot intending to create B&W, I shoot in raw mode. In doing so, of course, a color photo is produced, which I subsequently convert to B&W, most often using NIK Silver Efex Pro. It would be interesting to take a raw shot and desaturate it one color at a time, and view it at, say, 200% as you do, to see if desaturating has any effect on noise.