De noise software

Lee H

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Lee Hanley
Hi everyone

Do you use De noise software ? If so what is best for you and how much did you pay? Really considering buying a software for noise reduction...

Appreciate any help on this

Cheers

Lee
 
When necessary I use noise software. I use either Topaz denoise or DXO pure raw. Quick and easy use DXO and more detailed work use Topaz. As for price there are a lot of sites that will get you 15-20% off.
 
I don't use it a lot, but when I have to shoot at very high ISO it certainly helps. I have two that both came with software bundles. One is Dfine2 which comes with the NIK Software plugins for Photoshop, Lightroom, etc (I use them with Photoshop Elements). The other is DeNoise AI which comes from Topaz and can be used as a standalone program, though I bought it on a special that included their two other programs Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI (both of which I find even more useful).

Not sure which of the two is better, though for value I think NIK because two of their other programs (ColorEfex4 and SilverEfex2) I find indespensible. I find NIK Dfine2 works fine for noise reduction, and since I had that before Topaz I would not have purchased Topaz DeNoise AI on its own. I only got it because it was included in the package with their other two programs that I wanted.
 
I use Topaz extensively, but not too powerfully. I think it's a godsend, especially for high resolution images, and especially if you live in the UK and the conditions force ISO up.
 
I just processed the raw file of a sunset I photographed near my home at the beginning of the week. While I was at it, I made some samples for this thread. I used Nik Dfine2 in the automatic mode, but then dialed it back a bit by lowering the opacity of the Nik layer to 73 percent in PhotoShop Elements (so that 27 percent of the original version showed through). Why? Because the full Nik Dfine looked just a tiny bit painterly (eg fake) when I enlarged it to actual pixels.

First attachment is the entire image (without noise reduction, though at this size it is not noticeable). Second attachment is without noise reduction enlarged to actual pixels so you can see the noise. Third attachment is the final Dfine2 (73 percent) version enlarged to actual pixels so you can see the noise reduction.

Hood sample 1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/40 sec
  • ISO 1600
Hood sample 2.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/40 sec
  • ISO 1600
Hood sample 3.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/40 sec
  • ISO 1600
 
I have the latest versions of Topaz De Noise and DxO PureRAW 2 and have used them both and they both do an excellent job but if I could have one, it would be the DxO product. A little easier and faster for me. I have a flash but have never used it in anger. Consequently, my a7 III or a7 IV will drive the ISO to the point there is noise if I shoot indoors and I seem to be doing that a fair amount.
 
I use ON1 (Photoshop equivalent) which now has very good noise-reduction included, so I do not need separate noise-reduction software.
 
Thank you everyone for your help/replies.

Is it better to put through noise reduction before or after post processing?
 
I have got the Topaz A1 and I find it quite easy to use and as said by many so far not on every shot. Some shot I have put through it has done even a worse job so I have just got out of it. But for me to say I can use it then it really is easy.

They had it for sale with $20 reduction in price and I said to the wife about and and I got the go ahead.
So from $79.99 it came to $59.99 and I thought this was good. I signed up for it and then looked at the price and now it showed it was
$93.09 Australian Dollars. I was still allowed to get it.

I feel it is well worth the cost even though the conversion from Australian to American made it more than I thought I would say get it.
But this is just what I think on it.
 
Thank you everyone for your help/replies.

Is it better to put through noise reduction before or after post processing?
My intuition says better after, but I have no "proof" to back up my claim.
 
Thank you everyone for your help/replies.

Is it better to put through noise reduction before or after post processing?
The general thinking on denoise is that if you carry out post processing before running through denoise you may not get the same quality of
finish....you should go straight to denoise with raw or jpeg images, or convert to Tiff and post process afterwards as a general rule....
 
The general thinking on denoise is that if you carry out post processing before running through denoise you may not get the same quality of
finish....you should go straight to denoise with raw or jpeg images, or convert to Tiff and post process afterwards as a general rule....
if you go to the denoise site you will see this is the general recommendation....
 
I just processed the raw file of a sunset I photographed near my home at the beginning of the week. While I was at it, I made some samples for this thread. I used Nik Dfine2 in the automatic mode, but then dialed it back a bit by lowering the opacity of the Nik layer to 73 percent in PhotoShop Elements (so that 27 percent of the original version showed through). Why? Because the full Nik Dfine looked just a tiny bit painterly (eg fake) when I enlarged it to actual pixels.

First attachment is the entire image (without noise reduction, though at this size it is not noticeable). Second attachment is without noise reduction enlarged to actual pixels so you can see the noise. Third attachment is the final Dfine2 (73 percent) version enlarged to actual pixels so you can see the noise reduction.

View attachment 23755View attachment 23756View attachment 23757
Hi Fred I understand you have denoise, do you have denoise as a stand alone package or as a LR preset...as i understand it if you have it as preset linked to Lightroom you need to convert Raw to Tiff images before loading into denoise where as a stand alone package you can load Raw direct....can you confirm from your experience...? If not Fred can anyone else confirm as i am at the point of buying the denose/sharpen AI packages.
 
The general thinking on denoise is that if you carry out post processing before running through denoise you may not get the same quality of
finish....you should go straight to denoise with raw or jpeg images, or convert to Tiff and post process afterwards as a general rule....
Ray cheers Mate 👍🏽📷👍🏽
 
I use ON1 (Photoshop equivalent) which now has very good noise-reduction included, so I do not need separate noise-reduction software.
Same here. I have been very happy with it so far.
 
I use DXO PhotoLab 5, which has "Deep Prime" (I think that's the name) denoise program included, and I also have Topaz Denoise A1 which I sometimes use as a standalone. Both do a very effective job at cleaning up noise, which I appreciate since I do a fair amount of low-light photography. I also actually have the NIK Collection, too, as a plug-in to DXO PhotoLab 5, but have not tried their DFine 2....I should do that and see how it works. Actually, the only NIK program that I have used so far has been their excellent Silver Efex, which I really like for B&W conversions.
 
Hi Fred I understand you have denoise, do you have denoise as a stand alone package or as a LR preset...as i understand it if you have it as preset linked to Lightroom you need to convert Raw to Tiff images before loading into denoise where as a stand alone package you can load Raw direct....can you confirm from your experience...? If not Fred can anyone else confirm as i am at the point of buying the denose/sharpen AI packages.
I do not use Lightroom (because I don't like paying a monthly subscription). I have Topaz DeNoise AI as a standalone program and I have Nik Dfine2 as a plugin for Photoshop Elements.

Whichever one I use, I have always done my RAW conversion in Photoshop Elements and saved it as a TIFF, then done any other editing Photoshop Elements (cloning, NIK filters, etc) and saved that as a TIFF. Then, if needed, I apply noise reduction and save that as a TIFF.

For some reason I assumed it was best to do noise reduction last, but others here are saying it is better if you do it first, so I may have to experiment with that on future images.
 
The first action in my workflow is to use Topaz AI noise reduction for RAW files, and for 98% of my images. IMO, works exceptionally well.
I'd highly recommend the Topaz bundle for $99 coming in September. I've used the Topaz programs for years
 
The first action in my workflow is to use Topaz AI noise reduction for RAW files, and for 98% of my images. IMO, works exceptionally well.
I'd highly recommend the Topaz bundle for $99 coming in September. I've used the Topaz programs for years
Sandy Cheers Mate 👍🏽📷👍🏽
 
I use Topaz Denoise and find it to be excellent.. I very often shoot at higher ISO because of it..
 
I have not tried the Topaz software. I have, and sometimes use, DXO PhotoLab with its DeepPrime de-noise - it seems to be very effective (more so than their standalone de-noise, because you get more control over it in PhotoLab.

Adobe Camera RAW has de-noise functionality in the Detail tab, but it is a bit primitive, and if you increase it above a certain threshold it turns people into Barbie dolls (flat plastic skin) - I am aware there is a notorious piece of software that is sold expressly to do that (yuck!), but you can get the same effect in PhotoShop (yet another reason not to buy that software!).
 
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