Removing dust from images

[diffangle]

Does anyone know any good software to help clean up dust on images?

 

Thanks

 

Liz

[ellis_vener_photography]

the Spot Healing Brush tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3 and in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

....and in Photoshop Elements. cb

[mendel_leisk]

If you have Photoshop, it's Dust & Scratch filter, though much maligned, can do quite a good job. It has 2 settings: radius and threshold. As an example, setting radius around 5 and leaving threshold at zero, you will get horribly softened, unacceptable results. But if you then raise threshold to around 15, you will get fairly good cleaning. It is more effective in highlights or shadows (one of those two, I forget which). There will be some subtle 'shifting' of real detail as well, but it is fairly minor.

 

Another approach to using the PS Dust & Scratch Filter, and this is my preference in all but basket case dusty images:

 

1. Open file (PS will take an initial snapshot automatically), in the history pallet.

 

2. Apply fairly strong D&S filter, say with 5 radius and 0 threshold.

 

3. Take another History Pallet snapshot.

 

4. Set your current state to the initial snapshot.

 

5. Set your history brush to source from the D&S treated snapshot.

 

6. If your dust is dark, set history brush to lighten. Or vice versa.

 

7. Using a small diameter, say 20, apply history brush to isolated, small diameter dust specks. Use very short strokes at most, points are better. Long strokes will be noticeable.

 

This is effective for isolated dust, particularly on complex patterns where healing brush or clone stamp is difficult to use.

 

For everything bigger, Photoshops healing brush is your best bet, and/or clone stamp.

[steve_zaiger]

I have been using a dual boot system with Windows sharing it with Ubuntu Linux for about a year. The Linux system is free and can be downloaded from the Ubuntu site onto your Windows environment. From there I use what is called "Gimp" to modify pictures. It is free, just like Ubuntu Linux. Gimp enabled me to clean up a very old picture from the 30's that was stained with wine among other things. It looks clear as a bell now! It takes some work learning what it can do, but it is as powerful as Photoshop and FREE!

[JDMvW]

IMHO, the automated dust removals are not worth bothering with. In every case where I have tried them, they produce artifacts that are arguably worse than the occasional dust spot.

 

In general, you will get better results with a PS "healing brush" or whatever it is called in other programs and hand spotting, just like in the old days with film and a spotting pencil or such. Another reason to keep your sensor as clean as possible.

[Ray House]

Go to the Poloroid site and download the free dust and scratch removal filter. It is fully adjustable, works great and is free!

[les]

If there is not much dust - use clone stamp in PS. If there is a lot of dust - clean the sensor.

[diffangle]

yes it would've been advisable to check the camera before shooting but hindsight is a great thing. Dust was worse than I thought and healing brush will take forever - already tried in PS and Lightroom. Will give the dust and scratches thing a go.

 

Thanks to all.

 

Liz

[mendel_leisk]

Are these scans or from dslr? The former are much more prone to myriad small dust, the latter to the big blobs.