Best Noise Reduction software for early digital cameras

[randall_pukalo]

<p>Got a Contax N Digital SLR recently to go with my film bodies and lenses (uses the same mounts), and love it. It produces wonderful images at iso 160 and less, but at 400 the noise in dark areas can be quite bad when zoomed in to 100% (a compulsion with digital). Any suggestions for good noise reduction software that can restore black to jet balck, and eliminate the "dandruff" (iso 400 dark areas with the 2002 era Contax N digital remind me of results one gets from using expired fast negative film).</p>

[howard_m]

<p>depends on whether you have Photoshop or not as some NR packages only function as plug-ins (vs. standalone). There are trials for most.......</p>

<p>Imagenomic (?) Noiseware<br>

Topaz DeNoise<br>

Nik Dfine</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>I have been using Neat Image for quite a few years, starting with removing noise in film scans to high ISO dSLR captures. The program includes an utility to general custom noise profiles for any permutation of film/scan types, camera bodies, ISOs, etc. The site also archives such profiles generated by other users. When a profile is applied, the amount of noise reduction can be increased/decreased as needed. And if that's not enough, a layer mask can be added to isolate specific areas in PS.</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>+1 for Neat Image, although Lightroom does a good job as well.</p>

[keith reeder]

<p>I've tried most - and I own Neat Image and Noise Ninja licences - but for me Topaz DeNoise wins hands down in terms of balancing noise reduction with detail retention.</p>

[tudor_apmadoc]

<p>I know that Noise Ninja has camera specific profiles, however things like Topaz even Lightroom 5.x have excellent tools to reduce noise.</p>

[keith reeder]

<p>To be honest, the best software-based noise mitigation tool of all is <em>selective/targetted editing</em>: it hardly matters which NR software you use if you apply it only where it's needed.<br /> <br /> Dead easy in Photoshop or PaintShop Pro - or anything with layers functionality: just apply it on a Duplicate layer, erase from where it's not needed, then flatten the file.</p>

<p>Do that with sharpening too, and the world's your oyster.</p>

<p>Oh - and <em>don't pixel peep.</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

Randall, are you shooting in Raw format?<em><br /></em></p>

[randall_pukalo]

<p>Thanks for all the feedback. Keith, no I have not used the RAW mode yet, as I am waiting for the RAW developing software to arrive. But will defintely try it out once I can read and develop the files. But the jpegs are beautiful, and I dont have to spend time tuning them, so that is a plus.</p>

[keith reeder]

<p>Raw's not <em>essential </em>(although I'll happily argue that it's "best" for absolute image quality in the end result), but I mention it because noise reduction works best if you start the NR process at the Raw conversion stage.</p>