Beginner Noise Reduction Workflow Help!

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Good morning everyone.

I've just started taking some bird/animal photographs and noticing my ISO creeping up to get anything decent in terms of shot.

I haven't done any noise reduction before. I usually use LR and a bit of PS to tidy up my landscape images.

What are my options for adding some noise reduction? Topaz? Anything else?

What about workflow? What's best? Sorry for asking such basic questions but I'm an absolute novice!

ETA - Sony a7R IV and 200-600 at the moment

Thank you in advance!
 
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Good morning everyone.

I've just started taking some bird/animal photographs and noticing my ISO creeping up to get anything decent in terms of shot.

I haven't done any noise reduction before. I usually use LR and a bit of PS to tidy up my landscape images.

What are my options for adding some noise reduction? Topaz? Anything else?

What about workflow? What's best? Sorry for asking such basic questions but I'm an absolute novice!

ETA - Sony a7R IV and 200-600 at the moment

Thank you in advance!


Your camera ( same as mine) shouild handle noise adequately Stew- I regularly shoot at ISO 5000 with little or no noise fella

I have heard great things about Topaz although I don't use any NR programme's , I adjust my images using photoshop RAW - I alwys shoot RAW it makes editing so much easier fella

Les :)

ISO 5,000 - f8 - 1/1600th sec

xmDhNyY.jpg
 
I’ve got Topaz and Noiseware. Both capable. I always use Noise Reduction before processing.
No point in processing noise .
 
I’ve got Topaz and Noiseware. Both capable. I always use Noise Reduction before processing.
No point in processing noise .
I always run my noisy images through Topaz DeNoise at the very end.
I find this works best for me.
The software runs quicker with the smaller resized images.
I see your point though ;)
 
Topaz Denoise is very good, but since I have had DxO Photolab I hardly use it as the 'Deep Prime' raw processing is excellent (only work on raw files).

I believe there is a new product out - DxO Pure Raw I haven't tried it as I have the full package. It's on offer at the moment and may be worth trying alongside Topaz https://shop.dxo.com/en/
 
I always run my noisy images through Topaz DeNoise at the very end.
I find this works best for me.
The software runs quicker with the smaller resized images.
I see your point though ;)
That's interesting. I joined a webinar from Topaz which suggested the noise reduction should be the first thing you do. I confess I usually did a bit of processing first.
 
That's interesting. I joined a webinar from Topaz which suggested the noise reduction should be the first thing you do. I confess I usually did a bit of processing first.

Yep, any noise reduction software should be done first before anything else!
 
When photography first came out none of the Masters worried about noise in the images and were looked on as fantastic or great, so I would always use NR. Now I have gone back to my first thought, in B&W noise can make an image even better. I always crop first then edit and use either DXO NR or Topaz, as to me they are the best two on the market.
 
When using my Canon 5D5, I rarely needed any NR. Recently, I have a Sony A6600 which is a little noisier than my Canon and have been photographing wildlife birds and butterflies so mainly using Shutter priority at 1/1600 and Auto ISO. I regularly have ISO's 800 to 6400 and the latter does need NR. I use Topaz Denoise AI very early in the process,

Dave
 
Apparently the reason you should use the AI noise reduction at the start of PP and without cropping the image is it gives the software more information to create the right result. Russ.
 
Pure Raw is used initially before exporting to your desired editing software.

I'm not one to wax lyrical about anything, but this is an excellent program and well worth the 80 quid to me
 
What is it about the noise reduction in Lightroom that you find inadequate?
 
What is it about the noise reduction in Lightroom that you find inadequate?
I used to use the NR in LR but it has not developed that much and the Topaz NR has. With other NR and the original Topaz, one usually had to select the areas to apply but with the AI version, it makes intelligent decisions so not need to select. There is a penalty in that it uses enormous computer power so you may have to wait a few minutes even if you have a graphics card. I will have to upgrade or replace my aging PC soon so hope to speed up these complex processes. As I had preciously owned Topaz Denoise and Clear, the Denoise AI was free for me.

Like many others during Lockdown, I have looked at some old files to re-edit. One night shot of Gloucester docks was taken at ISO 25,600 but LR could not save it but Topaz Denoise AI was able to rescue it. Recently, I accidentally took a shot of a Robin in my garden at ISO 102,400 but even Topaz could not rescue this one.

Dave
 
To be entirely honest I've never used it in Lightroom. Are there any guides/workflows out there that use it?

I'm doing a PureRaw trial now and will see how I get on with it.

Thank you all for your feedback!

How are you getting on with it?
 
I like it. It seemed REALLY slow this morning. Estimating 13 hours or so. Not sure why.

I think it's producing some decent results though. I'll give it until the end of May and then probably buy it.

I think it works well, don't suppose I would have paid the 80 quid otherwise :)
The Deep Prime usually takes about one minute or so per photo, Prime a little bit less.

Might be handy if there was a way to regulate the sharpening, maybe that will come in a later update.
Noisy interior photos really benefit from it and I suspect wildlife such as small birds would too.
 
I rarely use any noise suppression, even in photoshop/lightroom.
however I rarely use my Fuji's at greater than ISO 3200
below that it seem unnecessary if the exposure is correct.
 
Just to add my tuppence worth...... I am now absolutely convinced that for a combination of sharpening and noise reduction, Topaz is much better then Lightroom. I don't know if more recent versions of LR are an improvement on my pre-subscription v6.14, but Topaz gives a much sharper and cleaner result. On my ancient PC a single file can take 30 minutes though!
 
Just to add my tuppence worth...... I am now absolutely convinced that for a combination of sharpening and noise reduction, Topaz is much better then Lightroom. I don't know if more recent versions of LR are an improvement on my pre-subscription v6.14, but Topaz gives a much sharper and cleaner result. On my ancient PC a single file can take 30 minutes though!
I think LR has improved a little since your version but still does not compete with Topaz Denoise AI. I am surprised that Adobe has not bought Topaz. Many years ago when Adobe were first developing LR, they bought RawShooter which was an excellent Raw processor. This took RawShooter off the market but Adobe employed the guys who designed Rawshooter to boost their own development programme. Given that all Topaz Filters interface well with Adobe, perhaps they have not thought it necessary.

Dave
 
I think LR has improved a little since your version but still does not compete with Topaz Denoise AI. I am surprised that Adobe has not bought Topaz. Many years ago when Adobe were first developing LR, they bought RawShooter which was an excellent Raw processor. This took RawShooter off the market but Adobe employed the guys who designed Rawshooter to boost their own development programme. Given that all Topaz Filters interface well with Adobe, perhaps they have not thought it necessary.

Dave
' am surprised that Adobe has not bought Topaz ' Hope that never happens,
 
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