High ISO Noise Correction Software

I've been checking out different Photoshop plugins to simplify the correction of noisy high-ISO photos. Below is a sample "before-and-after" done by Noiseware.

I tried checking out Neat Image, but it crashed my Photoshop CS3 every time I invoked Neat Image. Hasta la vista, Neat Image.

I've had geat success with two other products: Noise Ninja and Noiseware (the latter was suggested by Greg, IIRC). The first difference I noticed was that Noise Ninja has a built-in masking capability for selective noise-reduction (in case essential fine details could be wiped out by the fix). I don't know how often I'd use that features, and it's easy enough to mask in Photoshop and run the correction through that. Both packages seem to clean up a noisy photo equally well.

The posted sample is from a night game photo that was previously unusable. Now it'll be suitable for a commemorative poster a whole team's worth of parents will snap up. Whichever software I pick, it'll more than pay for itself on the first photo.

Still comparing controls and profiling...
.
.

Post edited by: OrcaBob, at: 2008/03/01 22:11

Wow, great results!! thanks for the comparo between them.

I've never gotten around to trying Noiseware but it is on my list of things to try. Noise Ninja (a basic version) is built into Bibble Lite and I have been impressed with it when I've needed it.

Thanks for the information!

Bob,
Glad you got the chance to check them all out, I like Noiseware the best. I started with Neat Image (stand alone) then when to Noise Ninja (which works great too) but after checking them all out I use Noiseware most of the time when I need it, which is not very often. (but, I still have all of them)

I know on here (small images) is not the best to view them but on the larger images it really makes a big difference.

Great! Wow... can everyone use this 'noiseware'? Or do you have have a special cameras for that?

Great! Wow... can everyone use this 'noiseware'? Or do you have have a special cameras for that?

Anyone can, All have free demos but for full version you have to buy them. I have the Pro versions of all of them. I like Noiseware the best but Noise Ninja is very good too. Each one does thing a little different. You can also download your camera profiles to make them work better etc... Some are Plug-ins for Photoshop and some are stand-alone version. I would download the free demo of each and check them out yourself and if you don't have photoshop get the stand-alone version (read system requirements)

Here are the links to each one.

Neat Image: Price range $29.90-$74.90
http://www.neatimage.com

Noise Ninja: Price range $34.95-$79.95
http://www.picturecode.com

Noiseware: Price range $29.95-$239.95 (some bundled packages)
http://www.imagenomic.com

Post edited by: starimagephoto, at: 2008/03/03 09:49

Most of the demos appear to be fully-functioning versions, but any photos you save have a grid pattern over them. You can see the results but can't really use the picture until you buy a software license.

All of the packages that come as Photoshop plugins are in the $70-80 range. That $239 Noiseware package is bundled with two other packages, one which specializes in cleaning up faces in portraits, and the other which allows the user to simulate any one of an assortment of film types.

Most of the demos appear to be fully-functioning versions, but any photos you save have a grid pattern over them. You can see the results but can't really use the picture until you buy a software license

I have NeatImage and don't have a grid problem.. I got the free version and it works very well.. Hmmm. Yep, I remember getting a big print of one I filtered with it and it looked fabulous.. No grid.. Maybe it has changed? I've been using the version I have for a couple years now..

the Grid is with Noise Ninja only if I remember right.

I saw the gridding in more than one brand of the software, though I don't recall right now which ones. Ninja was definitely one... Going into Photoshop to check...

NOTE: I just verified that the Noiseware demo does grid the results. Maybe this is a recent step they've taken to ensure the actual purchase.

(I never got that far with Neat Image to see if it also gridded the results in demo mode. It crashed my copy of Photoshop CS3 every time I invoked the Neat Image plugin.)

I don't mind paying for the full package, even if the free demo doesn't grid the results. Revenue provides incentive for the developers to support their product and to keep making improvements in it.

And $80 is a bargain if it makes my poorer indoor- and night-game photos much more marketable.

It seems you are dealing with the plug ins.. I use neatimage as a stand alone.. I downloaded the free stand alone community Noiseware and am impressed so far.. I didn't check to see if a grid would appear if I saved it yet but will keep you informed..

Ok.. I used the Noiseware Community Edition stand alone. I'm not noticing a grid when I open it in any other program.. Must be a plug in thing..

It was a long time ago when I downloaded the free versions so they may all have the grids. Too long ago for me to remember.

Bob, if you want to check out Neat Image I would get the stand-alone because the plug-in may have problems with Cs3 (but honestly the other two are far better software)

if you want to check out Neat Image

Thanks, but I'll stick with looking into Ninja and Noiseware.

Neat Image pi$$ed me off at 3:00am. You don't wanna do that.

I don't blame you. Ninja and Noiseware is far better.

Good to know. Very interesting. Thank you So good to have all these things explained in human language so I can understand it

I bought the Noiseware Pro package -- both the PS plugin and the standalone version -- last night. Tickled pink with it all EXCEPT that the standalone isn't doing a bit of cleanup in batch mode, no matter what settings I use.

The standalone works like a champ in interactive (single picture) mode, but in batch mode it simply goes through the motions of processing and saves the same old noisy pic. I blew two hours of batch-processing this afternoon before I realized the failure. It does this regardless of what noise-reduction profile I've selected. I've used the same test photos in a side-by-side comparison of plugin and standalone. The standalone is just plain shooting blanks. I'll try reinstalling the software. I've also got a pending email to their tech support.

In the mean time, I did a little crash course in Photoshop scripting tonight and I'm running the plugin in batch-mode.

The Noiseware plugin works beautifully. Whereas NeatImage crashed PS CS3 every time I invoked the plugin, Noiseware's been very well behaved! But what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is with that standalone package?!?

Hmmm, I always do the batching in photoshop with an action that you can download from their web page.
http://www.imagenomic.com/actionbook.aspx

hope that tech support can help you out with the stand-alone version.

Here is an example using the free stand alone Noiseware.. I really like it..

before


after

I always do the batching in photoshop with an action that you can download from their web page.

Thanks, Stari. I already downloaded that action and it prompted me for each and every save in the batch. With 1700+ shots to clean up last night, I couldn't be there for all 1700 prompts. I had to modify their scripting just so it wouldn't stop and ask for INTERACTION on each step of the batch process. Prompting defeats the very purpose of the batch process. Even modified to run without any intervention, the process didn't get done until this afternoon. That was a lotta picture-crunching!

Batching was the only reason I also got the standalone module. I haven't heard back from the tech support folks yet (that in itself is a cause for concern). If I get no response tomorrow, I'm going to press them for a refund on the standalone package.

Swoozie, I can not see a difference between the two photos


O man, I must really be getting worse...


(I would love to take that kitten in my hands though - wow, what a sweetie! )

I can see it mainly in the finer shorter fur on the nose, but I had to hunt for the differences. Something with that much fur is a difficult illustration for noise-reduction.

It was the noise around the cat on the edges.. It's fine but there.. I was impressed that noiseware handled the noise and sharpened the cat and handled fine noise effectively.. Chica, that is my Puff. She is soft and chubby and thinks she is a dog.. She follows my dog and I on walks and sits pretty!

Don't feel bad Chica. I can't see the difference either. By the way Susie, lovely shots. Your cat looks like a sweetie. Wich I weren't allergic to animals.
Susan

Don't feel too bad, it kind of hard to see on here and the image isn't that bad on noise.

Here is a blown up version. Note that F stands for filtered and N stands for Noise.


Post edited by: starimagephoto, at: 2008/03/14 20:48

Ah, thanks for the closeup. Now I see it.

With those giant images I posted I was sure it couldn't be missed.. Thank you, Star, for pointing it out.. I am real impressed on how it sharpened as well as taking care of the noise.. Notice the piece of lint in the 2N/2F examples? It really stands out better in the 2F.. Helped with her whiskers too.. I wonder if Noiseware will pay us for the advertising..

Post edited by: Swoozie, at: 2008/03/15 02:27

I wonder if Noiseware will pay us for the advertising.

That would be nice. Or they could give out free stuff to us.

Yes, even I can see it now Thanks for that, Starimagephoto Indeed a great job.

it works OK in the centre of the image providing the image is over 1024 X something or other resolution .