Free Noise Reduction.

[prostie1200]

Hi There

Just been introduced to a very smart program which you can download from the net, it’s called Neat Image.
For those shooting at high ISO’s, Noise is a detractor in the final image, and can be difficult to overcome.
Here are two images, taken from the original RAW file, Exif Info 1/250, ISO 800, f4.6, D70+ 70-200 and a 1.7TC. Both images have had the same treatment in PS-CS and the one was run through Neat Image. The process is full automatic and the noise reduction is quite dramatic.
The program is free and can be downloaded from the net, provided you are not a commercial operation.
Try it and have some fun.

Cheers

Brian

[Saphire]

Thanks Brian that it a very useful program to have, I have used it in the the past and just downloaded the newer version. The othe one which is very good is Picture cooler it only cost 15$ for the full program and that works brilliantly also.

[Andy]

The neatimage software has improved a lot over the years... I used to see some awful images treated with it in the early days, gave the birds a plastic look to them. It was also painfully slow but is very fast now.

You still have to be careful when using it but it can do magic.

I've used the pro version as a plug-in on photoshop since it came out a few years ago... i find the stand-alone programme a little restrictive. If you do pay for the full version, you get the latest upgrades for free.

Neatimage has quite a few competitors out there now, but I still reckon it's a very good choice.

cheers,
Andy

[yelvertoft]

Another vote for Neat Image, much better than Picture Cooler. I use it to remove noise from pictures taken at high ISO using my compact camera.

Incedentally, Picture Cooler gets flagged up as being spyware when I do a sweep using Spybot Seek and Destroy, anyone else get this?

Duncan

[wolfie]

As Saphire. I use Picture cooler (full version) compliments of Ronnie Kroonenburg, and find it to be a good deal better than the NeatImage freeware version.

In fact I would say it's on a par with NeatImage full version, with just one drawback, no PS plug-in.
So you can only use it as a stand-alone program.

Duncan, I have never come across this problem.

http://members.chello.nl/r.kroonenberg2/

[Torpedo]

I use Noiseware, community (free!!) edition.

[Canis Vulpes]

Originally Posted by prostie1200

Hi There

Just been introduced to a very smart program which you can download from the net, it’s called Neat Image.
For those shooting at high ISO’s, Noise is a detractor in the final image, and can be difficult to overcome.
Here are two images, taken from the original RAW file, Exif Info 1/250, ISO 800, f4.6, D70+ 70-200 and a 1.7TC. Both images have had the same treatment in PS-CS and the one was run through Neat Image. The process is full automatic and the noise reduction is quite dramatic.
The program is free and can be downloaded from the net, provided you are not a commercial operation.
Try it and have some fun.

Cheers

Brian

Neatimage is an excellent tool for the JPEG shooter but it must be used with care and respect.

Noise is better reduced at the RAW conversion stage, Brian does your RAW converter have noise reduction? If so I would have thought it would have been camera specific and should do a better job.

[Roy C]

Originally Posted by yelvertoft

Incedentally, Picture Cooler gets flagged up as being spyware when I do a sweep using Spybot Seek and Destroy, anyone else get this?

Duncan

I have Picture Cooler and Spybot but has never been picked up as spyware.

[Wheeler]

I've got the Pro version of Neat Image and it's very useful indeed. I bought the Pro version because I believe in supporting the people that create such useful tools rather than simply bagging the free version. The Pro version works as a plug-in with PSP and Photoshop and it supports batch processing, which makes life more convenient.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Wheeler

The Pro version works as a plug-in with PSP and Photoshop and it supports batch processing, which makes life more convenient.

I like the fact that i can apply it to a specific selection... or use the history brush afterwards and remove the noise reduction from any area at any % of strength.