Help with noise in night shots.

[!an!]

How might I go about eliminating noise in night shots, like in these?
[Shot with 400 film]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/El_Capitan/NightPhoto02.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/El_Capitan/NightPhoto.jpg

What causes this noise?
Should I use a slower film?
any help will be appreciated!

 

[Big Mike]

Noise...in film is referred to as film 'grain'. Higher ISO film will show more grain.

In this case, I think the noise you are seeing is due to an exposure problem. You can't expose for the bright lights and the darker areas...at the same time. The camera will try to average out the exposure...which leaves you with muddy looking shadows. If you had exposed for the shadows...the lights would just be blown out blobs...which they almost are already.

When you (or the printer at the lab) tries to digital save the image...you will get noise.

 

[!an!]

hmm, okay I understand.
now is there anyway to shoot a shot like this and get a desirable picture?

 

[Big Mike]

Well since you can't expose for both the bright lights and the shadow area...you have to decide what you want to do. Even when you know what you want...it can be tricky trying to figure out how to accomplish that.

The camera's meter will want to turn everything grey (kind of like you have here)...so you have to out think the camera and set an exposure that will get you what you want. Try bracketing...which is taking several shots with different exposure values...and then seeing which ones look best. With film...it would be a good idea to keep notes on your settings...so that you can compare your notes with the shots when you actually see them.

Also, use a tripod and remote shutter (or self timer).

 

[Digital Matt]

Use a slower film, like ISO 100, and a tripod and cable realease as Mike suggested. These are really bad scans, which isn't helping the grain problem. They are very low in contrast and need to be tweaked.

 

[!an!]

alright, awesome, I'll apply this advice and see what happens!
Thanks a bunch!

 

[Andrew Boyd]

The answser is really in what you do with the photo now. Your camera is compensating for the range within the shot, unable to adequately give you a true black tone and a decent highlight. You should take this image into PS or whatever you have and go to the Levels function there. Even pushing the "Auto" button in Levels will fix this pretty well.

 

[Josh66]

What film was that? It looks pretty bad for 400...

Rescan it if you can, and mess around with the levels. It should be salvageable.

 

[musicaleCA]

Ditto the above. My film experience is limited, but none of the ISO 400 film I ever shot with looked that grainy.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You underexposed the picture and the lab you went to tried to compensate for that.



You can shoot 400 speed flim, you just need more exposure, that's all.

 

[RedWylder]

I had the same issue with my night scenes! Thanks for posting.

 

[gsgary]

If you are out shooting and you only have 1 film speed it can be pulled eg expose it as if it were iso100 but you must tell the lab (some films are better than others at pushing and pulling)
This is Ilford Delta3200 pushed to ISO6400