Help! Accidentally took ISO 1600 shots now too grainy

[outlier]

Hi there. I made a huge rookie mistake today and took quite a few outdoor daytime photos at ISO 1600 after a previous shoot at night at a concert where I needed the higher ISO setting. Anyway I'm stuck with a ton of grain and wondered if there is a way to rescue these photos. I'm using a Canon XT for the camera and the photos were shot in RAW format. I also use photoshop CS3 although I just got it recently and am learning to use it. Any help would be a life saver.

 

[aMac]

Hmm, besides letting Photoshop's RAW dialogue remove some of the grain for you (the 3rd tab above the white balance controls. Looks like 2 triangles) I don't know what luck you'll have removing more grain without also removing the sharpness and other details from your photos.

You could try the Reduce Noise filter, and try to find a balance with the strength and preserve details setting, but be prepared for things to not look so crisp when you're done.

 

[LaFoto]

Try www.neatimage.com and their free trial version. I only use that version and it has often helped me heaps already!

 

[Sw1tchFX]

ISO 1600 on most modern digital cameras is ok(for the exception of the 1D mk III, which is immaculate). ISO 1600 is definatly printable up to 8x10/8x12, unless you're printing larger than that, or not even printing at all, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just remember to check all your settings before you start taking snaps.

 

[PatriK-b]

Did you try the NR tab with DPP?
Decrease, or at least do not increase sharpness, as sharpness also reveals noise.

If the pictures were correctly exposed (to the right), as said Sw1tchFX, it's should not be an issue.

 

[ERS1121]

I too have had good luck with the DPP software that came with the camera. Since I can't afford CS3 yet I use Photoshop Elements & Paint Shop Pro, and they have been able to clear up the rest of it.
Ed

 

[Jon, The Elder]

Try good ol' Noise Ninja. Still one of the better programs around.

 

[outlier]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like I should download some software to help out. I was hoping CS3 would be good at this given the outrageous cost. The photos are clearly grainy from an initial look and not printable in my opinion.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

well how large of a print are we talking about? at 8x10, you'd have to have your nose up to it and even than, your mind could just be playing tricks on you. at 12x18, you'll start seeing it, and above that, it gets chunky.

 

[outlier]

Probably nothing higher than 8X 10 but it looks glaringly obvious on screen. Maybe prints would be more forgiving. I've tried fiddling with the noise reduction function in Adobe CS3 RAW and also in Photoshop afterward and it helps with the grain a bit but then the detail seems to really get clobbered. It looks very soft but not as grainy.

well how large of a print are we talking about? at 8x10, you'd have to have your nose up to it and even than, your mind could just be playing tricks on you. at 12x18, you'll start seeing it, and above that, it gets chunky.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

prints are completly different than your monitor. monitors blast light at you, prints reflect it, good prints are in upwards of 300dpi, your monitor has pixels the size of legos.

get an 8x10 print done at costco for $2.50, and you'll see what i mean. unless you're super close to it, the noise wont' be an issue.

You think ISO 1600 on your digital camera is bad? ever used ISO 1600 film?

 

[outlier]

Thanks Sw1tchFX,

That is very comforting to know. I've been stressing about these for awhile. I'll try Costco as you suggest for a cheap peek at the finisihed product with and without noise reduction.

Cheers.

prints are completly different than your monitor. monitors blast light at you, prints reflect it, good prints are in upwards of 300dpi, your monitor has pixels the size of legos.

get an 8x10 print done at costco for $2.50, and you'll see what i mean. unless you're super close to it, the noise wont' be an issue.

You think ISO 1600 on your digital camera is bad? ever used ISO 1600 film?

 

[ScenicBC]

If you don't mind sacrificing a bit of detail I've found Noise Ninja to be one of my favorite plugins for Photoshop. It worked out especially well when cleaning up the photos I took of my twins in the special care nursery, which had terrible soft glowing lighting. Cheers.

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

Photoshop does have noise reduction software.

Filter -> Noise -> Reduce Noise.

Try Strength at about 7 or 8; Preserve Details about 50%, Reduce Color Noise at arounf 70% (go as high as you can without making the image too blurry), keep Sharpen Details fairly low.

You can reduce the noise from individual channels in the Advanced bit too.

Then use the Unsharpen Mask or Smart Sharpen to resharpen the image. It doesn't fix the problem of course but it should help if you aren't going to buy Noise Ninja!

- This is in CS2, which I have, but I fully expect CS3 has this too...

 

[snowbear]