I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised with Photoshop's noise reduction.

[TheBiles]

I always try to limit myself to below ISO 400 (I use 800 in only the most extreme situations), but a post on Reddit today got me thinking about the post-processing ability to remove noise, so I decided to do a quick test of my own. Here's a random shot of my desk at ISO 6400 compared to the noise-reduced version from Photoshop CS5. No other settings were touched in Camera Raw other than the noise reduction modifiers. I'm just really pleased with the results!


Photoshop Noise Reduction Comparison by Quentin Biles, on Flickr

So what ISO do those of you with ASP-C sensors try to shoot at regularly? Does anyone just use auto-ISO? How does auto-ISO determine its level? I try not to touch my ISO unless I'm breaking the "shutter speed faster than 1/focal length" rule, but I wasn't sure how auto-ISO worked its magic.

 

[analog.universe]

So what ISO do those of you with ASP-C sensors try to shoot at regularly? Does anyone just use auto-ISO? How does auto-ISO determine its level? I try not to touch my ISO unless I'm breaking the "shutter speed faster than 1/focal length" rule, but I wasn't sure how auto-ISO worked its magic.

I am the same way about ISO and shutter speed, stays on 100 unless it can't. Auto just uses whatever is appropriate to zero the meter, and I'll actually use it when exposure conditions are changing fast enough that I can't do it by hand. That's the only time though, because rarely do I actually want my meter at 0.

That type of scene actually benefits most from noise reduction, so you're random shot was actually fairly "easy" to noise reduce. Try experimenting with fine detail.... trees, pet fur, etc. and see what you get. It still works, but you run into artifacts and sharpness reduction much sooner. That being said I have been very satisfied with the results of gotten on difficult scenes up to about 2000 or 2500.

Beware though because noise isn't the only beast you have to deal with boosting ISO...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

You have to be careful with it because it can remove small detail and make everything look plasticky, like your example. But trade offs have to be made.

 

[TheBiles]

Beware though because noise isn't the only beast you have to deal with boosting ISO...

Like what?

 

[analog.universe]

Beware though because noise isn't the only beast you have to deal with boosting ISO...

Like what?

Czech this article out: DPanswers: ISO in Digital Photography

 

[KmH]

Czech this article out: DPanswers: ISO in Digital Photography

My kind of link. Thanks!

 

[subscuck]

In addition to PS's NR, there are free ware versions of some excellent NR software that works better than PS's native NR. Download the community version of Noiseware, for instance. It does a very good job of preserving detail (tho not perfect, none are), as do others. Even at higher ISO's, proper exposure will result in less noise. FYI, I use whatever ISO will give me the SS I need/want. I try to avoid auto anything, as I like to think I'm smarter than my cam. At least on a good day...