Why are my pictures so noisy?!

[Rebekah5280]

Ok, so here is my issue ( have several, but lets just focus on this one for now).

I shoot in Raw. I love the freedom it gives me PP to fiddle with my exposure/white balance ect...

So I tweak everything in ViewNX (Nikon's program that came with my camera).
Then I convert to JPEG (more on this further down incase your saying "Why is she saving in JPEG!?)
When I open my pictures in PhotoImpact (I know, I know... wth?! I'm sending this program back and getting PhotoShop) they look like ****e! Soooooo noisy!!

ViewNX JPEG = Decent
PhotoImpact JPEG = Crappy

Its like a whole other picture completely!

What the heck? Has anyone heard of this? Can someone please help me?

ok.. and as promised above... ***So, why am I converting to JPEG? There are 2 TIFF options when I convert. 16-bit, 8-bit. I converted to 16-bit once, a whole batche of photos, but stoopid PhotoImpact wouldn't let me do anything with the pictures when I opened it (blemish removal ect...)
I tried converting to 8-bit once, and it let me manipulate the image in PhotoImpact, but I went back to saving JPEG out of habit and figured if I couldn't save in 16-bit then I might as well save it in JPEG. Takes much less time converting.
So, Whats the difference between the 16-bit and 8-bit files?
I understand that Tiff is uncompressed and JPEG is compressed, but what does that do to my pictures in regards to image quality?

Thank you so much for any suggestions/feedback/ect...

 

[Rebekah5280]

I never shoot above 800 ISO, I try to stay around 400 or less. My spot meter is always on zero before I click away (so my camera is telling me I have proper exposure, although I find that I am always increasing my exposure PP).

 

[Robin Usagani]

If you are at 0 doesn't mean you are at correct exposure. You could be pointing at the sun or black wall.

 

[Overread]

Hmm what quality setting are you saving your JPEGs as when you first save them. The difference you report sounds big so first guess is that you're saving them as low quality JPEGs and thus its dumping a lot of the quality. JPEG is a lossy format so it will lose data each time you save, but you should be perfectly fine for the first half a dozen saves without any worries (esp on large sized photos).

 

[Rebekah5280]

I am saving at the highest quality JPEG setting.

 

[Rebekah5280]

But if I am spotmetering on my subject (for example, my son's face) and its at 0, then it should give me correct exposure for his face. Right?

 

[Overread]

Hold on lets not confuse the issue - if the photos are looking generally good and noise free in the Nikon software then something is happening between it an the other software you are currently using. If they are looking noisy from the get-go then that means we have an exposure issue which is something totally different.

It might just be the software itself - have you tried downloading a demo of some Photoshop software (something like Photoshop elements or the full CS5) and running your photos through that to see if it gives you improved performance.

 

[Rebekah5280]

No, I havn't tried opening it in another program, but I was going to go purchase PhotoShop tomorrow. I didn't think of trying to download a trial version from the site. I will do that now. Thank you!

 

[KmH]

Post a sample image and the image's EXIF info with the issue, and so we can see what camera model and lens you are using.

Which version of Photoshop are you planning to buy? Photoshop Elements 9, Photoshop CS5, Photoshop CS5
Extended, or Photoshop Lightroom 3?

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[Rebekah5280]

Update **** Downloaded PSE9 trial. Pictures appear in PSE9 as they do in ViewNX. The batch of pictures I put through PSE9 was the first batch since I got this camera that I did not have to Despeckle/reduce noise on since I rcvd my camera!!!

This makes me believe that PhotoImpact was the reason for the noise.

Thank you all for helping me through this problem by giving me suggestions!!

 

[gsgary]

This statement caught my eye

I shoot in Raw. I love the freedom it gives me PP to fiddle with my exposure/white balance ect...

This is probably where your problem lies, you think you have more freedom than you actually have and your trying to up the exposure on an underexposed shot
that is beyond saving

 

[Derrel]

You might be surprised that **some** Nikon software will by default, save even 12 Megapixel original .NEF images as VERY highly-compressed JPEG files, with absolutely ridiculous file sizes like 36k and 48k--and the images will also look QUITE good when shrunk to screen size (like 800 pixels tall) and viewed at their converted display size. So, check the compression level settings and display size for ViewNX, and see what it is set to.

 

[AgentDrex]

These darn noisy digital cameras...tell 'em to turn down the music and get a job...sheesh...

Noise isn't all that bad...you'll lose sharpness....but so don't we all with age...I say don't look at it as a bad thing...go with it...or not...most people don't like noisy photos...I do...but then again...I am the Village Weirdo here at TPF....

 

[The_Traveler]

this is all basic stuff that is available in a single book ratehr than asking questions.
buy a book on exposure

 

[GreatPhotoRace]

These darn noisy digital cameras...tell 'em to turn down the music and get a job...sheesh...

Noise isn't all that bad...you'll lose sharpness....but so don't we all with age...I say don't look at it as a bad thing...go with it...or not...most people don't like noisy photos...I do...but then again...I am the Village Weirdo here at TPF....

I guess I'm a weirdo too! I don't mind noisy photos, as long as they fit the message that the photo is trying to convey. Photography is an art too!