With or Without the Noise Reduction?

[SquarePeg38]

Was playing around pushing the ISO a bit while taking a photo for the DOF challenge. Used the XT2 with 60mm macro, ss 1/500, f 2.4, ISO 12800. Converted the RAW file in camera +2 exposure then converted to b&w using the ACROS film simulation. I used Topaz DeNoise at the RAW Moderate setting then sharpened just a bit. I did not sharpen the file without the noise reduction. Just curious which people think looks better. I know which one I prefer but I'll keep that to myself for now...

1. With noise reduction


2. Without
[url=https://flic.kr/p/YzhH7p][/url]

 

[JustJazzie]

I like it with, for sure!

 

[tirediron]

Maybe with, but less? The noise isn't objectionable, but I also don't think toning it down a bit ('though maybe not as much) is a bad idea.

 

[jcdeboever]

#1

 

[Derrel]

Either shot is fine by me...there are plenty of "clues" in there for me to read between the lines, so heavy NR as in shot #1, or NO NR, as in #2...about the same impact for me.

I tend to prefer no NR, or very,very,very little NR, to a loss of high frequency detail, but the shallow DOF means that this shot has very little high frequency detail, due to the majority of that stuff being rendered OOF.

 

[Destin]

I tend to value fine detail and sharpness retention over noise reduction, so I like the second one. Especially in black and white photos, I’ve never found noise to be a detractor.. at least not with any of the modern DSLRs.

 

[Overread17 5]

Both.

I'd use layer masks so that the strong noise reduction is applied to the background out-of-focus areas and the sharpening/low noise reduction to the in focus areas of the nose. If you use the brush tools on the layer mask with say 10% opacity you can then build up a little around the noise area in stages so that you don't get a sharp transition from noise reduction to no noise reduction.

 

[ronlane]

I don't mind the noise in this conversion. I would agree, maybe scalling the NR back a little bit.

 

[fmw]

#1. I see more grainy artifacts in the one with reduced noise. Long hair chihauhua?

 

[SquarePeg38]

#1. I see more grainy artifacts in the one with reduced noise. Long hair chihauhua?

Papillon -he does frequently get mistaken for a chihuahua or a pomeranian mix.

 

[Gary A.]

With, but with a bit more contrast ... I want to see a white.

 

[dennybeall]

Prefer #2, but not sure why? Just like it ever so slightly better.

 

[Braineack]

always without for me, didnt even have to look.



but i did look, at still say without.

 

[Fred von den Berg]

Without noise reduction: in the reduced noise image the eyes look very glassy and the nose has little to no detail.

 

[SquarePeg38]

Thanks all for your input. For practice I’m going to work on this one some more and see if I can find a happy medium.