What are your thoughts on noise?

[Chrisku13]

I have been doing a lot of research on DSLRs that I am hoping to buy, and noticed that noise seems to be a commonly cited reference for a camera's performance. I understand that there are many factors that influence how well a camera will perform, but I think image noise shouldn't necessarily be focused on as much. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I'm content knowing that digital cameras today can deliver great high ISO performance in comparison to film at much lower speeds. Upon looking at the noise tests on this site, it appears that the studio controlled shots look pretty clean, even up to ISO 3200! Am I just crazy? Also, I have come to find that almost all DSLRs in the market today are fine for someone like me (non-professional). I know it's cliche, but after looking at so many reviews and seeing great pictures come from all kinds of cameras, I feel that it's the photographer who is taking truly great pictures.

[cdifoto]

What are your thoughts on noise?

It's loud.

I prefer the soft beat of smooth jazz when I'm just relaxing.

[zmikers]

Chrisku - you are right, and also don't forget that many photos you see posted have gone through PP including some software like noise ninja which is wonderful to get rid of noise.

[Chrisku13]

I had the feeling I'd get a reply like yours, cdifoto. :)

Yeah, I recently tried Noise Ninja with an ISO 800 photo taken with a point and shoot, but wasn't too impressed. Maybe I'll have to try some more. Anyways, it seems like "high-ISO" and noise performance seem to be the next big marketing term for digital cameras. Unless they decide to pursue higher and higher megapixels.

[cdifoto]

Point and shoots and dSLRs are worlds apart when it comes to high ISO noise performance. It's not just a marketing term. It's a function of usability.

ISO3200 on a 30D (apologies to those who have already seen it before):

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-011.jpg

[Chrisku13]

Yeah, I've seen that and other photos from that shoot you had. Insane. Is there any kind of post processing done on these?

And I know it's not just a marketing term, but it seems that it's being used a lot more often now. When I was first interested in digital photography, I didn't hear much mention of anything related to ISO or noise. Anyways, good to know I'll be seeing much better results than what I'm getting from the point and shoot.

[cdifoto]

The only post work I did on that shot was a slightly tighter crop and a bit of sharpening. I didn't run any noise reduction on it. The ones I run through NeatImage end in nr.jpg.

[cdifoto]

Here's the same shot after NeatImage. For some reason my image number isn't the same. I think I may have deleted even more shots after uploading that other one.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-008nr.jpg

[lucav]

. I understand that there are many factors that influence how well a camera will perform, but I think image noise shouldn't necessarily be focused on as much.


I am not sure I agree.
Keeping in mind that I have a fujiS602, a camera from 2002 whose noise performance is probably not in line with today's standard, many of my shots are marred by noise problems even if I always use the lowest ISO available (200, I believe).

Noise is most apparent when I shoot racing cars, with dark tyres and bright body colors, but it also tends to show up in macros.
I never had noise problems with portraits, instead, partly because they do ask for less sharpening.

In general, if I overexpose a little I loose details in the highlights; if I correctly- or under-expose than noise becomes quite apparent.
Such noise is unnoticeable when I resize to 800x600 (web) and probably also in print (I don't print), but I view my pictures on a monitor at 1600x1200 and the noise shows up.

I look forward to jumping on a dslr, I just need to find a cheap one with IS, dust reduction and good high iso noise levels ;)

Bye,
Luca

[Chrisku13]

Yeah, I don't mean to say that noise performance isn't important at all, but people should be comfortable with the fact that DSLRs are going to give less noise than point and shoots, and unless you have something like an ISO 1600 shot that you want to print large, it shouldn't be a problem. Even on some of the ISO 3200 shots I've seen (such as cdifoto's earlier in the thread), the noise is negligible.