FZ20 in-camera adjustments vs Photoshop

[Spapoops]

The FZ20 is the first digicam I've owned with adjustments for contrast, sharpness, noise in camera.

To date I've used PS CS and several of Fred Miranda's tools (fredmirnada.com) with great success.

Wondered if any of the FZ users have an opinion.

Thanks,

Bryan

[pixelator]

You can graduate better the results. Some Fredmiranda´s plugins are good, like intellisharpen, but if you knows photoshop you can get the same results.

[Spapoops]

I too believe that CS gives you greater flexibility but wondered if there was any FZ20 specific in-camera sharpening/noise reduction benefit.

Bryan

[60mm]

I dont like how the cameras built in sharpening looks at all, compared to Nik Sharpener Pro or Neat Image, so I put that on low. I put saturation on low because it looses a tad bit of detail. I can always saturate with even more control in PS CS. I keep noise reduction on low ALWAYS. Way more detail, I can filter unwanted noise later, and if need be, only in certain areas of a pic (like the sky). The in camera noise reduction obviously filters the whole picture. The contrast, I actually use occassionally. When I shoot b/w I crank it up. Some other shots I use it too. But regardless, PS CS can do it better than the camera, although sometimes it cant perfectly reproduce contrast control on camera.

[Spapoops]

This is what I was after.

I'm playing with the in-camera settings and the results are subjective and other FZ20 user's opinions are valued.

Thanks again,

Bryan

[jaynads]

Personally, especially if you use Photoshop, I think it's best that you keep the effects the camera applies to the image to a minimum. The camera may do a good job, but it knows nothing of asthetic, and once it applies too much of an effect, there's no going back.

[Spapoops]

I appreciate the feedback.

Bryan

[60mm]

If you want to do noise reduction in PS CS, do this. First, if there is a certain area you want cleaned up, select it. Try it on the sky in a pic. Then in the layers box, click on the channels tab. Apply a Gaussian Blur (filter>blur>gaussian blur) to either the red channel, blue channel or both. Which channels you do it to and to what degree you do is your call depending on the shot. A program called Neat Image (http://www.neatimage.com) also does a great job, but applies it to the whole pic. SOmetimes this is great, but in some pics noise in certain areas can actually seem to "add detail", so filtering it may look artificial. If there is a certain area that needs filtering though, PS CS can do that.

[jaynads]

If you want to do noise reduction in PS CS, do this. First, if there is a certain area you want cleaned up, select it. Try it on the sky in a pic. Then in the layers box, click on the channels tab. Apply a Gaussian Blur (filter>blur>gaussian blur) to either the red channel, blue channel or both. Which channels you do it to and to what degree you do is your call depending on the shot. A program called Neat Image (http://www.neatimage.com) also does a great job, but applies it to the whole pic. SOmetimes this is great, but in some pics noise in certain areas can actually seem to "add detail", so filtering it may look artificial. If there is a certain area that needs filtering though, PS CS can do that.

You can also do a great job by converting the picture to LAB color and then using Guassian Blur on the color channels, thereby reducing the noise, but by leaving the luminocity channel alone, you save the detail. Convert back to RBG when you're done.

[60mm]

I decided to try your method out, so I converted a pic into Lab, but the only channels I see are lab, lightness, a and b. Im not familiar with Lab.

[jaynads]

I decided to try your method out, so I converted a pic into Lab, but the only channels I see are lab, lightness, a and b. Im not familiar with Lab.

A & B are the color channels.