High ISO ... let's lose the noise

[seanhoxx]

the piper was the longer range shots, I am sitting in the seats not as well lighted and shooting diagonal across the front of the stage to where the piper was standing he was also out of the "stage" lighting area.

[sparkie1263]

Nice series of images they all look nice and sharp. can't wait for BB shots. I might have to make this my next lens. I really want a macro.
Frank

[seanhoxx]

Nothing fancy, just with tools included with picture motion browser, just a bit of quick work. I plan on working with elements and light room this week a bit.

[dr4gon]

Looks good. Lol he looks like Wolf Blitzer!

[seanhoxx]

LOL yea now that you say it he does! I also just updated to firmware ver.4 an updated the data converter lightbox, and PMB tools etc. this worked well on fairly staionary subjects now we will have to see how it does on the basketball court, I think I will try bracketing the shots.

[e_dawg]

Looks good. Lol he looks like Wolf Blitzer!

LOL... Good call

[e_dawg]

I also thought about taking the UV filter off? maybe will next time indoors. Do you guys think it makes any difference that I do NOT have the V4 update installed?

I don't think the UV filter makes a difference unless you have a cheap one that's not multicoated (MC reduces amount of light reflected) and/or you're pointing the lens at some strong light source that induces flare.

Also, the active blocking it does do is limited to the UV spectrum, with a very minor spillover effect into the blue-violet region.

Artificial lighting indoors doesn't really have any blue to be blocked unless they're using some bluish daylight fluorescent tubes / CFLs.

v4 is supposedly better, but the real benefit would come if you shot in RAW and processed the files yourself, using your own noise reduction techniques (by avoiding Sony's mediocre NR algorithms).

Also, selective / local NR and selective / local sharpening can noticeably improve your retained detail vs noise reduction tradeoff if you are not already doing this. It takes more time to process each picture, but if you have some particularly noisy shots or important pics, it is worth it IMO.

Shoot RAW and use local NR and sharpening techniques, and you can shoot at higher ISO with less noise than you thought was possible before. (I know this because I have had to struggle with noise at high ISO more than most Canikon guys with my Olympus bodies. Sonys may not be the best at high ISO noise performance, but at least they use the same size APS-C sensor as the other guys. The 4/3 sensor in Oly bodies are a notch smaller, and thus have the same amount of noise as APS-C sensors at 1/2 to 1 stop lower ISO.)

[dig-it-al]

Another way to reduce noise is with Noiseware, a free noise reduction program. It's worth a try!

[seanhoxx]

O.K. thanks for the advice, I use a Hoya super mc filter so it's pretty high quality, may just leave it on for any protection it may provide. I do have the V4 update installed now. I think I will step up to raw, maybe some raw / jpeg just in case. I also now have PS elements, and thanks to a friend I also have the new lightroom2 Now all I need to do is start playing with them! Would you suggest noisware as a supplement also?

[dr4gon]

I know a lot of people resort to turning high NR off so because other PP programs like noise ninja does a better job.