58 DIGITAL CAMERA^ DECEMBER 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com
CAMERA COLLEGESoftware options
You’ll have more control over noise reduction on your computer
The powerful processing and nuanced noise-reduction tools available in
image-editing software can produce excellent results. You’ll need to zoom
in to view your image at 100% (or larger) magnification to judge the effects.Luminance
This has the most pronounced effect on
the image; taken too far, fine details are
smothered at the same time as the luminance
noise, making everything appear to have
the texture of margarine.Colour
Colour noise is more objectionable than
the more grain-like luminance noise, but
a strong reduction setting will also suck
colour from the rest of the image.Luminance Detail
This sets the threshold for what the software
identifies as luminance noise. Higher settings
restore some of the detail that’s lost as the
luminance noise reduction is increased, at
the expense of some lingering noise.Colour Detail
Similar to above, this acts as a threshold.
Watch out for coloured artifacts as you
increase the colour detail – you can just
make out a few on the bird’s eye here.Luminance Contrast
Similar to the detail option, this brings back
some of the definition lost through luminance
noise reduction. A higher setting adds more
bite, as you can see in the ripples here, although
tonal changes are not as smooth.Colour Smoothness
This allows you to reduce low-frequency colour,
but you can see it also knocks back some image
colour and can cause bleeding. (The brown of
the feathers is running into the background a little.)100 100001001000010001000