Noiseware Question

[Steve's Girl]

I have been running some of my high ISO photos from our last WDW trip through Noiseware. I noticed that after filtering the photos were much smaller (ie, 7.4mb before filtering, 1.2mb after filtering). Where did the rest of the data go? Does Noiseware compress a photo that much?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

It's likely the result of different compression levels when saving. What were your source and destination formats? 7 mb is rather large for a JPG.

I usually start with a RAW file of around 8mb. I sometimes convert that to a PSD file, which is usually around 35mb. When I output it to a JPG file, it is usually around 1mb, but that can vary greatly depending on the resolution and the quality setting.

It is true that noisy files are typically larger than files after noise reduction, all other things equal. That's because noisy pictures don't compress as well as non-noisy pictures. That's true whether you are using lossless compression (like RAW) or lossy compression (like JPG). That's why on my cameras, the expected number of shots remaining changes when I change my ISO. The higher the ISO, the more noise expected and thus the larger file sizes expected. Still, that's typically a shift of about 10%, not 7x.

 

[Steve's Girl]

Thanks, Mark. I convert my RAW images in Lightroom (RAW is about 12+mp before converting). Then I use Noiseware on high ISO images and save them in jpeg. So, that makes my source image to Noiseware a jpeg and my destination image from Noiseware also a jpeg. That's why I was kind of surprised at the change. I know I should filter them for noise in RAW format before converting, but don't believe Noiseware functions as a plug-in for Lightroom.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

You JPG's coming out of Lightroom are 7 meg? That seems high. Anyway, the difference is probably because noiseware is using a higher level of JPG compression than Lightroom is. I know that you can adjust that level within Lightroom when you export. I'm not sure about noiseware.

 

[cpbjgc]

I noticed that this was happening to my photos as well. When I loaded them back into an image editor, it appeared that Noiseware was saving with a higher compression rate and at a reduced dpi from the original (I ususally save my jpegs at 300 dpi for printing purposes, and when Noiseware was done they seemed to be at 72 dpi). I assumed this was because it was the freeware version. I am just using the noise reduction in my editing software right now (Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2) but I am looking at getting a standalone noise reduction package to handle batch jobs.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

One other thing to consider, in addition to compression level settings, is that a noisy picture cannot be compressed as well as a picture with smooth color areas.

After the noise has been smoothed out, the JPEG compression algorithm can do more with the pic to make it smaller.

 

[Steve's Girl]

I noticed that this was happening to my photos as well. When I loaded them back into an image editor, it appeared that Noiseware was saving with a higher compression rate and at a reduced dpi from the original (I ususally save my jpegs at 300 dpi for printing purposes, and when Noiseware was done they seemed to be at 72 dpi). I assumed this was because it was the freeware version. I am just using the noise reduction in my editing software right now (Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2) but I am looking at getting a standalone noise reduction package to handle batch jobs.

I am using the standalone version for a 15 day free trial. This may be a factor in determining whether I purchase it or not. The batch feature is nice and saves a lot of time. But I do print some of my photos in large sizes and am concerned about the amount of data that is lost. As Mark pointed out, I probably don't need to be saving these photos as 7mb, but compressing down to 1.4mb concerns me for printing purposes.

 

[Groucho]

I assume that you're using the stand-alone version? There's got to be somewhere in Noiseware to set the jpg compression level. Presumably your LR exports are at 100% jpg quality (though 7 meg still seems a bit high - my 6mp LR emports at 100% are usually 2.5-3.5 megs, though one or two get up to 5.5 megs or so). I'd guess that Noiseware is saving closer to 60%-70% quality.

You may want to try the plug-in one, that way you choose the compression level from whatever program you run the plug-in from (Photoshop for most folks, though I often run it from Irfanview on the few occasions that I use it any more.)

I take it you're not happy with the noise reduction that LR does? Certainly, it's not as extensive at Noisewares, but I usually find that it's "good 'nuff".

 

[jann1033]

i have the stand alone free noiseware, i just tried using it for an 8x10 300 dpi and it made it a 30x20" eek: )96 dpi, i am guessing the large size made the low dpi although i'm not sure what would happen if i made it 8x10 again.. just wondering what happened to the size in the op's photos. i don't see anyplace it can be adjusted however.

 

[MICKEY88]

I noticed that this was happening to my photos as well. When I loaded them back into an image editor, it appeared that Noiseware was saving with a higher compression rate and at a reduced dpi from the original (I ususally save my jpegs at 300 dpi for printing purposes, and when Noiseware was done they seemed to be at 72 dpi). I assumed this was because it was the freeware version. I am just using the noise reduction in my editing software right now (Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2) but I am looking at getting a standalone noise reduction package to handle batch jobs.

is there a reason you don't want to batch process with PSP

 

[Groucho]

i have the stand alone free noiseware, i just tried using it for an 8x10 300 dpi and it made it a 30x20" eek: )96 dpi, i am guessing the large size made the low dpi although i'm not sure what would happen if i made it 8x10 again.. just wondering what happened to the size in the op's photos. i don't see anyplace it can be adjusted however.

DPI and inches are pretty meaningless until the image is actually on the way to the printer, they don't (by themselves) change the digital image at all. You can set a 2mp photo to be anything from 600dpi to probably one dpi if you really wanted, without changing it from a standard 1600x1200 2mp digital photo. It's the pixels that matter.

I wouldn't make Noiseware resize the photo - it should clean the noise and then save it at the same resolution, and then you can resize it with something else.

 

[jann1033]

DPI and inches are pretty meaningless until the image is actually on the way to the printer, they don't (by themselves) change the digital image at all. You can set a 2mp photo to be anything from 600dpi to probably one dpi if you really wanted, without changing it from a standard 1600x1200 2mp digital photo. It's the pixels that matter.

I wouldn't make Noiseware resize the photo - it should clean the noise and then save it at the same resolution, and then you can resize it with something else.

so if i sent that same photo to get printed, would it still be the 8x10 300 dpi or would i need to change that first( i mean other than telling them to print it 8x10)

 

[cpbjgc]

is there a reason you don't want to batch process with PSP

Simple answer, I haven't figured out how. I couldn't find any NR capability in the Express Lab view, but maybe I was looking in the wrong place? Is there a simple way to do this? (I typically run do the NR and sharpen lightly, so if I could automate/batch process that, it would be GREAT!)

 

[Groucho]

so if i sent that same photo to get printed, would it still be the 8x10 300 dpi or would i need to change that first( i mean other than telling them to print it 8x10)

Don't even worry about dpi at all... just keep the photo at its original size. Making it any smaller or larger will just degrade it. When it is printed, it will be resampled by the printer (or driver) to be 300 dpi, 600 dpi, whatever. The picture itself's dpi will depend on how big you print it...

 

[MICKEY88]

Simple answer, I haven't figured out how. I couldn't find any NR capability in the Express Lab view, but maybe I was looking in the wrong place? Is there a simple way to do this? (I typically run do the NR and sharpen lightly, so if I could automate/batch process that, it would be GREAT!)

if you are doing the same thing to all pics from a shoot, you simply open one pic, open your script tool bar, click start recording script, do your edits, then click save script,

then click file...batch process..pick your pictures and run the new script you just created

 

[cpbjgc]

if you are doing the same thing to all pics from a shoot, you simply open one pic, open your script tool bar, click start recording script, do your edits, then click save script,

then click file...batch process..pick your pictures and run the new script you just created

Thanks for the info!