A850: More details...

[godzilla60]

Guys....

Sorry to OT a bit. Heard that A850 raw files cannot be read by LR or windows currently. Is there any patch for it somewhere or any sw that can read and convert files other than the accompanying sw?

 

[yokechye]

Guys....

Sorry to OT a bit. Heard that A850 raw files cannot be read by LR or windows currently. Is there any patch for it somewhere or any sw that can read and convert files other than the accompanying sw?

not yet for adobe. DxO Optics hv

 

[cthep2]

I was comparing straight out of camera RAW shots.

but then again, that's real good noise reduction u did. Mind teaching me some of your tricks?

maybe you can check whether this High ISO setting for A700 can be applied to your A850
(See 1st post from Agorabasta)
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=29698285

 

[godzilla60]

not yet for adobe. DxO Optics hv

have not tried DxO Optics yet....:think:

 

[lenrek]

I was comparing straight out of camera RAW shots.

but then again, that's real good noise reduction u did. Mind teaching me some of your tricks?

Notice you also using GIMP.

Try this:

1) Duplicate a new layer of the picture.
2) Use layer mode as "Over Lay" or "Multiply"
3) Adjust the top layer using brightness level until you like it.
4) Run "Gaussian Blur" on top layer.
5) Flatten the picture.

Read up more PP tips: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

Specifically: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Blur_Overlays/

The steps is not meant for noise removal, but was just trying out of fun. The result was a surprise to me. I think, this is due to 24MP sensor, so a lot of details was able to retain even after run it through Gaussian Blur process.

EDIT: Try the step suggested by cthep2, it seems to work quite well with my A900.

 

[godzilla60]

Thanks for sharing!

cthep2's link is good but it applies for jpg straight out of camera only right? doesn't make a difference if i shoot raw, rite?

Notice you also using GIMP.

Try this:

1) Duplicate a new layer of the picture.
2) Use layer mode as "Over Lay" or "Multiply"
3) Adjust the top layer using brightness level until you like it.
4) Run "Gaussian Blur" on top layer.
5) Flatten the picture.

Read up more PP tips: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

Specifically: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/Blur_Overlays/

The steps is not meant for noise removal, but was just trying out of fun. The result was a surprise to me. I think, this is due to 24MP sensor, so a lot of details was able to retain even after run it through Gaussian Blur process.

EDIT: Try the step suggested by cthep2, it seems to work quite well with my A900.

 

[lenrek]

Thanks for sharing!

cthep2's link is good but it applies for jpg straight out of camera only right? doesn't make a difference if i shoot raw, rite?

I tried it both on raw and jpeg, it seems to improve the pictures in both situation.

 

[godzilla60]

I tried it both on raw and jpeg, it seems to improve the pictures in both situation.

serious! i thot it only applies for jpg... ok, will go and try it out.

 

[TME]

I tried out the settings... sure works like magic... and I think I know what is the magic...

I tested two cases with the following settings: I'm listing cos the EXIF is wiped out by cropping.

Agorabasta's setting:
X.Fine JPEG (24MP)
A priority, 1/80, f/5.6
ISO6400
Local area focus, centre focus spot
Centre-weighted metering
Creative Style: Standard -> Saturation +1, Sharpness +2, Brightness -2, Zone Matching -1; DR+; High ISO NR "Off"


Normal setting
X.Fine JPEG (24MP)
A priority, 1/100, f/5.6
ISO6400
Local area focus, centre focus spot
Centre-weighted metering
Creative Style: Standard -> Saturation 0, Sharpness +1, Brightness 0, Zone Matching 0; DR+; High ISO NR "Off"

The interesting thing is that by tweaking the settings, you're getting the camera to overexpose slightly. Look at the shutter speed values. Most interesting... that's quite small a change but the difference in the chroma noise is quite significant. Also the pattern of the chroma noise is also quite significant. It's less blotchy, tigher and smaller patches.

Pictures in the next post.

 

[TME]

I took a picture of my bookshelf under fluorescent lighting. Windows closed, dull outdoor weather now.

These are the two pictures. Agorabasta's settings first (left), Normal settings next to it (right).


A crop 6cm x 6cm of the darkest part of the image:

 

[TME]

A crop 6cm x 6cm of the brightest part of the image:

 

[TME]

Finally I run CS4's noise reduction filter. It's really crude I know but that's all I've got at the moment... also I don't know how to use it effectively... didn't do selective area reduction...

Settings are:
Advanced:
Overall strength + 1
Preserve Detail 100%
Reduce Colour Noise 100%
Sharpen Details 65%
Remove JPEG artifact (Unchecked)

Even with the crude noise filter on CS4, it cleans up nicely. I think with Noise Ninja or something a lot more sophisticated it will clean up a lot better.

 

[TME]

The most interesting thing is that the fine details are much better preserved. If you take a look at the dark crop, the fourth book spine from the left should read "The Oxford Companion" at the top of the spine. For the crop with no change in the zone matching setting, the words are hardly visible. For the crop with the change in zone matchin setting, it is much more visible! The difference is quite amazing I feel...

I would expect that the real world print would show almost no noise... I have yet to test. Need to wait one more week for 19 Sep. I'll use this setting and take some real world pictures in X.Fine JPEG and see how well it holds up... I might also grab a colleague's 1D MarkII to do a comparison... hehehe...

Hope this was helpful to all... btw I forgot to mention, taken on an A900 + Tamron 24-135mm SP. Shot at 35mm.

 

[Galdor]

Seems like Agorabasta's settings are really good.

 

[TME]

You need to learn PP the picture

ISO6400, using A900

Which noise reduction software did you use? Is this a 100% crop? Your picture looks underexposed actually... so the noise and sharpness should be very bad... so what did you do?:dunno::think: I'm really considering some third party noise reduction software but am afraid I might waste my money cos I don't know how to use it effectively... basically I don't understand how it works... even now I don't know how to use masks and brushes in PS... hahaha...

 

[TME]

Seems like Agorabasta's settings are really good.

Yeah I saved it as a setting on Memory slot 1... realise that I needed to take out my manual to figure out how to save to memory... arrgghh... not too intuitive leh... find the KM system still more logical...

 

[XkaOnslaught]

actually i dont see any improvement in terms of noise or grain handling, but the image is indeed sharper.

 

[TME]

actually i dont see any improvement in terms of noise or grain handling, but the image is indeed sharper.

I'm not sure which sets you're referring to but I'll assume the agorabasta setting versus the normal setting. The grain is definitely finer. It's quite obvious from the light shots. The noise is the same except that chroma (colour) noise is suppressed while luminance (grain) noise remains the same. You can check the noised-reduced shots versus the original normal setting shots. Also the sharpness comes from a less blotchy noise pattern. The original noise pattern that makes people diss SONY is one which is very obvious and blotchy, i.e. big patches. Comparing it with other brands, there is still noise, almost of the same quantity but much smaller patches and therefore less obvious. With the Agorabasta setting, note also that the sharpness setting was set to +2. This is what you're seeing.

 

[cthep2]

This agorabasta setting rockz..using it in my A700 for lowlight shots

Here's a test shot of A850 using the setting (WB & Resize only)

I think if printed on 4R/5R maybe the noise is negligible

For me it's already acceptable as the details are great enough..
..I'm not a pixel peeper but like to capture moments more importantly

 

[MontoyaSG]

Run it thru noiseware & the high iso shots will look good