've been doing all of my RAW processing using Canon's DPP since going digital at the end of 2005. I did purchase CS3 a couple of years back but continued processing all of my RAW files using DPP and then using CS3 strictly for pano stiching, file resizing and watermarking my files.
I finally decided to do my RAW processing out of DPP and purchased Lightroom and will be swiching over to Lightroom to process my RAW files once I learn it. I have downloaded the Michael Reichmann Lightroom tutorial videos to learn LR.
However, I don't have a very good understanding of noise reduction or sharpening.
For noise reduction, I have used the luminance and chrominance noise sliders in DPP for my noise reduction up to now.
However, I doubt if I can get by with my limited knowledge of noise reduction when I start to use Lightroom and have some shots where I wasn't able to correct the noise reduction in DPP.
I'd appreciate if I can some guidance on how to learn the basics about dealing with noise reduction and how to correct it. I'd also like to get advice on how to deal with noise reduction - should it/can it be dealt with in LR, or should is it better to deal with it outside of LR?
In DPP when there are small colored dots (green/orange, blue), that aren't correcte, i'll often stamp them out, which obviously is not the most effective way of dealing with the issue. Here are some examples from my recent trip, that I'm really not sure how the green blotches should be dealt with.
Similarly with Sharpness, I've pretty much used the sliders in DPP to set sharpness and then when I want to resize for the web, I resize the files in PS3 and then simply use the "Sharpen" and "Sharpen Edges" commands in PS3 to sharpen the files - again doing an eyeball test to decide which to use. So I'd also like some advice on getting a better understanding of sharpening and whether sharpening should be dealt with in Lightroom or another program.
I'm laid out with H1N1 right now, so I actually have some time to learn some of this stuff now
not sure iam quailfied to help, but as iam first here
the `green` spots looks like a flare issue from another light source above? having never been to the slots i dunno but thats my guess. if so no software other than cloning will help.
up until 24 hours ago, i was a die hard cs3 man. on this forum somebody posted a comparrison of raw converters. i had a look. C1 looked interesting. after 24hrs of use of the free downlaod i wonder why have i been using ACR for this time. my files from my Ds2 now are so clear and well just so much better iam a converter!
personally i have never used DPP or lightroom. take a look through the board and find the link, you may also change your mind. i certainly did.
sharpening wise, my web stuff is all eyeballed. for prints at home i adjust as required. matte paper needs less, gloss =more. your shots here look fine to me.
generally i will use sharpening on another layer in LAB mode (lightness channell) with a mask around the required areas.
it may not be the `professional way` but it works for me.
parsons wrote:
not sure iam quailfied to help, but as iam first here
the `green` spots looks like a flare issue from another light source above? having never been to the slots i dunno but thats my guess. if so no software other than cloning will help.
up until 24 hours ago, i was a die hard cs3 man. on this forum somebody posted a comparrison of raw converters. i had a look. C1 looked interesting. after 24hrs of use of the free downlaod i wonder why have i been using ACR for this time. my files from my Ds2 now are so clear and well just so much better iam a converter!
personally i have never used DPP or lightroom. take a look through the board and find the link, you may also change your mind. i certainly did.
sharpening wise, my web stuff is all eyeballed. for prints at home i adjust as required. matte paper needs less, gloss =more. your shots here look fine to me.
generally i will use sharpening on another layer in LAB mode (lightness channell) with a mask around the required areas.
it may not be the `professional way` but it works for me.
simon...Show more →
thanks for the feedback. I thought it was flare at first as well, but there was no light source there that should have caused flare. However, I suppose, flare could have been caused by some of the idiots using their point and shoot flashes - I just don't know how those particular parts of the picture could have flare, so I attributed it to noise.
When you are eyeballing the amount of sharpening, are you using pre-set defaults like the "sharpen", "sharpen more" or "sharpen edges" command I never really was able to understand how to use the Unsharp mask in CS3. In DPP, I pretty use a standard amount of sharpening based on experience with different cameras (i.e. I had used a setting around 275 with the EOS 1D2N and around 300 with the 1D3 and 5D and now with the 5DII, depending on whether it I'm sharpening a portrait or landscape, I'll use settings of 325 or 350. However, its more based on what LOOKS right, then really knowing what I'm doing, or understanding the reasons behind the settings.
I guess that is what I'm trying to get an understanding for both sharpening and noise control, is understanding the reason of what settings to use for both, and whether to make adjustments to Luminence noise or chrominance noise, as well as when to increase adjustments for either.
no, iam nit using any `preset`. all images contain differering mamounts of different detail that needs a certain amount of precision sharpening. no one preset fits all.
noise, well to be very honest i have never needed to tweak the default that ACR starts with. i dont do any high iso so i have never needed to get involved. iam also guessing you dont often with the 5dmk2?
i havent read this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-usm.shtml but section 4 looks like what you want.
parsons wrote:
no, iam nit using any `preset`. all images contain differering mamounts of different detail that needs a certain amount of precision sharpening. no one preset fits all.
noise, well to be very honest i have never needed to tweak the default that ACR starts with. i dont do any high iso so i have never needed to get involved. iam also guessing you dont often with the 5dmk2?
i havent read this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-usm.shtml but section 4 looks like what you want.
simon
Thanks for the links Simon. I think I actually have read a couple of these, but got so put off by CS3 when I purchased it, that I ended up sticking with DPP. Now that I've decided to go with lightroom, I think I should revisit these.
I haven't had to do with too much noise issues, as I also don't shoot shoot high ISO all that much, my noise issues usually come from long exposures and ordinarilly playing around with the sliders in DPP has been sufficient. However, in DPP, it has been more a trial and error approach, but not really understanding what I'm doing, which I am now trying to get a better handle on.
but thats my guess. if so no software other than cloning will help.
I never really was able to understand how to use the Unsharp mask in CS3. In DPP, I pretty use a standard amount of sharpening based on experience with different cameras (i.e. I had used a setting around 275 with the EOS 1D2N and around 300 with the 1D3 and 5D and now with the 5DII, depending on whether it I'm sharpening a portrait or landscape, I'll use settings of 325 or 350. However, its more based on what LOOKS right, then really knowing what I'm doing, or understanding the reasons behind the settings.