After nearly 2 years of travels, my camping and travels are being put on hold as I return to Long Island for cataract surgery and to visit for a couple of months. For a while there will be no camping in Death Valley, in Glacier or other national parks. In fact I am down to the last couple of days of "camping". Tonight at a Flying J and tomorrow probably a Walmart or maybe a Cabelas parking lot.

I tried to document this and quickly realized I needed ISO 6400 for a quick handheld pano. I rarely shoot beyond ISO 400 so I don't have a clue about noise reduction. For the first image I applied both Photoshop noise reduction and also two available Topaz Adjust denoise settings. For the second attempt I used noise reduction settings before opening with ACR. The ACR noise reduction seems better than the combination of the other attempts. What is the best software and settings for heavy duty noise reduction? Can I get by with my existing software or would I be better off with something else?

Don't know what's best. I use Topaz DeNoise5 because I have it. For an image like this, I'd select different parts and apply different noise reduction levels. A sky can handle more whilst textured and detailed areas, less.

Good luck with the eye surgery. We really start appreciating our gifts when they are threatened.

Edit to talk about noise.

In ACR, you can mask the sky and other areas that have little or no detail. But that just eliminates sharpening. Then you can apply some NR there or wait until in Photoshop where I apply various Topaz NR and use masks or brushes to apply it.

But this is a record shot which I doubt you plan to print large so your second version does a fine job of that. Everything is as details as it needs to be and the noise is not a problem as presented.

That flying j looks empty compared to our local one,this time of year, which is always full of snowbirds in there Rv staying overnight.

Sorry no there suggestions regatdin NR, other than has already been mentioned.

There were no other RVs at this Flying J. RV season was over in the midwest. There were very few on the road between Utah and NY.

The image is a bit deceptive. The wide angle makes the pavement look huge. Actually this section was pretty small. There was a separate lot behind the building with a hundred or so semis parked for the night. My wife got some good images. I was too tired and lazy and did not shoot the trucks. Maybe next time. In any case if you are bored consider shooting trucks in a truck stop at night.... lots of colors and chrome.

It definitely has a desolate vibe to it. Interesting use of WA ... a nugget to tuck away.