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Archive 2017 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light

  
 
justanikongirl
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Having just shot some tennis in poor light indoors, I'd love to know how you guys make your photos really sharp when the ISO has to be pushed high and the high iso takes away that popping crisp look.


Dec 08, 2017 at 04:08 PM
gene2632
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


With the newer cameras it is not as much of a problem because the high, really super high ISO quality is great compared for years gone by. With the older cameras you need to use some noise reduction software like Noise Ninja in your post processing. Make sure your shutter speed is high enough to hold the action, make sure your focus is dead on. Shoot in RAW so you can make your adjustments in post with minimal damage to your original files. Finally, watch your white balance. It is easier to get it right in the beginning than it is to try and fix it later.


Dec 09, 2017 at 11:45 AM
PureMichigan
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Please share some examples of the problem pictures (we all have our own!) and you'll get a lot more help -- and no judgements!


Dec 09, 2017 at 05:04 PM
gschlact
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


One Key in low light is to have enough focal length and not crop.
If you do post examples, let us kmow the pixel size of what you post.



Dec 10, 2017 at 01:41 AM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Nikon D3S, 70-200 2.8. 1/640 sec at f/4. iso 12800. Uncropped 2832 x 4256. Didn't shoot tighter due to the brief I was given. In Lightroom, I’ve changed the wb to fluorescent, luminance smoothing +30, taken highlights down a bit and tweaked the exposure. Thanks Guys. All criticism will be taken on board :-)

Edited on Dec 13, 2017 at 04:52 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 09:35 AM
PureMichigan
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


This is just an ISO issue -- I had a D3S and this is pretty typically noise at 12800 on a darker solid background. You could probably knock it down a little by shooting at 2.8 -- and then just run it through a noise reduction program If this is going to be used on line and at say 5x7 max, you won't have an issue at all. It'll just never be razor sharp at that ISO range. I don't have a lot of time to spend on it -- but I just ran this through Topaz Noise 6 (light correction) and then sharpened her face a little ... not perfect but a little better. In LR you might want to take exposure up ~0.15 and clarity to +2 after denoise -- adjust to taste!

Edited on Dec 13, 2017 at 07:16 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:01 AM
bu82
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


I would do a quick unsharp mask in Photoshop with Amount 150, Radius 0.6, and Threshold 0. It should help. But when you shoot at 12,800 you will not get very clean shots, period. So then it's a balance between NR and sharpening, and how much noise is OK vs how much loss of detail is OK. Personally, I would have shot at f/2.8 and had a cleaner file at 6400. Or 1/800 and ISO 8000. 12,800 is hard, and you bumped up the exposure by 1/3d too. It has to be spot on. Hope this helps.


Edited on Dec 13, 2017 at 07:27 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:02 AM
bu82
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Wanted to add, I prefer some noise than fake looking/plastic skin tones.


Dec 10, 2017 at 10:05 AM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Yes that definitely helps, thanks. I was worried that if I shot at 2.8 I might not get the image in focus, but perhaps I should have taken that risk. Would you use in-camera NR for high iso? I didn't for this. Re the exposure, I use lightroom and have 'auto tone' switched on at the point of import. I then tweak the exposure on each individual image. Do you think I overdid the luminosity? What focus setting would you have used for a shot like this?

Edited on Dec 10, 2017 at 10:27 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:14 AM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Thank you so much PureMichigan. I'll definitely be shooting at 2.8 next time. When you say "In LR you might want to take exposure up ~0.15" do you mean in addition to the +30 I already used?" What focus settings would you have used, single point?



Edited on Dec 10, 2017 at 10:30 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:26 AM
bu82
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


I shoot RAW, so don't use anything in camera. Even with JPEG I wouldn't use in camera NR, but do it afterwords where I can decide. Regarding the exposure, I just meant at higher ISOs, it's more critical than ever to get it right. Even shooting RAW you have to have it spot on, as there is little room for adjustments. I mostly shoot RAW for white balance and if clients need changes later.

The image would be fine at f/2.8 - wouldn't worry. If you have 2.8 glass, use it! Especially in dark places. Yes, you have to be more careful with the focus point, etc., but it will look better. At this focal length and distance, not much to worry about. With my 400 2.8, I have to be very spot on, or even with the 70-200 if very close to the subject.



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:28 AM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Great advice bu82. I did shoot RAW which was just as well as the images came out a bit orange. I'm on a mission to get better photos in the first place to reduce the amount of post processing I need to do after! What's your workflow and what focus settings do you use?


Dec 10, 2017 at 10:37 AM
Weasel_Loader
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Here is another thought.

I prefer faster shutter speed on action and would typically go for at least 1/1000th sec, and shoot f/2.8. I'll take sharpness any day over a little noise.



Dec 10, 2017 at 10:57 AM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Good point Weasel_Loader. Def should have shot 2.8 and won't make that mistake again. Faster shutter speed makes a lot of sense too, thanks.


Dec 10, 2017 at 11:02 AM
Weasel_Loader
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


justanikongirl wrote:
Good point Weasel_Loader. Def should have shot 2.8 and won't make that mistake again. Faster shutter speed makes a lot of sense too, thanks.


I've never shot tennis, so not sure how low shutter speed you can get away with. I shoot rodeo and I don't dare go below 1/1000th. I have on occasion gone down to 1/800th, but that is only certain events and depending what angle I'm shooting from. Best of luck to you!



Dec 10, 2017 at 11:15 AM
PureMichigan
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


I complete agree --optimally you want to be at 1/1000th plus and 2.8.

Post-proessing is a little like making soup -- you adjust salt too taste. Everyone has their own style. And its not easy to convey here. I can say with 100% certainty that all of our monitors are all of differing brightness and resolution so what looks "good" on mine may be different than yours.

I know you were asked to shoot loose but sometimes when you have this much mono color background and an isolated subject, throwing a light vignette around the player really draws your eye toward them and provide a dimensional element -- again, its all about personal taste, style and client expectations.

Edited on Dec 13, 2017 at 07:17 AM · View previous versions



Dec 10, 2017 at 12:47 PM
justanikongirl
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


Gotcha, more great advice, thanks. With the movement of the player, it's really hard to focus on her eye and that would be even harder at 2.8. So I'd love to know which focus option you guys would have chosen for this.....single focal point, group/dynamic, 3d tracking? Which and why?


Dec 10, 2017 at 01:20 PM
bu82
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


justanikongirl wrote:
Great advice bu82. I did shoot RAW which was just as well as the images came out a bit orange. I'm on a mission to get better photos in the first place to reduce the amount of post processing I need to do after! What's your workflow and what focus settings do you use?


My workflow is pretty simple really. I just do white balance correction, have some presets with vibrance, saturation, contrast, etc., and that's really about it. I do minor NR in Camera RAW and then only output to Photoshop for resizing and sharpening. So even though I shoot RAW, it's a very minimal and fast workflow. I don't even use Lightroom - just Adobe Bridge with Camera RAW - faster for me. The idea really is to get it right in camera - RAW or not. It sounds cliche, but it's true. Backgrounds, compositions, exposure, etc. Then your images will look better period, and your post processing will be very fast.

Regarding shutter speed, there is no rule like 1/1000 as I've seen others post. Depends on many things. I suggest in my prior reply 1/800, f/2.8, ISO 8000. But I do agree, as I said it as well before, I rather have a bit of noise than NR and loss of detail and bad looking skin tones. And if that means 1/1000 or 1/1500 or 1/800 for a given situation, then don't worry about the noise.

As far as focus, I shoot Canon 1DXMKII, and use the group AF with 4 points. Similar to Nikon's (I think) Dynamic with the fewest surround/helper points. Sometimes, I will use single point too. Again, depends. I also turn of any image stabilization (IS, VR) on the lenses.



Dec 10, 2017 at 01:42 PM
schlotz
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


What ever Nikon's version of surrounded focal point helpers is, probably would be the best here since you have an isolated target to track. Generally no IS/VR is needed @1/1000 and it does slow down the AF a tad. Now that the standard statement has been made there is a BUT. You are most likely tracking the subject so that eliminates the slow AF part, AND if you are having trouble keeping the focal point consistently on the target, having it on helps to stabilize that process. Try to avoid underexposing. I shoot night time soccer and shoot with setting in manual. Don't be afraid of high ISO. LR can handle it if you get the exposure right, i.e. don't underexpose.

Matt






Indy Eleven's Don Smart



Edited on Dec 11, 2017 at 02:46 PM · View previous versions



Dec 11, 2017 at 08:49 AM
henry albert
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Making photos crisp-sharp in low light


This doesn't really apply to the tennis sample, but I thought I'd pass along one of the best bits of advice I ever received: Photoshop levels are your friends. Level adjustments are great for dealing with veiling flare and -- most importantly to me this time of year -- the filthy hockey glass between me and the game I'm shooting. I do RAW conversions and initial edits in DxO, then import into Photoshop. Open Levels, move the sliders to each end of the exposure curve, and behold the clarity improvement. With hockey there's the ever-present hassle of avoiding ice and/or white jersey blowouts, so there is often some brightness and contrast tweaking, too.

Here's an example. It's a big crop from a D4 and destined for web display if it's used at all, so take that into consideration.





No adustments







Levels plus contrast tweak.




Dec 11, 2017 at 12:41 PM
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