Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
p.1 #1Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
What is everyone using these days for Noise Reduction?
For years I have been a Topaz fan, and recommended it to all my clients in workshops. Recently they have changed their pricing model, and you can no longer purchase DeNoise AI by itself. The new model is so expensive, I can't recommend it anymore.
So, I'd love to hear what others are using in their workflows, especially in respect to Photoshop? I'll be testing each suggestion and coming up for new recommendations for my clients.
Thanks in advance.
Matt Shetzer
https://www.shetzers.com/
For years I have been a Topaz fan, and recommended it to all my clients in workshops. Recently they have changed their pricing model, and you can no longer purchase DeNoise AI by itself. The new model is so expensive, I can't recommend it anymore.
So, I'd love to hear what others are using in their workflows, especially in respect to Photoshop? I'll be testing each suggestion and coming up for new recommendations for my clients.
Thanks in advance.
Matt Shetzer
https://www.shetzers.com/
Aug 17, 2026 at 03:20 PM
p.1 #2Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
I use the noise reduction built in to LR and PS or Capture One and will occasion pull an image into NIK Define. I tried the early versions of Topaz and others, but didn't care for the results and just haven't felt the need to go back and try newer versions. Thanks for letting me play! 
Greg
Greg
Aug 17, 2026 at 03:37 PM
p.1 #3Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
DxO Pureraw.....
Aug 17, 2026 at 04:47 PM
p.1 #4Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
I use the full DXO PhotoLab, but not any plugins.
I had to use PS CC in July due to the a7rVI and it was a struggle.
Give the plug-in a try if you use a workflow. I think you get 30 days trial with no strings. All you need is an email address.
EBH
I had to use PS CC in July due to the a7rVI and it was a struggle.
Give the plug-in a try if you use a workflow. I think you get 30 days trial with no strings. All you need is an email address.
EBH
Aug 17, 2026 at 05:17 PM
p.1 #5Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
I still have Topaz . . . but recently downloaded a (free) version of ON1 AI noise (2024), but haven't had a chance to use it although it looked promising. I've also used noise reduction in PS, which worked well.
Aug 17, 2026 at 05:40 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #6Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Topaz has lagged the market for at least 2 years now. DxO and LR Denoise are the new hotness.
Aug 17, 2026 at 05:44 PM
p.1 #7Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
On1 will be releasing NoNoise AI 2027 in late September. Might be worth a trial when it’s available. https://www.on1.com/store/on1n-2027/
Aug 17, 2026 at 05:59 PM
p.1 #8Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
I just stay in LR and do my noise reduction there. Does a wonderful job.
Aug 17, 2026 at 06:09 PM
p.1 #9Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
RoamingScott wrote:
Topaz has lagged the market for at least 2 years now. DxO and LR Denoise are the new hotness.
Is LR better than PS for NR? I thought they used the same code on ACR.
EBH
Topaz has lagged the market for at least 2 years now. DxO and LR Denoise are the new hotness.
Is LR better than PS for NR? I thought they used the same code on ACR.
EBH
Aug 17, 2026 at 06:48 PM
p.1 #10Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Matt Shetzer wrote:
What is everyone using these days for Noise Reduction?
For years I have been a Topaz fan, and recommended it to all my clients in workshops. Recently they have changed their pricing model, and you can no longer purchase DeNoise AI by itself. The new model is so expensive, I can't recommend it anymore.
So, I'd love to hear what others are using in their workflows, especially in respect to Photoshop? I'll be testing each suggestion and coming up for new recommendations for my clients.
Thanks in advance.
Matt Shetzer
https://www.shetzers.com/
Matt, it seems you are mostly photographing birds and other wildlife. If this is what you do, I suggest trying DxO Photolab. Use DeepPRIME XD3 noise reduction with all default settings and the default sharpening. The simplest way to test is by selecting the Preset with optical corrections only, then add denoise and adjust exposure. Export straight to jpeg or to DNG for use elsewhere.
Photolab is free to test for 30 days.
Aug 17, 2026 at 07:52 PM
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p.1 #11Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
DxO PureRAW certainly makes my old shots look much better.
Canon EOS 5D 100.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 lens 400mm f/5.6 1/250s 1600 ISO 0.0 EV
Aug 17, 2026 at 08:51 PM
p.1 #12Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Matt Shetzer wrote:
What is everyone using these days for Noise Reduction?
For years I have been a Topaz fan, and recommended it to all my clients in workshops. Recently they have changed their pricing model, and you can no longer purchase DeNoise AI by itself. The new model is so expensive, I can't recommend it anymore.
So, I'd love to hear what others are using in their workflows, especially in respect to Photoshop? I'll be testing each suggestion and coming up for new recommendations for my clients.
Thanks in advance.
Matt Shetzer
https://www.shetzers.com/
After years of learning how to use manual adjustments (and masks, and more) to do simple to complex NR, this year I have been…
… relying almost completely on Adobe’s AI Denoise tool in ACR.
It is pretty much miraculous, in that it does an outstanding job and basically requires almost no intervention on my part. (The only control is a slider than controls the “percentage” of the effect.)
This tool has allowed me to “rescue” some very margin high noise images that I had pretty much written off.
If you have not tried it, you really shold.
What is everyone using these days for Noise Reduction?
For years I have been a Topaz fan, and recommended it to all my clients in workshops. Recently they have changed their pricing model, and you can no longer purchase DeNoise AI by itself. The new model is so expensive, I can't recommend it anymore.
So, I'd love to hear what others are using in their workflows, especially in respect to Photoshop? I'll be testing each suggestion and coming up for new recommendations for my clients.
Thanks in advance.
Matt Shetzer
https://www.shetzers.com/
After years of learning how to use manual adjustments (and masks, and more) to do simple to complex NR, this year I have been…
… relying almost completely on Adobe’s AI Denoise tool in ACR.
It is pretty much miraculous, in that it does an outstanding job and basically requires almost no intervention on my part. (The only control is a slider than controls the “percentage” of the effect.)
This tool has allowed me to “rescue” some very margin high noise images that I had pretty much written off.
If you have not tried it, you really shold.
Aug 17, 2026 at 09:46 PM
p.1 #13Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
If you don't compare Abode with the others you don't know what they can do.
I prefer the multiple denoise models and various settings within them that DXO does.
For example I would not use the same model and settings for a human vs. a bird or jaguar.
EBH
I prefer the multiple denoise models and various settings within them that DXO does.
For example I would not use the same model and settings for a human vs. a bird or jaguar.
EBH
Aug 17, 2026 at 10:10 PM
p.1 #14Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Capture 1.
Aug 18, 2026 at 03:38 AM
p.1 #16Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
hi Matt- Go with DXO raw- the best I have found!
Aug 18, 2026 at 06:49 AM
p.1 #17Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Matt,
I use DXP PL, along with it comes Pure RAW. I really like the output of it compared to Topaz (used briefly). The denoising is very organic. Also as one other user mentioned, you have multiple levels of denoising ( 3 or 4 depending on Pure RAW version) and you can chose what suits best to a particular file being processed.
Sreedhar
I use DXP PL, along with it comes Pure RAW. I really like the output of it compared to Topaz (used briefly). The denoising is very organic. Also as one other user mentioned, you have multiple levels of denoising ( 3 or 4 depending on Pure RAW version) and you can chose what suits best to a particular file being processed.
Sreedhar
Aug 18, 2026 at 07:45 AM
p.1 #18Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
I use Topaz AI, a plug-in that’s no longer available, and I own it outright. It fixes the noise remarkably well, and of course it’s adjustable.
Aug 18, 2026 at 07:51 AM
p.1 #19Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
EB-1 wrote:
If you don't compare Abode with the others you don't know what they can do.
I prefer the multiple denoise models and various settings within them that DXO does.
For example I would not use the same model and settings for a human vs. a bird or jaguar.
EBH
“Abode?”
1. Have you tried, in more than a passing manner, the Adobe AI Denoise? If not, you should before you make assumptions about its effectiveness.
2. Before that became available, I had become quite adept at pretty sophisticated NR techniques — obviously with varying amount and radius; also using the “mask” function to minimize NR in areas where wasn’t needed; also using various kinds of selections and masks to target different areas for different amounts and types of NR.
Yes, if you are used to applying hard won skills that were absolutely necessary for high quality NR until a few years ago it is disorienting to work with a solution that doesn’t require those skills yet is so effective.
But, seriously, if you use Adobe tools you should give this a try before making assumptions about it.
If you don't compare Abode with the others you don't know what they can do.
I prefer the multiple denoise models and various settings within them that DXO does.
For example I would not use the same model and settings for a human vs. a bird or jaguar.
EBH
“Abode?”
1. Have you tried, in more than a passing manner, the Adobe AI Denoise? If not, you should before you make assumptions about its effectiveness.
2. Before that became available, I had become quite adept at pretty sophisticated NR techniques — obviously with varying amount and radius; also using the “mask” function to minimize NR in areas where wasn’t needed; also using various kinds of selections and masks to target different areas for different amounts and types of NR.
Yes, if you are used to applying hard won skills that were absolutely necessary for high quality NR until a few years ago it is disorienting to work with a solution that doesn’t require those skills yet is so effective.
But, seriously, if you use Adobe tools you should give this a try before making assumptions about it.
Aug 18, 2026 at 08:18 AM
p.1 #20Noise Reduction - What is your favorite plugin/technique ?
Yes, I have the PS CC since November. ACR is the only practical away to denoise the ridiculous new format of Sony compressed files.
I did quite a lot of testing of R5/R5 II and Sony a7RV files on various platforms, NVidia 3060Ti, 4060, 4070Ti and 5080, Intel iGPUs (4) of three generations, AMD iGPUs (2 kinds) and three generations of DXO vs. the 2025 and 2026 Adobe ACR on the more recent ones. I'm not seeing any granular controls of the ACR for denoising; it's just strength and sharpening. Am I missing something? I used to do plenty of 2 or 3 level masking from about 2003 to 2022 at high ISO and am not wanting to return to that process routinely.
EBH
I did quite a lot of testing of R5/R5 II and Sony a7RV files on various platforms, NVidia 3060Ti, 4060, 4070Ti and 5080, Intel iGPUs (4) of three generations, AMD iGPUs (2 kinds) and three generations of DXO vs. the 2025 and 2026 Adobe ACR on the more recent ones. I'm not seeing any granular controls of the ACR for denoising; it's just strength and sharpening. Am I missing something? I used to do plenty of 2 or 3 level masking from about 2003 to 2022 at high ISO and am not wanting to return to that process routinely.
EBH
Aug 18, 2026 at 10:55 AM