Epic-X @12800 ISO with Noise Reduction

[Nick Morrison]

Using high ISO settings to make a bright scenes brighter is hugely different from using high ISOs to bring up highly underexposed images. You can get clean ISO12800 images all day if you take images that are well exposed at ISO800 and just crank up the ISO.

Fair enough. I guess we'd need to see much darker tests to see how de-noising 12800 really looks. I see your point.

[Rami Mustakim]

I don't think Neatvideo would do a much worser job.

I did a little test so you can see by yourself.
All done in Photoshop.


This is the picture color corrected without noise reduction.
HD version here : http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/8085/originaloe.jpg


This is the result with Topaz Denoise. As you can see the plugin affects colors but the result is amazing.
HD version here : http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9504/topazd.jpg


This is with Neat Image.
HD version here : http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/1433/neatm.jpg

[Álex Montoya]

Neat Image is much less agressive but looks very nice. In fact, after looking at the images in HD, I believe that it does a much better job at retaining detail. I agree with Noah that the test has limited value, but the wall in the back was like three stops underexposed and it ends up looking very nice.

[Álex Montoya]

Using high ISO settings to make a bright scenes brighter is hugely different from using high ISOs to bring up highly underexposed images. You can get clean ISO12800 images all day if you take images that are well exposed at ISO800 and just crank up the ISO.

Here's an easily 3,5 stops underexposed frame @800ISO:



Here's the same frame @12800ISO with denoising:

[Nick Morrison]

Here's an easily 3,5 stops underexposed frame @800ISO:



Here's the same frame @12800ISO with denoising:

WOW. Kinda amazing test. Thanks for taking the time todo this. Kinda crazy how much you can get back! 3.5 stops??!!! On my DSLR I'd be lcky to get back 1.5 before it all fell apart, in either direction. WOW.

[Kemalettin Sert]

[Will Keir]

I like your version best. A little darker but the eyes still pop and look white.

That's lit. With small lamps but it is lit.

My take on the CC would go this way more or less:

[Will Keir]

Can anyone with Neatvideo give this file a quick plug and check for us all?

Looking forward to results. THanks.

Topaz is what I had available, guys. Use Neatvideo with the R3D and I'm sure you will get similar results.

[Will Keir]

Pretty incredible still, can u give us the motion versions too?

Here's an easily 3,5 stops underexposed frame @800ISO:



Here's the same frame @12800ISO with denoising:

[Lauri Kettunen]

It would be cool if Red had an in-camera denoising option for high ISO's but I'm sure Dragon will make this unnecessary.

May I suggest another view on this issue: One will always have more processing power in post than within the camera. In addition, it's easier to finetune denoising in post than within the camera. Accordingly, are you really suggesting the best option is a powerfull denoising within RedCine-X? The raw files is an asset.