Currently I am using CS3's noise reduction filter. I apply it on a separate layer using a mask generated with 'find edges'. Am looking for something a bit better. I understand there are better noise reduction programs out there but really only want to use one that acts as a PS plug-in. I don't want to complicate/lengthen my workflow (I am a photoenthusiast not a professional) sp I don’t want a stand alone program. I also want be able to use layer masks.

I understand that these 3 programs are well recommended:

Neat Image
Noiseware
Noise Ninja

Are these available as a PS plugin that can be applied with a layer mask or must they be used as stand alone programs with/without layer mask?

I DO realize they are available for trial period download but I DO want to make preliminary inquiries picking much bigger brains than mine, and I don’t want to download and install something that won’t meet my requirements. What do you folks recommend (knowing that I prefer one that operates acts as a PS plug-in allowing me to use a separate layer using a mask)?

As always, I thank everyone in advance!

I can't speak of Neat Image but both Noiseware and Noise Ninja are available as PS Plug-in. To use them in a layer, just duplicate your image layer and apply noise reduction on it. Then you can fine-tune with opacity and a layer mask.

Same with neat image.

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Based on my website stats so far this month, visitors are much more interested in Noiseware than the other options.

Noiseware has more visits to its info page than the others (#12 out of all site pages). Noise Ninja was the next most popular of the three, but way down the list.

The phrase "noiseware" is more often searched (74 times, the #2 most used Search Keyphrase after "lucis art").

Other related successful search phrases this month (in descending order of hits) were "noiseware coupon code", "noiseware coupon", "noiseware discount", "imagenomic noiseware coupon code", "noise ninja", "noiseware code", "noiseware & mac", "noise ninja pro discount", "ninja noise", "noiseware professional edition for mobile". Neat Image was searched for only twice.

I personally use Noiseware, although I've got all three of the above plug-ins (as well as NoiseFixer, NoiseBuster and Noise Reduction Pro).

Mea culpa - many of those hits were ME!!

I'm curious, do most people here use their third party noise reduction apps as stand alone apps or as plug ins?
Do any of thses programs allow you to create masks or can that only be done in conjunction with PS?

Neat Image plug in for me.

I use the plugin. I create the mask myself. I don't know if neat image will help with that.

Edit: I should note that I rarely used anything other than PS's noise reduction since upgrading from the D300 some years ago. However, with the G9 I'm using it again.

I'm also using the plug-ins. Noise Ninja has a brush to mask regions but I've never used it as I prefer to do masking in Photoshop.

Thanks for the replies thus far....



I use a 30D but unfortunately going digital has made me less meticulous than I was in the 'film days' in getting the exposure right. The power of PS has made me lazier at that part of the process. So I occassionally get noise even with lower ISOs simply out of improper exposure. Still learning! But that is occuring less and less as I do TRY to spend as much time with the exposure as I did with film. Now that i try to 'expose to the right' I find I am seeing less and less noise. But I still have legacy RAWs that I'd like to do noise reduction to.

I tend to use Noiseware as a plug-in. If I were batch converting, I might use the standalone, but the plug-in is convenient while you've got an image open in PS.

I've yet to see PS CS3's noise filter actually do anything! I work in higher ed (IT Consultant) and in our labs, we use CS3 but no plug-ins, and I really miss them when trying to help students clean up their images. I usually bring the students into my office where I have every plug-in known to man...

Well you can notice SOME, ok, a little, NR with CS3 if you view the original file at 100%. When I look at the image after it's been downsized and saved as a jpeg I don't notice much.

I'm curious, do most people here use their third party noise reduction apps as stand alone apps or as plug ins?
What advantage do stand alone versions give you? I read that some people prefer the stand alone versions because they have batch capabilities but can't one use the plug-in version in a photoshop action batch process?
I'd like to use a layer mask when I use NR. The stand alone versions seem to create a heck of a lot more to the workflow, at least to my new-to-digtal processing eyes. Perhaps it is due to my ignorance about workflow short cuts.
Am I missing something or do the standalone versions appeal mainly to pros doing critical work for clients or people churning out large prints?

I've been using the Noiseware plug-in in a complex batch action in Photoshop... I see no real advantage in the stand-alone versions. The stand-alone version might have a smaller memory footprint or might be faster. I don't know but me, I prefer to work in Photoshop and avoid juggling between a dozen of applications.

So why DO people use stand alone NR programs? I am new to RAW processing, digital photography thus I am ignorant of workflows. How and why do people incorporate a stand alone NR program in to their workflow? It seems like a whole lot of extra work.

I have no definitive answer but I remember that Noise Ninja was cheaper as a stand-alone application and it looks like it's also the case for Noiseware. It might play a role - or not?

I agree with your remark. When a user is already doing some work in Photoshop, adding another application will complicate the operations. Just think of color management! Does the stand-alone application offer a correct CM workflow? Staying in Photoshop helps you a lot.

Comparison of Noiseware prices:

And take 10% off those prices.

I read this thread and also read a request for comparisons of noise reduction plug-ins on DPReview this weekend.

My new e-book on sharpening and the video on sharpening include a comparison of four commercial plug-ins: Neat Image, Noise Ninja, nik! Dfine, and Power Retouche Noise Filter.

I've made a .PDF extract of the plug-in comparison as a service to the digital photography community.

You'll find the link to the .PDF on the page for the e-book/video.

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/Sharpe...hotographs.html

I also made an extract of my comparison of four sharpening plug-ins: Focal Blade, nik! Sharpener, Photokit Sharpener, and Power retouche Sharpen Filter.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Mitch

OH! So you run the LR site.....NOW I understand better what happened in the other thread that Michael decided to close. ...

Well thanks for your info. I will definitely read it.

Actually all of my questions started when I decided to start using NR on separate layers with edge masks. As a recent convert to digital photography I just recently started to use masks on adjustment layers. One of things I had asked on another forum was a question about your TLR Professional Mask Toolkit. Does it work in CS3? Many of your toolkits are for CS2 - would they work in CS3?

http://www.ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2006/0...-noiseware.html

There are CS3 specific versions for the scripts. The way PS handles Javascript UI widgets has changed slightly between different version of Photoshop CS/CS2/CS3.

The CS3 versions are relatively recent additions on the The Light's Right site. They've been available as release candidates on the Yahoo Group.

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/photoshop-tools.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLightsRight/

The TLR Digital Noise Reduction action set is compatible with CS3 and earlier versions of Photoshop. I will likely make a CS3 version that uses Smart Filters. But that's something to consider for the future.

There are 3 versions of the TLR Digital Noise Reduction scripts, one each for CS/CS2/CS3. They're Javascripts. You'll find them in the respective version of the TLR Professional Sharpening Toolkit.

Similarly, there are CS/CS2/CS3 versions of the TLR Professional Mask Toolkit.

Feel free to download any of these tools that you think might be helpful.

Cheers,

Mitch

Fantastic - this explains another of Life's Mysteries for me:
I had downloaded the sharpening plugins several months ago and was unable to get them to work in CS3 and was feeling a tad computer and Photoshop challenged for a while. I have been using a sharpening action from http://www.lonestardigital.com/. But will definitely be downloading your sharpening actions.

Thanks for the intriguing review Andrew. Have you reviewed the others and send me this link because you believe it to be the best of the lot?