Noise Reduction

Well, my computer finally died and I upgraded to Windows 7. ; Decided to upgrade to CS5. ; I had been using Noise Ninja but it was so old that I needed to get a new activation code before I could install it in CS5. ; The question I have ---is there a better plugin for noise reduction?

 

I dont have the answer to your photoshop question... BUT....

What is your primary camera?

The newer Canon/Nikon cameras with their great signal-to-noise ratios seem to make programs like Noise Ninja irrelevant. ; Granted, back when you shot a nikon D1 series, you needed it for anything over ISO 400 (looked like Tri-x pushed to 1600 or worse). ; But these days, i dont find many people whom need it.

 

I use this. I think Tim is using it now also
here is a review of it.
http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/topaz.shtml
there is a 30 day demo from their site
http://www.topazlabs.com/

 

Actually I think the stand alone CS5 is really great as Noise Reduction. ; Adobe really put a lot of extra time to re-develop the NR for Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom. ; I usually use Lightroom but the ACR does the exact same thing. ; Miles difference between the new and old. ; I don't even need to use Noise Ninja any more. ; I would try the built in one in CS5 and Adobe Camera Raw first to see how you like it before you go out and buy a separate plugin. ; You can also go into the Filter / Noise / Reduce Noise in CS5 to do the same effect. ; Anyone does really good work. ; You will be impressed. If you like it you could save some money but if you don't you can always purchase it later. ;

 

Think I'll give the free trial of DeNoise a try and compare it to LR and CS5.

 

I've never used a Topaz product--can they work as plugins to Photoshop? I wouldn't use a NR program that isn't integrated with PS in some way as that's how I achieve the best results.

That said, best I've found is Lightroom 4 beta 2. ; However, for ease of use I just go with Noise Ninja (plugin to CS3).

 

yes. they work as a plug. I use them with PSE-8 and Tim uses them with CS5

 

I have a couple other Topaz Labs plugins and they work just fine in CS5. There is a LR 4.0?

 

I really like NIK Dfine for noise reduction. ; Since I'm not using CS5 yet the 64 bit thing isn't a problem for me.

 

Just to mention it, Photoshop CS5 x64 still comes with a 32 bit version. ; So long as the plugins are still basically compatible with it you can continue to use older 32 bit versions as long as you're running the right version and have the plugins in the right place.

As to how to access the 32 bit version, in windows you just run the 32 bit version that installs into the "program files x86" directory instead. ; I mean it'll be nested under it, then under adobe, and so on. ; But ends up under the x86 version instead of just "program files". ; You also have to make sure that the plugins files end up in the file structure for that version of the program.

Macs seem to handle it a little bit differently, there's something about a "run in 32 bit mode" option you get by viewing application properties. ; But as I don't use macs I'm unfamiliar with where you actually find that.