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Since
the beginning of digital imaging, noise has been a serious problem for
photographers. We’ve longed for a way to reduce noise while not
affecting image quality and camera performance.
Noise in digital photography manifests itself in similar ways to what
film photographers call grain, that is, random artifacts of colored
pixels from shooting with high ISO ratings or by making extremely long
exposures (one second or longer). PictureCode’s new Noise Ninja 2.0
software offers a terrific solution, as it virtually eliminates noise
in digital captures and scanned images with minimal loss of detail and
overall image quality.
Noise Ninja is easy to use and provides great results. Using the
software for the first time on long digital exposures and ISO 3200
images, as well as a scanned 35mm slide, yielded fantastic images. The
Ninja software features a built-in (and updatable) database of digital
camera profiles, which allows it to recognize the camera model and ISO
setting (embedded EXIF file) from the image, and thereby optimize the
noise-reduction algorithm automatically (or manually, if you choose).
Making it happen is quite simple: Drag a photo into Noise Ninja, select
full auto profile, and presto—Noise Ninja recognizes the noise, and
with the click of a button, it’s gone. You have the opportunity to
adjust luminance, colors and sharpening, but I chose to let the
software do all the work.
Like all software programs, we know that with a little practice and
understanding, further improvement to the output quality is possible,
but it certainly was a bonus to have “auto” results that were beyond
expectations.
At $69 (for a professional license), PictureCode’s Noise Ninja 2.0 is a
bargain for what it does. It’s available online as a download and
through camera retailers.
Contact: PictureCode, www.picturecode.com.
 
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