Long Exposure Advice

[SSSchwing]

Howdy, I went out to try some long exposure shots on Saturday night...it rained and I only got one shot lol

I have a question though, why are my long exposure shots so damn noisy?

This is a 5 minute exposure. It was almost pitch black, bar some cars driving by and some lighting from the cliff face houses.

Ignore the comp etc...my main concern is the noise...

Any advice?

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/gallery/files/2/4/1/IMG_4836.jpg

[crackaonrice]

What camera do you have?

[chris d]

Don't know why it's noisy but I really like the photo. Did you do any post processing?

[SSSchwing]

What camera do you have?

I have a Canon 400D and this was taken with a Tamron 17-50

I have just checked my manual and there is a noise reduction feature for long exposure shots, maybe that might help?

Don't know why it's noisy but I really like the photo. Did you do any post processing?

only processing was resize and slight brightness adjustment (lower)

[|)\/8]

Do you have PS? Here I reduced the noise, and then did some sharpening using the high pass filter. I really like this image, I love the colors between the sky and ocean.

http://www.dykstra.us/images/IMG_4836_NOnoise.jpg

[JWright]

I have a Canon 400D and this was taken with a Tamron 17-50

I have just checked my manual and there is a noise reduction feature for long exposure shots, maybe that might help?

only processing was resize and slight brightness adjustment (lower)

Keep in mind if you use the long exposure noise reduction feature it will take tthe same amount of time as your exposure to write the image to the card. In other words, if you had used it in this case (five minute exposure) it would have taken another five minutes to write to the card. This would have meant you wouldn't have been able to take another picture for 10 minutes.

[Steezy303]

high iso?

[SSSchwing]

Do you have PS? Here I reduced the noise, and then did some sharpening using the high pass filter. I really like this image, I love the colors between the sky and ocean.

Thanks for the edit, looks a lot better noise wise, i just really want it to look like that out of the camera lol

I'm thinking maybe the complete (basically) darkness, the camera can't handle the blacks properly?? i wonder if i had taken it say only 2 hours after sunset, maybe there would have been a little light coming over the horizon to help it? or even if the moon was out, as it was cloudy? in other words, was it just TOO dark?

Keep in mind if you use the long exposure noise reduction feature it will take tthe same amount of time as your exposure to write the image to the card. In other words, if you had used it in this case (five minute exposure) it would have taken another five minutes to write to the card. This would have meant you wouldn't have been able to take another picture for 10 minutes.

Yeah, I read that... which I guess wouldn't be a major issue as long as something didn't happen that I really wanted to shoot lol.... and to be honest, if i can get it looking right that way, i'm happy to wait the additional 5 mins.

high iso?

ISO 100 on this shot mate.... *shrug*

[marksonthestreet]

hmmm, was it taken in raw? it's definitely sensor noise but maybe that could help in post.

(the world would be a better place if digital noise was as sexy as film grain)

[Radtech1]

With an exposure of several seconds or more, the electricity running through the sensor chip literally heats up the sensor causing thermal noise. A MUCH BETTER alternative would to take twenty 15 second shots (Or ten 30 second shots, depending on camera, and temp), and use a process called "Exposure Stacking (http://www.tawbaware.com/imgstack.htm)".

By the way, it is a beautiful shot.

Rad

[howzitboy]

beautiful shot!! love the softness of the shot..... what iso? next time try 100 and do exposure stacking like Radtech1 said.

[pablo]

No sure if stacking is all that necesary for images shorter than 15 minutes. Here is one that was 1521 seconds long -- you do the math ;-)

http://www.pbase.com/pyanez/image/52648997