Where does noise come from in my workflow?

Did you shoot through glass?

Here is my take, never touched sharpening at all (resized 50% for upload):

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Ok, wow! Some great edits and some food for thought! Thanks everyone.

Just a few responses to some things a few mentioned...


No, I don't think the 400d is very good for noise.
I used an old vivitar 90mm f2.8 macro lens, handheld, manual all the way.
I had no flash...this is natural light only.
This guy was about 5-6mm long...he was tiny!
No, he wasn't behing glass...he was on a breezeblock (cinderblock) wall, just above head height on the outside of a birdwatching hide. Tricky holding the gripped 400d with the heavy metal lens on the front at full macro stretch.

I was really pleased with the image, but all of the above would not help, and it also necessitated a crop.

Right...off to study your versions and EXIFs...see what I can do!

Cheers!