-=FlexNR=- Noise Removal Action for 1D MarkIII (now available! )

emtp563 wrote in post #9481069
Agreed, there are no real instructions. I have not seen the "knock your socks off" results either.

I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one. Can anyone with experience with this provide some insight?

I can, for sure!...

imtrashed wrote in post #9481343
I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one. Can anyone with experience with this provide some insight?

...That should be pretty straight forward, though (ISo 12800ec):

http://www.pbase.com …/image/12144301​5/original

And more here:
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12144302​0/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12144301​9/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12144301​8/original


Enjoy,

PIX

aridan wrote in post #9480846
Thanks; that worked (got the Pro 64bit version).

I have 3 quick questions:

1. So everything is loaded and I ran a test shot (ISO 1600). I saw a difference between the before and after. But when I tried toggling between the different results (F9, F10, F10), I only saw a difference between the original shot (F9) and the stage 1 (First F10). I couldn't notice a difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2.

2. The way I understand it, hitting F12 wipes up the changes made out of memory, so once F12 is hit, you can't toggle between the differences anymore? - Can someone please confirm this?

3. And last but not least, here is my work flow prior to ever using any type of noise reduction engine: Shoot in RAW --> open file in Adobe Camera RAW --> adjust sharpening (including noise settings - luminance and color noise), and then open the file in PSCS4. Since I am now using an NR process (Neat Image + Flex NR), should I skip the sharpening step I do in ACR? What about the basic sharpening settings one needs to perform when shooting in RAW (since when shooting in RAW, the camera does not apply in-camera sharpening)?

Thank you in advance

Daniel

Answers:

1. ISo1600 on 1D3 already offers pretty low levels of noise. If you cycle between Stage1 and Stage 2 memory stages and you see little differences is because the noise levels on the SHADOWS tonal range are already low, in your scene. As you move up (WAY up) in the ISo scale, these levels of noise will increase especially in the shadows or deeper "blacks", and most of high-ISO scenes dramatically benefit a more precise, dedicated and fine-tuned processing of shadows. This stage is particularly complex, because plain noise reduction will not work properly.

2. That should be occurrying with CTRL-F8, which is the final close of your processing session. If the provided instructions indicate otherwise, that would be inacurate.

3. Please, considering reducing ALL sharpening and Noise Reduction in ACR. If you desire a bit of extra performance, you may want to set Chroma NR = 4, in ACR, but everything else cancelled. Mid-frequency "conversion" sharpening will be targeted during FlexNR processing. Past that point, if you desire further sharpening, it should target the mid-to-high and/or very-high spectra of your images.

If you have any further questions, comments, concerns, or anything else that you would need to be taken care of, please, feel free to post them at any time.


Cheers,

PIX

For you sir...

emtp563 wrote in post #9481069
Agreed, there are no real instructions. I have not seen the "knock your socks off" results either.

...Here's your 1D3 performing next to Nikon's flagship D3s (both from on-board image processing, except 1D3 with on-board chroma NR set to OFF, and finished in FlexNR-v2.2, in ONE click):

All ISo6400, and original files available at IMAGING RESOURCE for your own processing or review:

http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143662​7/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143663​1/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143663​5/original

With these samples, you can develop a basic idea of how much the 1D3 can be improved, without compromising image integrity, and within the constraints of its existing 10Mpixels.

Cheers,

PIX

imtrashed wrote in post #9481343
I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one. Can anyone with experience with this provide some insight?

Definitely something wrong, user error more than likely. It's a very easy program to use and setup. If it's not working more than likely you have saved something in the wrong place.

As for results, these are the ones that always knock my socks off but I've got hundreds more.

1D3, F2.8, 1/25s, ISO6400
1D3, F2.8, 1/30s, ISO5000ec

I've also found that I get my best results using Zoombrowser Raw output , but YMMV.

PIXmantra wrote in post #9481500
...Here's your 1D3 performing next to Nikon's flagship D3s (both from on-board image processing, except 1D3 with on-board chroma NR set to OFF, and finished in FlexNR-v2.2, in ONE click):

All ISo6400, and original files available at IMAGING RESOURCE for your own processing or review:

http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143662​7/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143663​1/original
http://www.pbase.com …/image/12143663​5/original

With these samples, you can develop a basic idea of how much the 1D3 can be improved, without compromising image integrity, and within the constraints of its existing 10Mpixels.

Cheers,

PIX

HOLY $#@! The D3s is a very impressive machine as far as high ISO noise goes, the best out there right now AFAIK (out of camera), but your results with FlexNR really shine in this comparison. The D3s has the slight advantage in the first comparo, but in the 2nd and 3rd it's at least a tie, maybe a SLIGHT advantage to the 1D3/FlexNR., Too close to call. Great work.

Right on the money...

drisley wrote in post #9481518


HOLY $#@! The D3s is a very impressive machine as far as high ISO noise goes, the best out there right now AFAIK (out of camera), but your results with FlexNR really shine in this comparison. The D3s has the slight advantage in the first comparo, but in the 2nd and 3rd it's at least a tie, maybe a SLIGHT advantage to the 1D3/FlexNR., Too close to call. Great work.

...The idea here is not necessarily to put one camera over the other (even though the baseline processing is of the same source for both, that is, what their on-board engines can do, with the exception of NR, which is not available on 1D3 as refined or mature as it is on the D3s).

On the other hand, these samples also help develop a very acurate picture of the type of results or quality (by modern standards) that ANYONE would get when combining a 1D3 .JPG (YES, and off-board .JPG) with NR=OFF and very quickly (in one click) running FlexNRv2.2, with absolutely ZERO user intervention, of ANY kind, without ANY additional adjustment/fiddling/pr​ocessing or any other step. Talk about a truly hands-off process.

Cheers,

PIX

PIXmantra wrote in post #9481541
...The idea here is not necessarily to put one camera over the other (even though the baseline processing is of the same source for both, that is, what their on-board engines can do, with the exception of NR, which is not available on 1D3 as refined or mature as it is on the D3s).

On the other hand, these samples also help develop a very acurate picture of the type of results or quality (by modern standards) that ANYONE would get when combining a 1D3 .JPG (YES, and off-board .JPG) with NR=OFF and very quickly (in one click) running FlexNRv2.2, with absolutely ZERO user intervention, of ANY kind, without ANY additional adjustment/fiddling/pr​ocessing or any other step. Talk about a truly hands-off process.

Cheers,

PIX

Are all of the great results you're both posting all jpeg's straight from the camera and run through FlexNR? I shoot only RAW files, convert to DNG, then process with ACR. I'd really rather not shoot jpeg from the 1D, just to be able to run through FlexNR.

imtrashed wrote in post #9481562
Are all of the great results you're both posting all jpeg's straight from the camera and run through FlexNR? I shoot only RAW files, convert to DNG, then process with ACR. I'd really rather not shoot jpeg from the 1D, just to be able to run through FlexNR.

Here we go:

1. FlexNR supports .JPGs, ZB/RIT, DPP and ACR/LR conversions.
2. You are free to chose the conversion that best suits your needs.
3. ALL results are equally great, up to 6400, which is where ZB/RIT (identical to .JPGs) takes over, and allows you to reach up to ISo25,600ec.

NOTE: .JPG processing is of ESSENTIAL importance because a minority of dSLR users actually run a RAW-centric workflow or, many cannot permantently afford the processing time involved in large-batch RAW conversions. This may sound pretty strange to you, but, sometimes, practical suggestions posted in Forums are not t an indication of what the majority out-there is actually doing or really needs... And I am sharing this with you, based on the general off-line input of FlexNR's user-base.

I would strongly suggest you to search on this thread, as well as the forum for samples. There are tons and tons of them (of all kinds, all ISOs, files provided by multiple users, etc.) There is a tonnage of material (at 100%, 50%, 25%, you name it) available, for up-close inspection, review, etc.

Also, whenever you file like posting your own file/s, please, do so, and we will process them and post them back, right here (at whatever size/format you prefer).

Cheers,

PIX

imtrashed wrote in post #9481562
Are all of the great results you're both posting all jpeg's straight from the camera and run through FlexNR? I shoot only RAW files, convert to DNG, then process with ACR. I'd really rather not shoot jpeg from the 1D, just to be able to run through FlexNR.

Mine are Raw's converted with Canon's Zoombrowser.
I used to be an avid ACR user, and while the results even using that converter are great, I find the output from Zoombrowser to be much nicer IMHO, since it matches exactly the camera output (I really like Canon colours) and produces slightly less noise (really only an issue at ISO's above 3200 imho).

Good luck.

PIXmantra wrote in post #9481455
3. Please, considering reducing ALL sharpening and Noise Reduction in ACR. If you desire a bit of extra performance, you may want to set Chroma NR = 4, in ACR, but everything else cancelled. Mid-frequency "conversion" sharpening will be targeted during FlexNR processing. Past that point, if you desire further sharpening, it should target the mid-to-high and/or very-high spectra of your images. If you have any further questions, comments, concerns, or anything else that you would need to be taken care of, please, feel free to post them at any time. Cheers, PIX

I'm sorry, I just need a quick clarification on this point: When you write "reducing all sharpening and noise reduction in ACR", do you mean don't touch anything on the sharpening screen, or actually going in there, and dialing down all the settings back to zero?

TIA

aridan wrote in post #9482255
I'm sorry, I just need a quick clarification on this point: When you write "reducing all sharpening and noise reduction in ACR", do you mean don't touch anything on the sharpening screen, or actually going in there, and dialing down all the settings back to zero?

TIA

Answer:

You need to dial down all the settings back to zero. (the only parameter worth fiddling with is Chroma Noise reduction = 4, if you prefer a slightly deeper, stronger reduction of chroma noise).

Lightroom users can simply click on FlexNR's supplied preset, which takes care of this for you, with no settings-fiddling, right from LR's Presets panel.

Cheers,

PIX

PIXmantra wrote in post #9482300
Answer:

You need to dial down all the settings back to zero. (the only parameter worth fiddling with is Chroma Noise reduction = 4, if you prefer a slightly deeper, stronger reduction of chroma noise).

Lightroom users can simply click on FlexNR's supplied preset, which takes care of this for you, with no settings-fiddling, right from LR's Presets panel.

Cheers,

PIX

Thank you very much! I'll give it a shot (no pun intended ) tonight.

A specific example...

aridan wrote in post #9482400
Thank you very much! I'll give it a shot (no pun intended ) tonight.

...While you are at it, the following is an example (propery of SEV), which was processed with the settings provided above:

http://www.pbase.com …/image/11431224​1/original

This sample was processed with LR, with provided Presets, and then mastered in FlexNR with corresponding ISo5000ec-LR level.

Cheers,

PIX

^^^
Really nice! So much for the myth that you lose all fine detail when using high ISO's.