AP: Extreme denoising/sharpening

[dmstraker]

Here's an example of something I just did to balance that tricky situation of a noisy picture where you want to remove noise but preserve detail.

Here's the original image:

...and here's what happens when you try to denoise it (up to 450% extreme) .. note the loss of detail.

So...

1. Start with Filter/Frequency separation. Allow a fair amount of noise into HF side. (Note this is the only destructive action, so be prepared to return to re-do this as needed).

2. Turn off HF layer so you can see the LF layer alone. This still has noise.

3. Add Gaussian Blur to LF layer to further reduce noise. I used 2px.

4. Show HF layer, turning off LF

5. Add Denoise to HF layer. Click 'Extreme' and increase luminance denoise until noise is much reduced. I used 109%.

6. Add High Pass filter to HF layer. I used 100px and Blend Mode of Linear Light.

7. Re-enable LF layer to see final effect.

 

There may be even better ways to do this. Any suggestions?

 

 

[walt.farrell]

Interesting approach, Dave, and not one I'd have thought of. On the other hand, I don't even understand Frequency Separation enough to begin to use it or even follow your description. More research to do, I guess

Still, to my eye, the final image has lost too much detail on the wings. Is there a way to do some masking to limit the amount of effects applied to them? Or a way to capture some of that detail and add it back in later?

[dmstraker]

23 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Interesting approach, Dave, and not one I'd have thought of. On the other hand, I don't even understand Frequency Separation enough to begin to use it or even follow your description. More research to do, I guess

Still, to my eye, the final image has lost too much detail on the wings. Is there a way to do some masking to limit the amount of effects applied to them? Or a way to capture some of that detail and add it back in later?

Probably is, Walt. I was just playing. I'll keep on twiddling...

[p_mac]

What about using edge detection so that you are not blurring the edges?  I think that there was a video about this.

[p_mac]

The video using edge detection to help remove noise starts about 6:35

https://vimeo.com/178301724

 

In addition the previous lesson in this same video shows how to sharpen edges prior to removing noise with inverted edges..

 

[shojtsy]

As comparison here is the result with free Nik DFine

 

And with Neat Image 7.6 Demo

 

And Neat Image 8 Demo, with amazing quality

 

[dmstraker]

Thanks, shotsty! I'll investigate Nik further!

[Hanzz]

I tried in  MacPhun's "Noiseless" app, it can install as a plugin for Photoshop app, but I have not been able to get it to work in  AP-Yet-.

I asked the MacPhun team for advise. awaiting answer at this point...

It works great, but I woud need to sharpen it a bit afterwards. I left the preview slider in the screenshot to show the difference.(edit: I used the most extreme settings possible)

[MEB]

Hi Hanzz,

Currently none of their plugins or apps work with Affinity Photo.

[Hanzz]

I noticed, I had contact with them.Posted my chat on the questions part of this site

link here below....

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/53462-tried-to-install-macphun-noiseless-plugin/