Project ISO 3200

[Carl in Louisiana]

Taking Willie's advice and starting a thread on images taken at ISO 3200. This is one I took yesterday and it has been cropped to exclude things and persons not wanted in this image. It was shot at 43mm f/4.0 1/160. Please if you have a photo shot at ISO 3200 feel free to post it here for all of us to learn. I know it is one for the family photo alum but I would like for any and all the comments I can get to improve my PP skills. All the shots taken yesterday was in a large building and lots of people so I just had to take what I could get. No flash was used at all. I hope that I sharpened it enough as that is another area I need to learn more of. Software used was LR4.1 and Nik software collection. WB was set from a Whibal white balance reference card (gray card).

[jiro]

Congratulations, Carl for taking the initiative to know your camera better. The shot looks very usable even if the grain is manifesting itself specially on the light shadow areas. Good framing. You certainly allowed the kid to dominate the whole frame. I think she looks great on a B&W conversion. Just a suggestion. Good work! I wish I can contribute an image to your thread but my D70 can only go as far as 1600 so I have to get off the 3200 bus.

[Carl in Louisiana]

Congratulations, Carl for taking the initiative to know your camera better. The shot looks very usable even if the grain is manifesting itself specially on the light shadow areas. Good framing. You certainly allowed the kid to dominate the whole frame. I think she looks great on a B&W conversion. Just a suggestion. Good work! I wish I can contribute an image to your thread but my D70 can only go as far as 1600 so I have to get off the 3200 bus.

Thanks Willie,
I have not thought of a B & W but will give it a try just to see how it looks. Part of the noise is from cropping so much of the image or at least thats what I think it is. Next time I will have to get in closer and maybe a larger aperture would work better also. I forgot to add that I was using the 17-55mm f/2.8 lens.
It's great to be able to see what could be wrong and work on improving it next time out. The mother and father was very pleased with the photo, but I always want to find a way to improve on what I have, so next time.

Thanks for your encouragement on posting!

[Carl in Louisiana]

Here is my go at B & W. Please give your opinion good or bad.

[jiro]

IMO, you've set your contrast too high. The black level has lost its texture. Your vignette affected the end of the girl's fingers. I'd use a softer vignette and a lower contrast as a suggestion.

[Carl in Louisiana]

IMO, you've set your contrast too high. The black level has lost its texture. Your vignette affected the end of the girl's fingers. I'd use a softer vignette and a lower contrast as a suggestion.

Thanks Willie,
Thats the kind of help I am in need of. I will make adjustments and see what happens. Again thank you for your help.

[Carl in Louisiana]

I have made some adjustments, thanks to Willie for his help, and hope it is a little better. I dropped the vignette altogether as I could not get to suit my taste and think that that parts looks much better. If you can give me some pointers as to the numbers I should be paying attention to in LR4.1 on B & W's that would help I think.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Carl,

The second B&W is better, although it does show more noise on her skin.
The cropping will have emphasized this.

I did wonder, while you were cropping, if there was enough surrounding picture for a slight anti-clockwise rotation, she looks just a little too laid back to me. Just an idea - and please do not feel you have to produce another edit - probably time to work on something new.

Cheers,

[Carl in Louisiana]

Hi Carl,

The second B&W is better, although it does show more noise on her skin.
The cropping will have emphasized this.

I did wonder, while you were cropping, if there was enough surrounding picture for a slight anti-clockwise rotation, she looks just a little too laid back to me. Just an idea - and please do not feel you have to produce another edit - probably time to work on something new.

Cheers,

Thanks for your input Dave,
I have given up on this one and will know more of what to look out for the next time out. I still feel as though I am a long ways off from where I want to be, but I also know I just need to practice, practice and practice some more.
She was a little laid back but I think your right about a little rotation would be in order. Thanks again for your time.

[Dave Humphries]

I still feel as though I am a long ways off from where I want to be, but I also know I just need to practice, practice and practice some more.

I know that feeling, especially with a person in front of the lens.

[speedneeder]

Did someone say ISO 3200???? I really really want to make awesome hockey photos at ISO 3200.
Here is a photo I took at a hockey game last winter, with different luminance noise reduction in LR4. I'm not satisfied with any of them at full size on my monitor. Either too noisy, too plasticy, or both!

Original unedited jpg straight from RAW:


some color/contrast tweaks with 15 luminance NR:


same with 30 luminance NR:


and how about 60 luminance NR:


If these images are too big/slowing things down, let me know and I will delete my post.

[Carl in Louisiana]

Hey Brian,

I tried luminance noise reduction in LR4 and had the same problem with it even with RAW shots,Oh and it seems to get even worse when cropping very much. I use Nik Define 2.0 for noise reduction and Nik Sharpener Pro 3.0 RAW Pre Sharpener, it has a setting for high ISO that seems to help when used and finish up with sharpening in LR4.1.

I like being able to shoot RAW and at 3200 ISO without flash when I can and when I have to.

[speedneeder]

yes, cropping increases noise, or more accurately, unhides it.
Correct exposure to start is key, some would say over expose and correct in post, but this is the same as using lower ISO IMO.
I assume all NR software is a compromise with sharpness, which is something I love to have in my hockey photos.
So what is best? LR4, or something else?

[jiro]

Try NikSoftware's Define 2.0, Brian. With its U-Point technology, you might find it handy and convenient on some of your images. Good luck.

[Carl in Louisiana]

yes, cropping increases noise, or more accurately, unhides it.
Correct exposure to start is key, some would say over expose and correct in post, but this is the same as using lower ISO IMO.
I assume all NR software is a compromise with sharpness, which is something I love to have in my hockey photos.
So what is best? LR4, or something else?

Well I use both Nik pre sharpener (RAW) and LR4.1, but I am still learning to control myself with the sharpening. I get carried away with it most times.