Help !

[davewales]

Back to basics for me I'm afraid. I am still struggling with NX2 especially when it comes to sharpening images. I have read tips and hints in other threads but I get lost very quickly.
This is an image, not particularly good one but that doesn't matter, that has simply been cropped then transferred into a JPEG with NX2

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Using Picture Project the result is similar
View attachment 387761
What I like about NX2 is that I can selectively apply a reduction in brightness on the birds chest which wouldn't be possible with Picture Project.
View attachment 387762
But what is frustrating is that when I look at the picture full size on my computer screen ( a 15.4" screen) this version is very noisy. Whats more frustrating is it doesn't seem to show on the pictures when I'm illustrating here on the web. If I try and sharpen the image the noise gets worse but if I leave it as it is then sharpen in Picture Project the noise has disappeared.
View attachment 387763
You can just about see on the last picture the background is less noisy ( but again,I'm confused and frustrated by web reproduction as the NX unsharpened version now looks sharper too) .
What should I be doing to avoid using Picture Project to finish the job or is that par for the course ?
Thanks Dave

 

[Mike Buckley]

Dave,

I'll offer a few suggestions.

1) Purchase Jason Odell's Guide to Capture NX or Hagen's book about the product. (Sorry that I can't remember the name.) I haven't used the Hagen book but it's getting good reviews. Odell's Guide will deal with both sharpening and noise reduction.

2) Show us the area of concern at 100%. Once you do that, we will see what you see.

3) When you view the image on the web, it is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller. That explains why you can't see or show us the details that bother you at the size of your monitor.

4) When you sharpen, don't sharpen the background. Sharpening adds detail to everything including the noise.

5) Learn how to apply noise reduction if the noise is bothering you. Apply it probably only to the background. By the way, even if you are not experiencing noise, applying noise reduction to out-of-focus backgrounds make them more creamy.

6) When you reduce the size of the image for viewing on the web, be sure to add a tad of sharpening. Again, that's explained in the Odell book and surely the Hagen book.

Hope this helps!

 

[Neige]

+1 for Mike's explanation.

 

[davewales]

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to reply. I have tried comparing both Picture Project and NX2 images at 100 % crop and have just realised that if you apply the same constraints the P.Proj image is actually smaller so that's why there is less noise.


I am trying to find a UK stockist of the Odell book. Is it available in only e book form ?
Thanks
Dave

 

[sylvesterii]

Yup, only e-book form.

 

[daveg]

Dave,

With regard to the noisy background - you can selectively sharpen in the same way as you can selectively brighten / darken areas.

There is absolutely no reason to sharpen that background. What you percieve as a noise problem will (perhaps) not then exist?

DaveG (also from Wales - it's not unusual).