Best Free Photo Noise Reduction Software
Noise on a digital image looks like random speckled-color dots in areas where the color should be more even. The more you zoom into the image the more prominent the noise becomes. All digital images include some noise just as all traditional photographs have some grain. The amount of noise varies considerably between cameras but it also varies with how you use your camera.
On an automatic camera taking photos in poor light conditions increases the noise as it forces the camera to a higher ISO or sensitivity setting. Similarly on a manual camera; setting a higher ISO invariably increases the noise. Generally speaking the problem is worst with cheaper cameras but even the most expensive cameras have noise problems in extreme conditions.
Noise-reducing programs cannot eliminate noise from your digital photos but they can make it less obvious. But, there is a cost: any noise improvement you make will inevitably lead to some loss of detail to your images.
There is no outright winner here for top noise-reducing program as there are two excellent contendors:
Noiseware Community Edition. It has drop a down box that enables you to make simple choices (automatic noise profiling), but I considered this to be a blunt instrument. If you want to start using the automated profiles then I would recommend starting with 'Weaker noise'. If 'Weaker' noise has too little effect then further adjustments can be done manually with the preview box turned on. This is a gentle start and as you get to know these programs you will quickly learn to only do things in very small steps, otherwise the image is very easily spoilt. All of options in the 'More Controls' section are not available on the free version, but very good results are still possible. Just how good, will depend on your skill and patience as it is unlikely the automatic fixes will give a satisfactory result. Thankfully, there is a good help file.
Helicon Filter. This is really a general purpose image correcting suite but it includes an excellent noise reduction filter. Other filters in the suite include:
- Noise reduction filter
- Red eye filter Sharpening filter
- Color adjustment filter Text inscriptions and Frames filter
- Crop & Resize filter Distortions filter '
- Clone' brush 'Change brightness' brush
- 'Change color' brush
- 'Change saturation' brush
- 'Blur/sharpen' brush 'Fix red eye' brush
- 'Erase changes' brush.
The noise filter has an excellent visual interface as well as a useful help system to guide you through the noise reduction process. It offers some automatic noise profiling, with the ability to make your own. It supports RAW, TIFF, JPEG2000, JPG with support for external PS-plug-ins but the free version cannot itself be used as a PhotoShop plug-in. The free version also has fewer noise reduction options than the paid but excellent results are still possible.
And the other filters in the suite are just as good as the noise reduction filter. So good that you’ll be tempted to use these even if you have Photoshop, Gimp or another image editor as Helicon is quicker to load and easier to use.
NB: This software is fully functional for 30days, after that it will revert to free mode.
NDNoise is a complete rewrite of a previous product 'AbsoluteDeNoiser.' NDNoise is Java based freeware that works with Windows/Mac and Linux. It is best suited to serious users who are adventuring for the first time into the world of noise reduction software. Very good results are possible but patience and experimentation is required as the help file is minimal and some of the controls non-obvious. NDNoise is a stand alone program whose features include:
- load / save multiple image with the same filter tuning
- three sliders that allow tuning for basic use : noise removal, dots/spots/lines smoothing, retexturing
- direct visualisation of filtering effect by alternate visualisation
- differential view for filtering control
- zoom in/out at any level
TIP: Just remember to use the drop down box below “Calc” to ensure you can visibly see your changes. When you have done your adjustments you can have two ways of viewing them: 'Fast', which is not very precise or 'Calc' which is slower but more accurate.
Website: www.imagenomic.com/nwsa.aspx
Download page: http://www.imagenomic.com/download.aspx
Version: Noiseware v2.
Download file size: 1.46MB
Open files: JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF (24 and 48 bpp)
Save files: JPEG
License: Freeware for personal use
Operating systems supported: Windows XP/Vista
Operating system requirements: 256MB RAM, 10MB HDD
Helicon Filter
Website: http://www.heliconsoft.com/
Download page: http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfilter_downloads.html
Version: Helicon Filter 4.86 (14.04.2008)
Download file size: 21MB
Open files: RAW, TIFF, JPEG2000, JPEG.
License: Freeware for personal use
Operating systems supported: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Vista x64
Multiple image format support : PNG, JPEG, GIF, ... (prefer lossless PNG compression !)
Operating systems supported: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS-X, Linux
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Tony Bennett.
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The absolute best (non-free unfortunately) is NoiseNinja. I've tried everything else (including all mentioned above), and they do not compare. If you couldn't get proper exposure, then it is the only tool to use. There's a free trial I believe.
As we only deal with Freeware this is not on the cards.
Tony
I've used NeatImage Home version for years and am happy with it. The program gives you a lot of power but you have to be careful to not overdo the corrections . Too much smoothing makes the image look unnatural. It is best to make heavy use of the preview function to compare before and after versions before saving the final file.
btw: one major limitation of the demo version is that it can only save (output) to JPEG format.
Helicon Filter is not truly freeware. It is only free for one year. The purchase page states the following is available at no cost: "one year license valid during one year after purchase, reverts to demo mode afterwards)".
http://www.heliconsoft.com/purchase.html
I suggest you read the site a little further
http://www.heliconsoft.com/filter_downloads.html
It has full functionality for 30days and then you don't. I must update it now I see the update of my own copy. It works very well and for most the free functions are excellent.
Tony
Have a good camera, a knowlege of film AND digital presentations and you don't need to use the above crutches.
Be smart, be safe, listen to yourself.
Mike Roberts
Thats good advice Mike, unfortunately there are times/situations when it is necessary to use these crutches. I don't have the finances to have a good camera due to circumstances (cheap camera more noise problems), or people may only use a point and shoot and find that they would like to improve an image of a family shot and it maybe necessary on a evening shot when you have to up your ISO. The crutches are there if needed. Mind you although I have only a Fuji 5600 and I have only had to use this once on a shot of a bird of prey tearing apart a dead sheep.
Tony
Neat image is a good software and I have used it thanks for the link.
Tony
Neat Image is good. I started back in 35mm film days with the demo version. The demo is pretty much fully featured except that (if I recall correctly) it does not do batch processing and only works with 8/24 bit images and not 16/48 bit images. If you like it you can, as I did, pay some cash to get the enhancements (batch processing and 48 bit TIFF in my case).
http://www.neatimage.com/download.html
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