Adobe Lightroom 3 - Noise Reduction (NR) Comparison

Adobe Lightroom 3 has added and improved many features to make Lightroom 3 a one complete workflow package. I have listed many of its new features, but one of its new improved feature is its noise reduction engine. This is what Adobe says about its superior noise reduction:

“Achieve amazing, natural-looking results from your high ISO images with all-new state-of-the-art noise reduction technology. You won't need more than what's built into Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 to get the cleanest images at any ISO.”

There are many noise reduction (NR) packages out there that also claims to be number 1 in removing noise and grain from digital images.

Here, I present the images (100% crop) after applying some of the most common NR software. The test candidates are:

 

| Lightroom 2 | Lightroom 3 | Noise Ninja | Define 2 | Noiseware Professional | DxO Optics Pro |

 

Let’s first check out the test image -  An image of Hong Kong skyline taken with a Nikon D700 @ ISO1600, f/2.8. It has a lot of dark/shadow areas where noise is a lot less tolerant.

 

Here is a comparison of the NR results (100% crop 800x600) from the five different NR software. The NR settings used are as follows:

• Lightroom 2 – 70% luminance, 80% colour
• Lightroom 3 - 70% luminance, 80% colour
• Noise Ninja – Default settings, automatic profiling
• Noiseware Professional – Default settings, automatic profiling
• Define 2 - Default settings, automatic profiling
• DxO 6 - Default settings, automatic profiling

Click image for full resolution

My preferences

1. LR2 – Maintain a lot of details similar to the original, some noise still presence
2. Noiseware Professional – Similar results to LR2, but reduced contrast
3. DxO 6 – Still some noise especially chromatic noise, a bit smudged
4. LR3 – Very clean , but image became a bit soft. Perhaps a lower NR setting will help
5. Define 2 – Similar results to LR3, but losing contrast and details
6. NoiseNinja – Feels a bit smudged, image became a bit soft, losing contrast and details

Second test image - An image of Xiamen skyline taken with a Nikon D700 @ ISO5000, f/2.8. It also has a lot of dark/shadow areas where noise is a lot less tolerant.

Here is a comparison of the NR results (100% crop 800x600) from the five different NR software. The NR settings used are as follows:

• Lightroom 2 – 70% luminance, 80% colour
• Lightroom 3 - 70% luminance, 80% colour
• Noise Ninja – Default settings, automatic profiling
• Noiseware Professional – Default settings, automatic profiling
• Define 2 - Default settings, automatic profiling
• DxO 6 - Default settings, automatic profiling

Click image for full resolution

 

My preferences

1. NoiseNinja – Some noise remains, but maintained most details and contrast
2. DxO 6 – Some noise remains, a slightly soft
3. Define 2 – Some smudged and image became soft
4. LR3 – Very soft, but not as patchy as others
5. LR2 – Smudged and patchy, image became soft
6. Noiseware Professional – Smudged and appears to have halo effect

Remarks
LR3’s NR algorithm is capable of removing image noise very well without adding artifacts to the image. However, in the test results above,  the images became a bit soft. Perhaps the NR settings at 70% luminance and 80% colour were too strong. NR is a compromise really, you are prone to lose some of  image details (i.e. image becomes soft) when you remove too much noise.

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• Adobe Lightroom 3
• Niksoftware Define 2
• DxO Optics Pro