Take a look at the two photos below. The first has not had any Neat Image applied, the second has, using the "Remove all Noise" setting.
If you will notice, in the Neat Imaged image, there are parts of the water that get, for the lack of a better word, "chunky". Almost like you can see distinct color changes, not a smooth transition. I also get it when I have it set for the "default" setting. It may be hard to see at 640 pixel, but it's really bad when it it blown up larger.
I use the stand alone version as well, and the thing is, it looks great in Neat Image. When I bring it back in to Photoshop, that's when it goes funky.
Ahh, I only apply it as my final step after I've done all my editing, resizeing, USM, etc. I've never brought them into PS after I've neatimaged them. Maybe try using it as your last step and see what happens?
Ahh, I only apply it as my final step after I've done all my editing, resizeing, USM, etc. I've never brought them into PS after I've neatimaged them. Maybe try using it as your last step and see what happens?
Why not remove any un-wanted noise with neatimage before using usm. I would think sharpening the noise would not be a good thing.
I'm looking at the two shots side by side, and honestly I can't tell that much of a difference to tell you the truth. Do you remember how you had the sliders set? What smooth edges checked?
I'm looking at the two shots side by side, and honestly I can't tell that much of a difference to tell you the truth. Do you remember how you had the sliders set? What smooth edges checked?
I can't either... Can you show a full size 640x640 crop of both shots?
Edit to ask: What version of NI do you use? The free one only saves in high compression and you may be experiencing JPEG artifacts...
Learn something new everyday. I always did it at the end so i wasn't having to transfer the pictures back and forth. I shall give it a try (noise reduction before processing/USM)
But post-processing itself adds noise in many cases. So if I run neat-image before processing, I will have to run it again. And with free version (which I guess most of us use), it means double compression (before and after post-processing)
You can run neat image and copy the result to clipboard without having saved it at all. You can open the original in PS, save it as a psd document, and paste the NI copy as a layer, and use that as the base of your work. At least, you can do that with the paid-for standalone version, which I have in addition to the plugin.
You can do all your adjustments, flatten the final thing to single layer, save it as a highest-quality jpg, and if necessary open THAT in NI a second time for final touch up, once more copying the result and pasting it into PS without having saved it at all.
Regarding the settings, NI gives you the option of scanning the image itself for a set of custom parameters, rather than using preset or predefined parameters.
It is certainly true that sharpening should be done after noise reduction, or you'll just be sharpening the noise and making it worse.
Thanks for the tip about copying the Neat Image output to the clipboard and pasting it to a new layer in PS. I have another image I was working on tonight for a challenge, and had worse problems that my images above. Copying and pasting worked like a charm.
Thanks for the tip about copying the Neat Image output to the clipboard and pasting it to a new layer in PS. I have another image I was working on tonight for a challenge, and had worse problems that my images above. Copying and pasting worked like a charm.
