C100: Noise Reduction

Eric Coughlin

Eric Coughlin

Veteran
What noise reduction settings are you using?

It would seem to me that for in-camera noise reduction, that the 1 to 12 scale would have corresponding ISOs that result in the best picture (with some leeway for subjective views on visible noise vs sharpness). For example, perhaps at ISO 20,000 noise reduction at 12 is best, ISO 12,800 at NR 10, 850 at NR 3, etc.

And what about in-camera noise reduction vs post noise reduction? I read someone say that with AVCHD you'd be better off doing it in camera before the image is compressed. Does that sound right, and if so, would the same be true when recording to an external recorder?

What noise reduction programs would you recommend and why? The two I've heard most about are Magic Bullet Denoiser II and Neat Video.


Also, is there a way to change the noise reduction setting while recording? Apparently you can't access the Custom Picture Profile menu while recording, so perhaps a button could be mapped to noise reduction settings? I'm thinking not.
 
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I believe most would say leave it off, and leave it to post. Not sure about the pre-avchd noise reduction, but either way it's more processing that is typically better handled by a powerful program like neat video rather than asking the camera to do it on the fly
 
Some of the work I do freelance for people looking for a quick turnaround who don't do color correction or post noise reduction, so even if post noise reduction is better, I'd still have a need for in-camera noise reduction on those types of shoots.
 
MattRobertson said:
Joe Simon is beginning to use c100's for his wedding works and he puts it at 3.
Click to expand...
That´s def. sth to further look into. C300 user seem to leave it under 5, because of the softening of the image through NR, but this may also vary depending on the lenses.
I think I will also opt for setting it to 3.

Matt, when can we expect to see sth from you shot with your C100? All your latest videos online are still GH2, right?
 
I've found the C100 and the C300 to be incredibly noisy cameras. I own the C100, keep the in camera NR off and use Neat Video. I have come to rely on Neat Video so much since I've owned the C100. For the life of me, I can't get this damn camera to shoot without mosquito noise buzzing all over the shadows. Before I made the decision to just apply Neat Video to all my shots, I played with shooting at ISO 320 to preserve my shadows even at the cost of losing some dynamic range. I came to realize that I don't like giving up all that DR, so now I shoot ISO 850 and apply Neat Video to everything. I guess noise is one of those things that is entirely subjective. Some people don't mind it and like it's sometimes filmic quality, and others like me find it incredibly distracting, ESPECIALLY in the shadows. It's the ONLY beef I have with an otherwise incredible camera.

Don't take my word for it. Here are two screenshots of a clip I shot at ISO 850, C-log NR set at 3, Ninja2 ProRes HQ... One without Neat Video, the other with it applied.

Without
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/noise_zps97f84541.png~original

With
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/neat_zps943e47f2.png~original
 
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E GREY said:
I've found the C100 and the C300 to be incredibly noisy cameras. I own the C100, keep the in camera NR off and use Neat Video. I have come to rely on Neat Video so much since I've owned the C100. For the life of me, I can't get this damn camera to shoot without mosquito noise buzzing all over the shadows. Before I made the decision to just apply Neat Video to all my shots, I played with shooting at ISO 320 to preserve my shadows even at the cost of losing some dynamic range. I came to realize that I don't like giving up all that DR, so now I shoot ISO 850 and apply Neat Video to everything. I guess noise is one of those things that is entirely subjective. Some people don't mind it and like it's sometimes filmic quality, and others like me find it incredibly distracting, ESPECIALLY in the shadows. It's the ONLY beef I have with an otherwise incredible camera.

Don't take my word for it. Here are two screenshots of a clip I shot at ISO 850, C-log NR set at 3, Ninja2 ProRes HQ... One without Neat Video, the other with it applied.

Without
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/noise_zps97f84541.png~original

With
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/neat_zps943e47f2.png~original
Click to expand...

Your cat doesn't seem concerned about the noise, neither should you...
 
What camera are you comparing these to? I'm sure it's subjective, but I wouldn't call your "without" image "incredibly noisy" in the least. What's more, to my eye the C100 image is far less noisy than any other camera in it's price range that I have used, especially at high ISO, even the FS100/700. I use a NR setting of 3 and I have yet to feel the need for using neat video.

E GREY said:
I've found the C100 and the C300 to be incredibly noisy cameras. I own the C100, keep the in camera NR off and use Neat Video. I have come to rely on Neat Video so much since I've owned the C100. For the life of me, I can't get this damn camera to shoot without mosquito noise buzzing all over the shadows. Before I made the decision to just apply Neat Video to all my shots, I played with shooting at ISO 320 to preserve my shadows even at the cost of losing some dynamic range. I came to realize that I don't like giving up all that DR, so now I shoot ISO 850 and apply Neat Video to everything. I guess noise is one of those things that is entirely subjective. Some people don't mind it and like it's sometimes filmic quality, and others like me find it incredibly distracting, ESPECIALLY in the shadows. It's the ONLY beef I have with an otherwise incredible camera.

Don't take my word for it. Here are two screenshots of a clip I shot at ISO 850, C-log NR set at 3, Ninja2 ProRes HQ... One without Neat Video, the other with it applied.

Without
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/noise_zps97f84541.png~original

With
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/neat_zps943e47f2.png~original
Click to expand...
 
E GREY said:
I've found the C100 and the C300 to be incredibly noisy cameras. I own the C100, keep the in camera NR off and use Neat Video. I have come to rely on Neat Video so much since I've owned the C100. For the life of me, I can't get this damn camera to shoot without mosquito noise buzzing all over the shadows. Before I made the decision to just apply Neat Video to all my shots, I played with shooting at ISO 320 to preserve my shadows even at the cost of losing some dynamic range. I came to realize that I don't like giving up all that DR, so now I shoot ISO 850 and apply Neat Video to everything. I guess noise is one of those things that is entirely subjective. Some people don't mind it and like it's sometimes filmic quality, and others like me find it incredibly distracting, ESPECIALLY in the shadows. It's the ONLY beef I have with an otherwise incredible camera.

Don't take my word for it. Here are two screenshots of a clip I shot at ISO 850, C-log NR set at 3, Ninja2 ProRes HQ... One without Neat Video, the other with it applied.

Without
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/noise_zps97f84541.png~original

With
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Thornie/neat_zps943e47f2.png~original
Click to expand...

First off, just so no one misunderstands, because c series isos are basically like having an exposure index every single iso has the same amount of dynamic range. I would not recommend neat video. These are 8 bit cameras and neat video will create banding quickly. Next if you are using a Ninja you are recording I frames, so you will get a sharper noisier image than the avchd. If you want sterile clean images you have to over expose.
 
RZE said:
First off, just so no one misunderstands, because c series isos are basically like having an exposure index every single iso has the same amount of dynamic range. I would not recommend neat video. These are 8 bit cameras and neat video will create banding quickly. Next if you are using a Ninja you are recording I frames, so you will get a sharper noisier image than the avchd. If you want sterile clean images you have to over expose.
Click to expand...

I've read your posts in other threads mentioning the success you've had over exposing c-log. I'm heading out to shoot some b-roll in a little bit, so I'll try bracketing my all of my shots and see how that works. Thanks.

I'm comparing the footage vs my EX3 and 5D mkIII. I've rented the C300 and shot a bunch with it before I went and bought the C100. So I guess this is my first foray into this level of camera. I expose all of my shots with a sekonic light meter.
 
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