Sue Scott |
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film noise
I have a Canon PowerShot S3 IS and I love it as an all around general purpose camera. However! It is all but useless for indoors. ISO over 200 has extreme (in my opinion) film noise. I took an indoor shot today in a fairly bright, (lots of windows)scene but it required 800 ISO and 1/60 shutter speed to have enough light with a blurry, VERY noisy result. Using the flash doesn't improve things very much. Obviously a tripod/lower iso/faster shutter speed would help, but a tripod is not always an option. Could it be a sensor problem? Or is this a common drawback with this model?
April 07, 2008
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Pete H |
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Hello Sue, Sorry to say yes; it is a common problem with small sensors in that type of camera.
You can try noise reduction techniques, but I fear that will meet with limited success. Just a year ago, ISO 800 noise in DSLR's was the norm as well and quite unacceptable to most photographers. Technology in just the last year has overcome this problem (or at least greatly reduced it) for the photographer; though not without some financial outlay. all the best, Pete
April 06, 2008
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Christopher A. Walrath |
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Sorry, been away for a couple of days. But I am curious. What exactly is FILM noise? Thanks
Chris
April 09, 2008
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Sue Scott |
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sample of high noise
ISO 400, f3.5, 1/40 sec interior shot on a bright sunny day, lots of windows.
Sue Scott
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geez, sorry, since my point was more about "is such high noise usual in my type of camera," I wasn't being so careful about how I used that term. I started in film photography eons ago so I guess that's how that slipped in. Here's how Ask.com defines it: "Noise in a digital camera's image is remarkably similar to Film grain in a film camera. At high ISO levels (film speed) the grain/noise becomes more apparent in the final image." Here's an example of what I mean: The picture I'm pasting in is not only noisy, but blurry because I can't shoot inside at less than 400 ISO at 1/40 sec, f3.5. I was glad to hear Pete's response. I'm self taught and trying to learn all I can. I needed to know if I was doing something wrong or this was a camera limitation.
April 10, 2008
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Christopher A. Walrath |
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Cool, learned something myself. I very seldom hand hold a camera at a shutter speed less than double the focal length (i.e. 210mm - 1/500/ 28mm - 1/60). Even your heartbeat and very light breathing can cause camera motion to some extent and if you're pushing it with a low shutter speed, regardless of ISO or aperture, a low shutter speed can kill image sharpness in a heartbeat. If you can't brighten the subject up a little then expect this result. Not a camera limitation so much as a lighting limitation. Brighten it up and that will allow for faster shutter speeds. As to the grain/noise (funny how digital needs to define a digital term by referring to a film term), Pete is right. Higher ISO = higher grain, at least in film speak. In film, the grain is actually the space between the circles of confusion. The circles of confusion are the focused points of light. Three things can throw off focus or enlarge the circles of confusion. High ISO films are grainier, more sensitive to light and reveal more grain. Poor focusing can lead to more grain. Lighter focus, larger circles. And motion. If an image is blurred then the light is not concentrated and will allow the circles to get bigger. So, good focus, better light and less motion will help you to better get images with less noise. If this doesn't work, just turn the volume down to '2' and carry on.
April 10, 2008
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