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Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Sue Scott 		 

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?


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April 06, 2008

 

Pete H 		  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


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April 06, 2008

 

Christopher A. Walrath 		  Sorry, been away for a couple of days. But I am curious. What exactly is FILM noise?

Thanks
Chris


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April 09, 2008

 

Sue Scott 		 
 
  sample of high noise
sample of high noise
ISO 400, f3.5, 1/40 sec interior shot on a bright sunny day, lots of windows.

Sue Scott

  
 
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.


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April 10, 2008

 
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