I'm looking for suggestions to help solve what's probably a pretty basic problem: I've got a Nikon D70, and like to shoot pictures in low light without a flash. Due to my budget, at the moment all I have is the lens that came with the camera - 18-70mm/3.5-4.5. Hence, when shooting in low light, I have to jack up the ISO -- and any time I set it at 800 or over, the pictures have more noise than I like. First, is there any way to effectively reduce noise in Photoshop? Second, do I just need a new lens? If so, how much of a difference is there between lenses that can shoot at apertures as big as 2.8, 1.8, or 1.4? OR would the issue largely be solved by getting a lens with vibration reduction, even if it's widest aperture is 3.5? Are there other digital SLRs out there that produce markedly less noise at higher ISOs? One last, unrelated lens question: my lens has noticeable flecks of dust INSIDE the lens, beneath the surface glass - is this normal?
Better than Photoshop, download a free copy of Neat Image.
Learn about "stops".
Basically moving from a 2.8 to a 1.4 lens would let you drop your ISO two stops from 3200 to 800 while keeping shutter speed constant.
But you would also loose a lot of DOF, which can be a good or bad thing. Depending....
IS/VR can add two or three stops. But it won't freeze subject movement, just camera movement.
Dust in the glass. It happens. It probably won't show up in your shots. Easy to check - shoot and look.
If the dust was there to begin with, and the lens is under warranty - I'd call the service centre and see what they suggest.
In addition to NeatImage, consider Noiseware and NoiseNinja - trial versions available for both.
Lens storage tip: If you're in a humid environment, mould can develop inside the lens - mould needs two things, moisture and nutrients. I store my lenses in an airtight box, with fresh silica gel sachets to remove any moisture - that prevents mould growing. Mould will cause image quality to drop, and if it's left unchecked it will probably damage the coatings on the lenses.
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<hr>and if it's left unchecked it will probably damage the coatings on the lenses<hr></blockquote>
If it's left unchecked you get to chuck the lenses.
Happened to me with the lenses that lived on my sailboat for a few years.
Experience is a cruel school mistress.
Thanks for the tips-- do you know if it's recommended to use Neat Image (or one of the others) before or after using Photoshop to fix contrast/sharpen/etc?
Fortunately, living in New Mexico, mold is not much of a threat -- here, dust is the enemy.
I'm going to try to borrow an f1.4 lens from a friend to see what it does, but I think that's probably, ultimately, what I'll need.
I find that the noise reduction can slightly reduce adjusted contrast, so I may check contrast again in Photoshop after running it through the filter.
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