Understanding Noise in Photography

Noise is a set spots or visible pixels on photographs that lowers the image quality. We will go over what cause these types of spots in your photos and how to fix them.

Sensor Size

Larger sensors like those found in high end cameras produce less noise than smaller sensors.  Larger sensors though are quite expensive so purchase a camera with the largest sensor you can afford.

ISO Settings

Higher ISO settings will create more noise in your photos. Even though there are times when you will need to use a higher ISO setting, its best to use a lower ISO as much as possible.

Long Exposures

The longer the sensor on your camera is open the higher the level of noise will be in your photo.  This is usually due to the sensor getting hotter when they have been exposed too long.

Underexposure

Photos resulting in underexposure will show noise in dark and shadowed areas. Be sure you use the best exposure settings available.

 

Eliminating The Noise

• Shoot your photos with RAW-image setting as this is a higher quality than JPG
• Use a low ISO setting
• Check for a NR or noise reduction feature on your camera
• Use lenses with larger apertures

We hope this article helped you understand what causes noise in photos and how to help reduce noise.

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