The bare minimum use of Noiseware is to select the filter, let the tool make its default calculations and then click OK. The denoised image now appears in Photoshop ready for your other processing. However, you may or may not be happy with the default settings -- and thats where the previously mentioned options come in.
Imagenomic boasts that they can process a 8MP file in under 4 seconds.
On the top left of the screen is a drop-down list of 14 predefined settings covering the most common photo types: Landscape, Night Scene, Portraits, and the cryptically named Stronger Noise, Stronger Luma Noise, and others. These are combinations of the various sliders designed to correct photos of the particular type. You can also create your own combinations and save them as presets of your own -- which will appear below the Custom option in the drop-down.
One exceptionally important feature of Noiseware is the filter preview window (dead center of the screen). You can choose to make this fast or accurate -- though Imagenomic boasts that they can process a 8MP file in under 4 seconds, so opt for accurate. Putting the mouse cursor on the image in the preview and pressing and holding the left mouse button allows you to see the original version, letting go replaces with the denoised version. A fast toggle to see just what improvements are being made (and perhaps what detail is being lost). Additionally, you can view the before and after images at the same time in a side-by-side or top-bottom format.
Another powerful component of the preview window is the parameter bracketing button. Not sure if Luminance Noise Reduction would be better at 90% or 80%? What about 85%? Decisions, decisions! With parameter bracketing, you can select a parameter such as Luminance Noise Reduction, number of previews, and the bracketing step (value or percentage as the setting dicates) and voila! Noiseware produces the number of previews requested, changing only the parameter you chose. And each preview window is now fully independent, meaning you can adjust the settings of one without affecting the others. This gives you the ability to experiment and find out exactly which settings look best and compare them.
Wow. Sounds like they craft a great user interface... but how is the noise reduction? Excellent! Imagenomic has put attention to detail foremost -- that is reducing noise without reducing precious detail in your shots. Its wealth of options give you complete control over the outcome -- and Noiseware will learn from your images as well. Add to that the fast processing speed on even the largest of images and you'll find yourself more productive instead of staring at an hourglass cursor.
For the photographer who takes his/her images seriously -- from hobbyists to professionals, Imagenomic's Noiseware is a must-have tool in the digital darkroom.
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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- IntelliProfile learns from your choices and camera EXIF.
- Can be as simple or complex as the user chooses.
- Fast processing of large images.
- Wealth of options and assistance tools in a single screen interface.
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- No standalone version for Mac.
- Would be nice if plug-in included the standalone version.
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