There was a typo in the name for the TLR Noise Reduction Assistant action set. Wen users changed the name of the action set to correct the misspelling, it woud cause the action to fail at the step where the surface mask was added.

I posted a correction (Version 1.0a) that fixes the misnaming for the action set.

Bruce Kaplan

Mitch, thank you for the action. Like others who have commented on the DPReview forums I have got a failure message when the action wants to run the secondary action (using Noiseware)- I've installed your newest version- strangely using the same image I can successfully run the entire action in CS4 but it fails in CS3. Any suggestions? Bruce

Please try the latest update. (1.0b) I posted it about 5 minutes ago.

It i possible that there is an incompatibility in how CS4 handles actions for Noiseware. Let's see if the latest version fixes the problem. ;)

Thanks for your patience, Bruce.

Bruce Kaplan

Mitch, sorry I wasn't near my computer until now- downloaded the newest version of the action and indeed it does work in CS3 and CS4 now. Thank you for your willingness to follow up and work it through. The mask your action creates is great for the work I do, and I may not have to produce luminence masks before running Noiseware. I would post your info and action over on the Imagenomic forums- they should appreciate the work you do. Maybe for them just provide the action for Noiseware though? Again thanks,
Bruce

Glad to hear it works, Bruce. Thanks for confirming that! :)

I want everyone to benefit from the tools. So it was important to jump on it right away.

I find that the surface masking with noise reduction tools is not at effective as using a surface mask. I don't believe they rely much on masks for noise reduction. That would defeat the purpose of the filtration algorithms, which make pixel-by-pixel comparisons with neighboring pixels to determine whether their value is noise or detail. Plus, when you generate a surface mask, it can be tweaked at any point.

Most do now tout some sort of masking. I'm not sure, but I believe the masking is often edge masking and used to allow the tools to apply some USM sharpening to restore details without restoring a lot of noise, too.

I turn off the features for detail restoration with NR tools. You can do a lot better with NR and surface mask followed by capture sharpening and an edge mask. You have control, instead of relying on the NR software.

Besides, NR software is good at NR, so I use it for that. I use sharpening tools for sharpening. ;)

Enjoy!

2x Clicking the Smart Filter icon doesn't open Noiseware if I want to re-just the NR. Instead it duplicates the layer in a new file.

I thought it bring up Noiseware instead.

Ideas?

Thanks,

Reid

Hmmm . . . That's not good!

Noiseware creates a Smart Layer, but you get none of the benefits of a Smart Layer.

I just tried to modify the Smart Filter settings by clicking on their icon. The display flashes but Noiseware does not open to allow you to change the Smart Filter settings.

I also tried to change the settings for Noiseware by double-clicking the actin ste. Insteadof the Noiseware opening, I get a duplicate of the Smart Filter settings.

Those are both buggy behaviors.

I will need to report these behaviors as bugs to Imagenomic.

Reid:

I e-mailed my contact at Imagenomic. He replied within minutes and said. First report of a problem with Smart Filter layers or action steps.

He asked for details about OS, RAM, runnng problems, etc.

I went back. Tried it again. No problem.

I'd try the script without other apps running in the background. You might also close any open Photoshop CS4 panels. They take up resources, too.

IOW, this looks like a resources issue. Probably RAM.

OS: Win 7

RAM 8 GB

No other PS panels were open. Don't think it's a resource issue.

Reid

I got the same result as you earlier. I closed everything restarted Photoshop. I could click on a Smart Filter layer effect and Noiseware opened as expected. I could also double-click the action step and Noiseware wuld open so I could edit the action step.

The Smart Filter behavior and how the Actions palette responds to a double-click are not action-related issues.

If I understand you correctly, the action created a Smart Filters layer with an effect for Noiseware. You just cannot double-click and adjust the Smart Filter effect settings. I saw that myself. That is definitely not an action issue.

Actions can create Smart Flter layers. Actions do not control how Photoshop reacts to a request to edit a Smart Filter layer.

Now, if I misunderstand, and the action is not even creating a Smart Filters layer at all, that would definitely be a faulty action problem and I would want to fix it ASAP. ;)

The action is running OK, and it does create a Smart filter layer.

So, I how I access Noiseware to adjust the filter after I run the action?

Reid

I was clicking on the lower-right layer icon (like re-opening the image in RAW) instead of where it says Noiseware Professsional.

Any thoughts about Noiseware settting. I find that if I leave in on the default setting, it's best to back off the opacity, maybe down to 50%. Your experience?

Thanks,

Reid

Sorry. I was on the road between Tampa and Tallahassee.

I'm pleased it is working for you. (Whew!)

YOu might want to reduce the Opacity setting. That's OK. I set it at 85% generically.

There is an action step that sets the layer opacity. If you double-click it, you can change the setting that the action uses by default.

Thanks for providing this ... looks interesting. With Neat-Image, it applies a profile for a Canon 1ds at 100 iso, which isn't so great for a Canon 50d at 1600 iso. Should I change to Auto-Profile?

You can try Auto Profile. I suspect it will break the macro. It sure did for me.

What I suggest is that you replace the call to Neat Image in the action. (I really should make a tutorial or video soon to demonstrate this.) You should make one for your specific camera and its profiles.

Hi Mitch

Appreciate if you make a tutorial or video how to make a profile for the D300 and incorporate in your action. This is great! Thank you.

Lowell