Using M 4/3 Format At High ISOs With No Digital Grain?

Olympus E-M1 Mark II, 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens @ 15mm; 1/100th sec. @ f/4; ISO 6400 after noise reduction applied.
(click to enlarge)

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Recently, I photographed a museum exhibit entitled, "Terracotta Army: Legacy of the first Emperor of China," with my Olympus E-M1 Mark II and my Olympus 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens.  Knowing that museums are typically dark with very high contrast light illuminating each exhibited item, I knew I would have to use ISOs that were higher than normal, resulting in digital noise.  I was able to eliminate the resulting digital noise by pre-planning, adopting a strategy, then adapting my photography technique to accommodate a different way of making images.  Here is what I did.

A few years ago, during my reading of photography blogs, watching photography You Tube videos and the like, I came across a methodology of reducing or fully eliminating noise in static subjects when having to use extremely high ISOs.  The idea is to make multiple exposures of the subject, then in editing combine the exposures to eliminate offensive noise.  This method works well as the two images displayed in this post illustrate.

Before noise reduction technique; ISO 6400 (click to enlarge)

After technique applied (click to enlarge)

To further explain.  If I have to use ISO 3200 to photograph, more digital noise will be present than I would accept.  However, if I make two identical images at ISO 3200, then combine them with this method, the noise will be then similar as if I made the images at ISO 1600.  If I combine 4 images, the similarity of noise reduces to about what you would get at ISO 800.  Eight images combined will reduce the noise further to about an image file shot at ISO 400.  You get the pattern.  For each doubling of images to be combined your digital noise will be reduced in half in accordance with half the ISO.  Believe it or not, this works really well with static subjects, but would not work with moving subjects.  Also, you really don't need to put your camera on a tripod if you can hold it relatively steady to minimize movement between exposures.

Here is how I do it.

First, I do a little pre-planning as to what I may encounter and what ISOs may be required.  That gives me an idea of what lens I may want to use.  I set my camera to whatever ISO is most appropriate but also set my camera to high speed advance to minimize the time between exposures. When photographing, it pays off if you practice good technique for holding your camera still while making the multiple images.  I normally stand at a 45 degree angle and pull my elbows into my sides. For this method, depending upon the ISO, with one press of the shutter and holding the camera as still as possible, I will take between 5 and 10 images of each subject.  If you practice a bit, it becomes rather easy to do.

Back at my computer, I upload the images into my Lightroom Catalog.  I don't do any editing or apply an import preset at this point.  I select all of the images I want to combine then load them into Photoshop as layers (Edit In > Open As Layers In Photoshop).

I then select all layers and use the Auto-Align Layers command, then let Photoshop align all layers.

Next, I convert the image to a Smart Object (Smart Objects > Convert To Smart Objects), then select Smart Objects > Stack Mode >Mean.

That will eliminate any differences between the images and only keep what is consistent among all the images.  In other words, the digital noise goes away and obscured detail is now much more apparent.

I then send the image back to Lightroom for routine editing.

That is it.  Very easy and straightforward.  It only takes a few minutes and if you plan ahead, you can come home with images that are much more pleasing at ISOs higher than you ever thought you would use.

Another example of extreme noise before technique applied.  Look especially at the noise in the umbrella.
Also look at how much detail is obscured by the noise in the shadows. (click to enlarge)

After technique applied.  Noise is minimal and a non factor in obscuring detail. (click to enlarge)

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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