"Mask" Slider for Noise Reduction?

[mcmorrison]

Hello,

I find the mask slider in the sharpening section fantastic—No need to create a custom surface mask in PS to avoid sharpening skies, etc.

Doesn't it make equal sense to have a mask slider for the noise reduction section? I would like to reduce noise more strongly in surface regions, again such as skies, but have a lighter noise reduction effect in areas of detail where the noise can even contribute to a sense of sharpness. . .

Thoughts?

Best,

Michael Morrison

[Schewe]

Doesn't it make equal sense to have a mask slider for the noise reduction section?

You using LR 3 beta 2 or Camera Raw 6? If not, you should learn how to use the new current noise reduction. The Luminance Detail slider offer control over what the noise reduction sees as noise vs. image detail...

[mcmorrison]

Hello Jeff,

Thanks for your reply. I am using LR3 beta (latest version, Mac). I have been using the noise reduction "detail" sliders, and in luminance noise, the contrast slider as well. While they seem to help in this regard, I am not seeing the type of control over surface vs detail that I have in mind. Perhaps I am missing something because I don't see a lot of change with the detail or contrast sliders—some, just not a lot. I have not found an on-screen mask display if I hold down the option key, as I do in the sharpening sliders. If these sliders are acting as a mask, as the sharpening slider does, I have not yet got the feel for it.

Am I missing something?

Thanks again,

Michael

[mcmorrison]

Hello Jeff,

A further questions occurs to me: if the detail and contrast sliders have a similar function to the sharpening sliders, why not use the same sliders and names in the noise reduction section?

We (thanks to your valuable book on sharpening) now have a good understanding of radius, detail, and masking sliders in the sharpening panel. Why not build on this knowledge and use the same sliders in NR? Along with the same option-key, on-screen guides?

Thanks,

Michael

[elied]

Or, alternately. it would be nice if the local adjustments tools could access noise reduction the way they apply sharpening now.

[HickersonJasonC]

Or, alternately. it would be nice if the local adjustments tools could access noise reduction the way they apply sharpening now.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. While I almost never use this type of local noise correction (I like my images to have a bit of grit) I can see that many photogs would really put this type of control to good use.

[mcmorrison]

Hello,

Having now watched the LR3 videos (thanks!), I still find myself wondering why the NR sliders are different than the sharpening sliders. If the functionality is the same, why not the same sliders? If the functionality is different, I am not clear on how it is different. Can anyone shed some light on why the NR sliders are different than the sharpening sliders?

Thanks!

Michael